The Indian Muslims of South Africa

The Indian Muslims of South Africa, numbering approximately 167,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a South African Muslim community descended from Indian indentured laborers and merchant migrants, especially from Gujarat and other parts of British India, who developed a distinct identity within South Africa while maintaining Islamic traditions. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and English is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Indian - Muslim

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: South Africa
People Cluster: Other South Asian
Primary Language(s): English (eng)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 167,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG048044

Pray for the Indian Muslims of South Africa

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.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

100%
%
Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: English
Language Family:

100%
%
English Speakers

Media Resources in English:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Indian Muslims 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 Indian Muslims:
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 Indian Muslims of South Africa

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
readRomans 5:7-8

Pray for the many who don't yet understand the hope of the gospel, and pray that God will reveal to them that while they were in darkness, Christ died for them.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
read1 John 1:5

As mobile phones, radio, and satellite television, and other technologies become more available worldwide, pray for people who are developing digital gospel resources so that others can easily access the gospel.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
read2 Corinthians 6:14

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ and want to marry, they will be led to other believers and enter into godly marriages.

And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
readMark 1:17-18

Pray that God will raise up believers from this place and/or other cultures nearby to proclaim the gospel to those who desperately need to encounter it.

Indian (English) (Muslim) Across Countries (ROP3 - 114983) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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