Quick Facts

• Primary language: Pashto 
• Percentage Christian: 0.0%
• Percentage Muslim:  100%

• Concentrated Areas: Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Falls Church
• Primary Branch of Islam: Sunni
• Primary Country of Origin: Afghanistan

Population Size: 40,000 (includes both Afghan Tajiks and Pashtuns)

Overview

The Afghan Pashtuns are known for their conservative Islamic beliefs, larger families, and wonderful hospitality.  Since the fall of Afghanistan, the DC area has received an estimated 10,000 refugees, some of which are Afghan Pashtuns. Typically, the Pashtun men are the only breadwinner, which can pose challenges with providing for larger families.  The majority of Afghan Pashtun women fully cover with the hijab. They were not allowed to learn to read or write Pashto or Dari, so learning English provides additional challenges; additionally, they tend to be responsible for large families and have less time for language learning. 

Prayer Video

Click below to visit Prayercast’s page for a prayer video and to learn more about the Pashtun. As you watch the video, pray over the Pashtun in the DC area and around the world.

Additional Links

Learn more about Afghans in America from UPGNorthAmerica.com including many links to Gospel resources.

Learn more about the Afghans in the DC area from UPGNorthAmerica.com