Urdu of Malaysia (PGID: PG019330)

The Urdu of Malaysia

The Urdu of Malaysia, numbering approximately 17,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a diaspora community of Urdu-speaking migrants and their descendants, primarily of Pakistani and North Indian Muslim heritage, who maintain a distinct Urdu linguistic and cultural identity within Malaysian society. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Urdu is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Urdu

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: Malaysia
People Cluster: Urdu
Primary Language(s): Urdu (urd)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 17,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG019330
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Pray for the Urdu of Malaysia

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: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

99%

Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Urdu
Language Family: Indo-European

100%

Urdu Speakers

Media Resources in Urdu:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film
Magdalena	View Film
The Savior	View Film
The Savior	View Film

4 films

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Urdu:

Bible Name (Translation)	Video	Audio	Text
Easy-to-Read Version		✓	✓
Geo Version		✓	✓
Geo Version		✓	✓
Geo Version		✓	✓
Pakistan Bible Society		✓
Revised	✓

6 entries

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Urdu bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Urdu 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 Urdu:

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 Urdu of Malaysia

For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!
Psalm 47:7

Pray for those who live for idols that will never satisfy their hearts, asking that someone will tell them that God is the King of all the earth so that they will turn to Him in repentance and praise.

Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, "the kingdom of God has come near to you."
Luke 10:8-9

Pray that the lost will receive messengers of the gospel with joy, turn from their sins, and be healed.

Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
Psalm 34:9

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be grounded in the Word, always trusting in the Lord's provision for their needs.

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
2 Corinthians 3:16

Give thanks to God for believers around the world who are willing to cross cultures to share the gospel with those who are perishing. Pray that He will work through their witness to draw many to turn to Him.

Urdu Across Countries (ROP3 - 110423) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

21 people groups

People Group ID	Name	Country	Population ▲	Strategic Progress Index	Language	Religion
PG011809	Urdu	Kuwait	4,200	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG011725	Urdu	Iraq	4,600	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG010932	Pakistani	Thailand	5,600	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG000304	Urdu	Ireland	9,400	Unengaged and Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG042368	Urdu	Belgium	9,900	Unengaged and Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG019330	Urdu	Malaysia	17,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG024025	Urdu	Afghanistan	20,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG000100	Urdu	Denmark	27,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG024601	Urdu	Turkiye	27,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG011308	Urdu	Bahrain	78,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG042350	Pakistani	Spain	92,500	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG000277	Urdu	Germany	96,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG042482	Urdu	France	110,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG011895	Urdu	Oman	137,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG011911	Urdu	Qatar	180,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG043498	Urdu	Canada	221,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG012261	Urdu	United Arab Emirates	253,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG043672	Pakistani	United States	668,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG000693	Urdu	United Kingdom	1,220,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG011938	Urdu	Saudi Arabia	2,150,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG006413	Urdu	Pakistan	17,590,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam

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

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