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The Sanglech-Ishkashimi of Tajikistan

The Sanglech-Ishkashimi of Tajikistan, numbering approximately 1,900 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are one of the seven Pamiri peoples of Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan region, descended from ancient Saka and Tocharian tribes that inhabited the Pamir Mountains as early as the seventh century BC. They mostly adhere to Shia Islam and Ishkashimi is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Sanglech-Ishkashimi

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Persian-Median Peoples
Country: Tajikistan
People Cluster: Tajik
Primary Language(s): Ishkashimi (isk)
Primary Religion(s): Shia Islam
Population: 1,900
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG024526
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Pray for the Sanglech-Ishkashimi of Tajikistan

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Shia Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

98%
%
Shia Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Ishkashimi
Language Family: Indo-European

80%
%
Ishkashimi Speakers

Media Resources in Ishkashimi:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Ishkashimi:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Ishkashimi bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Sanglech-Ishkashimi are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Sanglech-Ishkashimi:
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

Pray specifically for the Sanglech-Ishkashimi of Tajikistan

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self- made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
readColossians 2:23

Pray for those without Christ, that they will see the emptiness of human traditions and turn to the truth and grace found in Jesus.

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
readRomans 9:16

Pray that the merciful God who is at work in people's hearts will advance His gospel among them.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
readJohn 14:2-3

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will persevere in hope, remembering that Jesus went to prepare a place for them to be with Him for eternity!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
readRomans 6:23

Pray that God will bring people to faith who are excited about the eternal life they have in Christ and will want to cross cultures to share this hope with others.

Ishkashimi Across Countries (ROP3 - 116135) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

2 people groups

Photo People Group ID Name Country Population ▼ Strategic Progress Index Language Religion
Ishkashimi PG023985 Ishkashimi Afghanistan 3,000 Unengaged and Unreached Ishkashimi Shia Imami Ismaili Islam
Sanglech-Ishkashimi PG024526 Sanglech-Ishkashimi Tajikistan 1,900 Engaged yet Unreached Ishkashimi Shia Islam

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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