Shershabdia (Muslim traditions) in India

Introduction/History of the sHershabdia people

A community of Muslim carpenters, part of the Saifi in the Muslim caste-system, are called Badhi or Shershabdia. Though the Hindi tradition states descent from deity, the Muslim tradition claims descent from early Muslim settlers in northern India. More likely, they are Muslim converts from the Hindu Badhi caste.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Many present-day Shershabdia have moved into farming or agricultural labor. Though the settlements where they live may be populated by multiple castes or religions, the Muslim Shershabdia occupy their own quarters. There is very little interaction between the Shershabdia and other Muslim groups, despite close proximity. Even intermarriage with other groups is almost non-existent.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Tai Lue people practice Theravada Buddhism mixed with animism. Each village has a temple with novice and head monks and every family is expected to visit the temple for Buddhist festivals and give to the temple in order to gain merit for their next lives. The Tai Lue put great emphasis on reincarnation, believing that if they live a good life they will be reborn into a higher social order. If they are wicked, however, they could be reborn as degraded animals. Each village also has a "heart" where the village spirit resides and is given offerings. They also believe that non-human objects have spirits, and that people have multiple souls.

What Are Their Needs?

The Shershabdia speak Hindi, a language that has many gospel materials. These they can obtain at home through their cell phones.

Prayer: How Can We Pray for the Tai Lue people?

1. Pray for loving gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Shershabdia people for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing the hearts of these people would be open and ready to follow him.

2. Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly.

3. Pray for the spiritual lives of the Shershabdia people to become fruitful so others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.

Scripture Prayers for the Shershabdia (Muslim traditions) in India.