There was a time when Muslim Arab missionaries came to Tajikistan to spread the Islamic religion. Their ancestors were from the Banu Tamim tribe originating from what is now Iraq and Syria. Today their descendants live in the southern part of Tajikistan and in Afghanistan. Their language is a hybrid between Tajik and Arabic. These Tajik Arabs live mainly in Tajikistan's Shakhritus and Kabodiyon regions. A small number live in the two neighboring districts of Kabodiyansky and Nosiri Khusravsky. The Tajik Arabs are few in number, both in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Today most of Tajik Arabs are farmers like the people around them. They have their own mosques, but sometimes they pray with the Tajiks. They get along well with the Tajik majority, but they don't intermarry with them. Most of the Tajik Arabs are farmers or herdsmen like the people around them. The farmers raise cotton, barley, wheat, and various grains. They live in small villages that consist of flat roofed mud or stone houses. Some of the villagers follow a semi-nomadic way of life. In the winter they remain in the villages, whereas in the summer they take their herds to higher altitudes. A few Tajik Arabs live in the major cities and work as merchants or highly skilled craftsmen.
Tajik Arabs are virtually all Sunni Muslim. Islam is intended to permeate lives, governing what people eat, how they act, and how the women dress. Tajik Arabs observe Islamic rituals that are related to birth, puberty, marriage, and death. They faithfully repeat memorized prayers five times each day, facing Mecca, Islam's holy city. In addition to their Islamic beliefs, many practice spiritism, practices that make use of charms and amulets. Such practices are frowned upon by orthodox Sunni Muslims.
As far as we know, there are almost no Tajik Arabs who follow Jesus Christ. They rely upon what their imams teach them regarding obedience to the laws of Islam, believing this will provide them with enough good works to be saved on the Day of Judgment.
Pray for bold, loving believers to go to the Tajik Arabs in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Pray for the Tajik Arabs to crave true spiritual nourishment that comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for a Christ-ward movement to flourish among Tajik Arabs in the 2020s. Pray for Tajik Arabs to be blessed with peace, joy and spiritual prosperity as they follow Jesus Christ.
Scripture Prayers for the Arab, Tajiki in Tajikistan.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
Global Prayer Digest: 2010-11-05 |
People Name General | Arab, Tajiki |
People Name in Country | Arab, Tajiki |
Natural Name | Tajiki Arab |
Pronunciation | TAH-jeeki AE-rub |
Alternate Names | Arab; Balkh Arab; Central Asian Arab; Tajiki Spoken; Tajikistani, Arab-Speaking; Taziki |
Population this Country | 1,500 |
Population all Countries | 21,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 15202 |
ROP3 Code | 109734 |
Country | Tajikistan | ||
Region | Asia, Central | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
Persecution Rank | 44 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | Khatlon province, Vakhsh Valley villages; Kuliab and Leninabad cities. Mainly small villages. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Country | Tajikistan |
Region | Asia, Central |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
Persecution Rank | 44 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | Khatlon province, Vakhsh Valley villages; Kuliab and Leninabad cities. Mainly small villages.. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
100.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Arabic, Tajiki Spoken | |||
Language Code | abh Ethnologue Listing | |||
Language Written | Unknown | |||
Total Languages | 2 | |||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Arabic, Tajiki Spoken |
Language Code | abh Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 2 |
Secondary Languages | |
Tajik | |
People Groups | Speaking Arabic, Tajiki Spoken |
Primary Language: Arabic, Tajiki Spoken
Bible Translation Status: Translation Needed
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Arabic Bible Online | Arabic Bible Outreach Ministry |
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Text / Printed Matter | Tools for faith conversations | Campus Crusade for Christ |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
Map Source | Bethany World Prayer Center |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |