Dusadh (Muslim traditions) in Bangladesh

Introduction / History

Traditionally the Dosadh people were a low status community. They were once palanquin bearers, which indicates low status. They were noted for their criminal behavior. Some robbed travelers.
They claim that a prince, Dushasan, is their forbearer. In 1857, both Hindus and Muslims were revolting against England's East India Company, but the British managed to raise an army partly from the Dosadh people, and they prevailed. This led to the British crown holding far more power in South Asia than ever before.
Muslim Dodsadh people live mainly in India and a small number resides in Bangladesh.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Largely because of their low status, these people have had to find creative, though often demeaning ways of making a living. They are famous for catching wild animals, extracting honey from beehives, and making fans from peacock feathers. Others have even lower status jobs such as taking insects off the backs of cattle. Some beg for a living. They are often unemployed because other communities either think they don't have the right agricultural skills or they view them as thieves and criminals.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Dusadh people are Sunni Muslims 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 Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.
In most of the Muslim world, common 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 they live on a daily basis. For that reason, some Muslims appease spirits using charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces. More orthodox Muslims consider these practices heretical and un-Islamic.

What Are Their Needs?

Muslim Dusadh people need to be given the chance to hear the life-changing gospel so they can enjoy life to the full.

Prayer Points

Pray for loving gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Dusadh people for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing the hearts of these people would be open and ready to follow him.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly.
Pray for the spiritual lives of the Dusadh people to become fruitful so others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.
Pray for spiritual hunger among the Muslim Dusadh people.

Text Source:   Joshua Project