The Hindu Conversion to Islam
Place: Nashik District, Indian State of Maharashtra
Population: 4 million
Christians: Less than 20,000 people, 0.5% (all denominations combined).
Muslims: 600,000 people, 6,7% (mostly city dwellers)
Nashik, (also Nasik), is a medium size, fast-growing city. The river Godavari flows through the city and the temples and steps on its banks make Nashik one of the holiest places for Hindus all over the World. Once every 12 years the city hosts millions of Hindus participating in the pilgrimage festival called Kumbh Mela (the Urn Festival). In Hindu mythology, Nasik got its name when the sister of the demon Ravana proposed to marry the god Rama. Hearing this, Rama ordered her nose (‘nasika’ in Sanskrit) to be cut off. Thus Nashik got its name. This is the context in which Muslims in Nashik live – surrounded by ancient Hindu tradition and culture.
Power to Heal the Sick
It was not until the establishment of regional Muslim kingdoms in the 14th and 15th centuries and the arrival of Muslim missionaries that the Muslims began to form a distinct community. The two leading Muslim missionaries in Nashik were Khunmir Hussaini (1520) and Syed Hussaini (1568). It is believed that both came with zealous preaching and the power to heal the sick, thus many Hindus readily converted to Islam. Devotion to these Muslim saints continues to this day.
The vast majority of Muslims in Nashik (as in all of India) are Sunnis who have been influenced over the generations by Hindu religion and culture. Some of the Muslims peoples residing in Nashik district are the Sayyed, the Pathan, the Malik, Muslims from Rajasthan, the Lakarharas (or wood-sellers who are a mixed population of Shaikhs), and a Shia sect called the Dawoodi Bohra. The majority of Muslims in the city are from the Sayyed group.
The Plight of the Muslims
A simple visit to Nashik city will easily demonstrate the plight of the Muslims living there. Many live in congested areas where the city infrastructure is of poor quality. When we wrote this article (summer 2006), there were no known ministries daily reaching out to Nashik's Muslims with the Gospel. However, this does not mean God is not at work among them.
Many genuine believers in Nashik have been praying for the Muslim community. Some are fearful of Muslims as well, caught up in the historical Indian prejudices between the varying religious communities. Another area for prayer is Malegaon, a city in Nashik district a few hours drive north east of Nashik city which is over 70% Muslim, far exceeding the Muslim population of Nashik city. Malegoan has a reputation for its communal tensions between the religious communities and the more volatile Muslim population.
India
Prayer points for Nashik, Maharashtra, India:
* May God send labourers into the streets, alleys, homes and families of Nashik to proclaim Christ to the Muslim community (Mt 22:9-10).
* May God prepare the men and women of peace (Luke 10:6) among the Muslims of Nashik who can receive the message.
* May God help the Christians of in the area to move beyond prejudices to really loving and caring for the Muslim community.
* May God pour out His Spirit giving the Muslims a hunger and thirst to know God and His Word (Luke 24:27-32).
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My name is Rachid. I was born in a Muslim family. I married in 1999 and came back to live in my home city in India. I was earning money but I had no peace in my life. I smoked cigars and drank and played a type of card game called Juhua for money. In my family we always quarreled and I went to the mosque every Friday.
When my second child was born I met a person named Ramchand. As our friendship developed he told me about Jesus. He explained to me that Jesus is really alive. While reading the Bible I had many questions in my mind about the true faith. Finally one day as I was praying and I asked God to help me stop smoking because I was a chain smoker.
I believed in God and received his forgiveness through Christ. The Lord set me free from my addiction! I later did a training program with a Christian group which helped me even more. Now I tell Muslims about how they can also discover Christ. I now have a small business and two Muslim men are also working with me. By trusting in Jesus I have experienced the peace of God. I have realised that God is really going to take care of me and my family.
Interesting. I'm happy to hear that your organization is spending all this time, effort and money in foreign countries trying to convert Muslims. However, what most of your groups don't realize is that within your own western world, Christians are accepting Islam without much effort. In fact, in the US, the fastest growing Muslim community are Latinos. I should know, I'm one myself. While you are busy trying to establish yourselves in war torn middle eastern countries at great expense and even life you fail recognize that the religion of Islam is around you and growing in leaps and bounds. Mosques are being built all over the US and new converts are flocking to them because of the truth that they find in Islam. So continue you're work and we will continue ours.
No hay más dios que Alá y Muhammad es su profeta!
Les quiero invitar a que aprendan acerca el Islam. Jesus (saw) es mencionado mas de 25 veces el coran y tambien su milagroso nacimiento de Maria. Dios nunca pudo ser humano pero si a mandado a mensajeros. El Islam los reconoce a todos con el profeta Muhammad siendo el ultimo. Para mas informacion por favor is visiten estos sitios:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam
http://www.latinodawah.org/
http://www.lalma.org/
http://www.islam.com.mx./index.php
Tienes toda la razon Khalid, estos grupuscolos evangelicos no son nada mas que una prolongacion de la politica agresiva, belica y militante de la derecha al poder en estado unidos.
