South Asian in Norway


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

There are many South Asians in Norway, and Pakistanis are the largest group. Before 1970 South Asian migrants preferred other European countries like the U.K. and Germany because of higher wages. When oil was discovered in the North Sea, Norwegians and South Asians took advantage of the new job opportunities. Friends and families in South Asia were told about work opportunities by those already in Norway. Agents began to transport many Pakistanis to Oslo. The Pakistanis already in Norway helped the new migrants and Norwegian authorities issued fresh work permits. Immigrant controls came into being later and this discouraged students from coming to Norway.

There are fewer Indians in Norway, though the number is still significant. They, like the Pakistanis, came in the late 1960s. Like the Pakistanis, the Indians went into semi-skilled and unskilled work that they did not do in their home countries. Some went into higher education. By 1980, women joined the men and South Asian communities began. They remain close to their families in their home countries.

Gujarati refugees came from Uganda to Norway in the 1970s. From 1987 large numbers of Tamils came as refugees from Sri Lanka. By 2000 there were more Sri Lankan Tamils in Norway than Indians.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Pakistanis remain the largest South Asian immigrant group in Norway. Today more than half of the Pakistanis are Norwegian citizens though their numbers are decreasing.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The South Asians in Norway can be Hindu, Sikh or Christian. There is a slight Sunni Muslim majority who believe that the supreme God, Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship.

The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah.

Sunni religious practices are staid and simple. They believe that Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.

In most of the Muslim world, people depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well we live in our daily lives. For that reason, they must appease the spirits. They often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.


What Are Their Needs?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray for the few South Asian believers to be filled with the love and the power of the Holy Spirit so they will be equipped to preach, teach, and disciple.

Pray that Bibles will be effectively distributed throughout Norway and have a strong spiritual impact on the South Asian peoples.

Pray for the effectiveness of the JESUS Film in Norway.

Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the South Asians in Norway.


Scripture Prayers for the South Asian, general in Norway.


References

www.urmila.de/english/europeindex.html

http://www.urmila.de/DesisinD/Europa/norway.html

https://www.frisch.uio.no/english/publications/?pubid=812

https://blogs.prio.org/2021/04/how-relevant-is-stopasianhate-in-norway/


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General South Asian, general
People Name in Country South Asian, general
Natural Name South Asian
Pronunciation AY-zhun
Alternate Names
Population this Country 27,000
Population all Countries 12,146,000
Total Countries 59
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 19211
ROP3 Code 115527
ROP25 Code 307681
ROP25 Name South Asian
Country Norway
Region Europe, Western
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Norway
Region Europe, Western
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
25.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.70 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
20.00 %
Islam
50.00 %
Non-Religious
2.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Urdu
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Hindi Sinhala
Primary Language Urdu
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Hindi
  Sinhala
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1747-1894)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1758-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1843-2022)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Urdu Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source pxhere  Creative Commons 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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