People group profile · PG023986
The Shughni of Afghanistan
The Shughni of Afghanistan, numbering about 40,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an eastern Iranian Pamiri people inhabiting the high mountain valleys of Badakhshan along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. They speak Shughni and are predominantly Ismaili Shia Muslims with a distinct Pamiri cultural identity.
They are an indigenous people in the Tajik people cluster of the Persian-Median Peoples. Their primary religion is Shia Islam, and they primarily speak Shughni.
Fast facts
- Country
- Afghanistan
- Population
- 40,000
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Tajik
- Primary language
- Shughni (sgh)
- Primary religion
- Shia Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Shughni are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Shughni
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Shia Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Shughni · Indo-European family
100% speak Shughni
Gospel resources in Shughni
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Shughni
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Shughni in other countries
The same people (ROP3 108967) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shughni | Tajikistan | 149,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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