Es realmente triste ver que hay gente que le haga caso, yo soy catolico, pero Khalid, me siento mucho mas cercano al islam y a tu cultura antes que esta pandilla de chiflado que se arrancan la camisa cantando lodes al señor y sus guitarras rock
Arrivederci
baptists, evangelicals, stop to drunk, your society is empty, you are looking to convert all over the world....but it's not necessary, one USA is enough!!! allah u akbar
I'm very happy to see this side of nasik's muslim. I want to know each and every thing of nasik's muslim history, i want any kind of book about this in hindi language. Anyone knows about this type of book then send me detail about this. plz....My email id is- shaikh.wasim76@yahoo.co.in or call me on my mobile 9890343260
I am a muslim too,
1) Why do not Muslim have freedom to change religion like any one, why should they be afraid of death if they choose other religions.
2) If Mohammad can marry 9 yrs old why cant other muslims marry a 9 yrs old. it is a p[eaceful and equal religion right.
3) If one can wishes have a crush on sons wife, why is he not punished, how can he become a god, I am a better person, i can be GOD and saint too.
4) after seeing all th ekilling and blood inthe arms of ISlAM, i can sleep in peace, my religion still calls itself peacefull religion, even though buuda was not born.
Iam to tell its least enlightened religion.
5) I will not feel the pain or remorse, i will pray 5 times and will not have remorse.
6) i have no feeligs when my husband can have sex in front of me with other women because they are his wifes. I am a tolent muslim.
7) I can destroy anything i want too becauseMahhamd told me its good, i will go to heaven, but i will make hell here.I WILL GO TO HEAVEN SO I CAN MAKE HELL DESTROY KILL, LOOT OTHERS WEALTH.
I am muslim i can distort history and write my muslim name I will go to heaven.
so I lie, I steal,
9) I am muslim, I follow hear and dreamt religion, not one who followed and lived by example in front my eyes.
10) I am a muslim, i live double multiple life to believe in unkown and unseen heaven.
Saira....you r not muslim.....I am sure......u only used the muslim name.
Anyway who ever u may be....u have a right to ask any question and clear ur doubt. ur above 10 points r very serious for me . And believe me sister this is becoz u had not reffer to the divine book, Qur'an.All ur anwer r clearly stated in it.
I will suggest you if u reveal u name,religion, place and email id. it would be more easy to convey the answers to you.
hope u understand. meanwhile u can visit the website http://www.irf.net, most of the answer u will find there. and simalteniously to can reffer CDs of Mr. Zakir Nakir. If u r from India u watch peace TV, if u r from mdl east u can watch Huda Channel. Insha'Allah ur doubt would clear soon.
Dr. Zakir Naik is a renowed scholor of Islam, Hinduism and cristian. He is is very humble and always help the people who seek truth and peace. His office is in Dongri, Mumbai.
I am not scholor but I can guide u from where u can be guided practicaly and sitifically both.
I am strong Believer of Islam. I find Islam as a very practical religion.
May Allah guige u and remove all your confusion.
This is bribery , where these missionaries are raising the dust throughout the world to convert the poors , the sick and venerable, by bartering with them ,money ,medical care, for their faith, where the poor have no choice but to submit to these evil people.As i live in united kingdom where the natives are leaving Christianity ,and a lot are turning to Islam on their own wills, in city of Bradford there are over 130 mosques,and the population in next 10 years is expected to reach 53% Muslims, not bad at all for no effort.
To Saira,
U r a Muslim only by NAME yet u DO NOT practise the teachings hence ur corrupted mind.
and u really thought that u knew Islamic teachings,guess what?all of the things u said above are the deviant teachings which some irresponsible muslims claim that they are the pure ones.
U do not study history i presume, u shud read em if u have a free time & then u will know
the truth about Islamic civilizations.Increase ur knowledge, liberate ur mind, study all of the religions then compare them.U'll find one religion which do NOT contradict since the beginning of its emergence.
May Allah give u light, May u be blessed.Ameeen...
i love allah, i live for allah, everthink, everything, for allah forever ever ever ameeen...
I luv Allah coz He luvs
me. I find Him in every
moment of my life as its
nt mine but His.I hv
submitted my will 2
Allah. Its a request 2
Umma dat dnt impure
Islam, dis is our way of
life wat Allah has shown
us.
To All Readers,
Know you all.
I am not here to speak againt any person or Religion.
To know about Islam, Listen to Dr.Zakir Nayak of Peace TV.
Islam is a growing Religion Why:
1400 years ago Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAS) received Holy Quran as a guide to
ManKind.
