The Musalmaans peoples of Nepal

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The tiny, landlocked, former- Himalayan kingdom of Nepal has an estimated 1.2 million Muslims. Five years ago there was only one known Muslim who had come to faith in Christ and no Christian workers were working among Nepal’s Muslims, who are known locally as the Musalmaans. But this has changed.

Testimony from Musalmaans of Nepal

Ali (not his real name) was born in a remote Muslim farming village, but as he grew up he became discontented with Islam. He rejected any thought of Hinduism after being treated unkindly by his Hindu neighbours. At the age of 12 he heard John 3:16 on the radio and decided that Jesus was the God that he wanted to follow. Ali’s desire to learn and improve his lifestyle caused him to move to India and then on to Thailand in search of work opportunities. In Thailand he met some Christians who helped him become an active disciple. Ali returned to Nepal, and on Christmas Eve 1998 he was able to share with his family the story of the first Christmas and of God’s great love and sacrifice. That night 15 people, including many of his family and some neighbours, came to know the Lord.

Hostility among Musalmaans of Nepal

God continues to work among the Musalmaans of Nepal, even during the recent years of escalating Maoist hostility, the massacre of the Nepali royal family and political instability. There are now around 50 believers from a Muslim background in Nepal, and two small fellowships have been formed. The team working among them has grown to five full-time workers - including Ali and four of the first converts from his ministry. Despite the beginnings of harvest over the past five years among Muslims in this country, there remains an even greater harvest to be reaped, with over one million Musalmaans who are yet to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Christians ministering to Muslims in Nepal face daily challenges. The Muslims are spread out across the nation, from east to west across the southern plains bordering with India; there are also many groups in the northern hills. This makes both evangelism and discipleship a challenge for the small number of workers. Travel is difficult owing to the state of the roads - if there are any roads at all. Maoist bandits attack vehicles at night, and travel is delayed by the numerous roadside police checks. It can take workers up to 20 hours to reach some of the new believers in more remote areas.

Pray for the Muslims in Nepal

* Praise God for His work in Ali’s life and in the two small fellowships which have begun among former Musalmanns in Nepal.

* Pray for God to continue to draw the Muslims of Nepal to Himself.

* Pray for wisdom for the Christian workers as they continue their evangelisation of the Musalmaans.

* Pray for God to give the Christian workers creative methods and the right resources for discipling the new believers.

* Pray for the Christian workers to know God’s protection as they travel.

* Pray for the raising up of additional workers called to reach out to the Musalmaans.

* Pray for the work of Build International who are working in Nepal.

Background on Nepal (World Factbook)

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.

In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for “incompetence” after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime minister who formed a four-party coalition government.

Citing dissatisfaction with the government’s lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005 dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisoned party leaders, and assumed power. The king’s government subsequently released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency in May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April 2006. After nearly three months of mass protests organized by the seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament to reconvene on 28 April 2006.

Following a November 2006 peace accord between the government and the Maoists, an interim constitution was promulgated and the Maoists were allowed to enter parliament in January 2007. The peace accord calls for the creation of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution. The Constituent Assembly elections, twice delayed, were held 10 April 2008. The Assembly met for the first time on 28 May 2008. The monarchy has now left Nepal and the palace is a museum.

Economy of Nepal

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest.

About Nepal

Population: 29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth: 60.94

Ethnic groups: Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8%

Religions: Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%
note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages: Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5%
note: many in government and business also speak English

Literacy: 48.6% — male: 62.7%, female: 34.9%