1400 Years ago Holy Prophet forbade all against smoking & drinking and west has
Only now discovered the truth.
1400 Years ago Holy Quran contained abour DNA & Embryo & now only Scientists are
discovering it.
1400 Years ago Holy Quran stated that there is a secret barrier in the seas that salty water cannot mix with sweet water, now they discovered.
1400 Years ago, when non Muslims asked Holy Prophet to show some signs ,He took the name of ALLAH & with the signals of His fingers disected the moon, and now NASA
found the cracks in the Moon.
Before the advent of Holy Prophet Mohammed, Holy Jesus gave witness about the
forth coming of Holy Prophet Mohammed & these were contained in the Gospel of Barnabas which was a accepted Book. But Christian Priests murdered the Holy Saint Barnabas & torn the gospel , but now Muslims found it in Vienna & now you can order a Book of truth Gospel of St. Barnabas.
Holy Prophet was called ALAMIN who never spoke lies.
He never co habited with His wife Hazrat Ayesha until she became matured.
ALL His wives were widows who wanted shelter with Him.
ALMIGHTY ALLAH is the creator of the Universe & Holy Prophet Mohammed is the Prophet of mankind.
Believers will believe ^& unfaithful will die as faithless.
We must take shelter under the name of ALLAH to guide us to the truth.
Remember ALMIGHTY is all alone, He has no partner no son.
If wanted a Son He certainly would have named Prophet Adam as HIS Son.
Holy Jesus did not die in Cross He was bodily taken away as was Prophet Idrish (Enoch) who did not die.It was Juda who betrayed holy Jesus & was turned in to Jesus
appearence & was crucified.
Islamic is a Religion of intellectuals & its growing every day.
Islam propagate love for all humanbeing & animals.
Thank you.
Badr Ahmed
I JUST WANNA SAY ,LIKE WHY HELL U MUSLIMS R THINKING LIKE ALLAH IS GREAT.PLZ DONT FORGET THAT ISLAM IS A NEW RELIGION.JUST MADED BEFORE 1400 YEARS .AND THE CHRISTIAN GROUP IS MADED BEFORE 2000 YEARS.AND THE GREAT RELIGION AND OLDEST RELIGION NAME SANATAN DHARM IS MADED BEFORE 5000 YEARS.THAT MEANS THE ISLAM IS YOUNGEST RELIGION.
LET ME SAY U THAT WHOLE WORLD THINKS THAT THE MOHAMMAD HAD LEARN ALL RELIGION AND MADE HIS RELIGION NAMED ISLAM.AND THE MUSLIMS R SAYING LIKE ISLAM IS THE OLDEST AND TRUE RELIGION THEN OTHERS.
THE NEXT CHOICE IS UR'S
BYE BYE
JAI SHRI RAM
HAR HAR MAHADEV
If really u r true and want to prevail true.......don't cheat urself.
First of all be unbias......
Then listen to Dr. Zakir Nair.....who is a scholor of Islam as well as Vedas/upnisad/epics.
what ever u have in ur mind related to any thing ask him.......insha'Allah u will find answer. u can reffer his CD's also. Also u can visit http://www.irf.net. read the litrature based on the questions ask by hindus.
May Allah guide u the right path.
hope u will be satisfy.
What Maratha said is untrue. Muslim believe Adam, Jesus, Jacob, Eunoch, Solomon were all practiced Islam though not complete like today's islamic teaching. All were submitted to ONE God Allah. Perhaps Martha wanted to portray that Hinduism is the oldest religion on earth. To Maratha,
oldest=true religion; newest ones=false ! False ignorant idea! Some Hindus say, Hinduism is like ocean, the it split into river - to be river of Budhism, Christianity, Islam and so forth (the newer - any newer ones come or originated from Hindusm. O my gush! That is what they said. Who told them that? How do we know this is correct or not? How about if I say all religions originated from Christianiaty or Islam instead? Islam is based from Quran. Allah says in the Quran, if peoples are in doubts, then create themselves another Quran or its kind of scripture if they can to prove if they are right. For 1400 years it is proven no ones capable. Yes we can make space rockets or super computers etc but even if we work together to produce any kind of quran, we wont be able to do it. Non muslim scholar such as Andrew Rippin etc confirmed this - no body, and impossible to produce it!.
Then, you Hindu got your holy book or scripture from where ? Who wrote it?
Hindus create their OWN GODs after carving STONES. THEIR gods ARE MAN-MADE.
GOD of ABRAHAM ,MOSES, JESUS and MOHAMMED (pbut) IS god OF MUSLIMS.gOD OF MUSLIMS HAS CREATED THIS EARTH and HEAVEN and He wii destroy this when HE wills. Ask the HINDUS AND their gods TO stop this destruction and the DOOMSDAY.