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

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
readGenesis 3:15

Pray that those without Christ will hear the words of Genesis 1-3 in their own language, and desire to know their Creator and His provision of salvation.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
readPsalm 127:3

Pray that God will bless this generation of children, that they will come to know Jesus early in life and follow Him always.

This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
readEphesians 5:32-33

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will grasp the profound mystery of Christ's love for the Church, reflecting this love in their marriages.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
readRomans 12:4-5

Ask God to send believers to people in other cultures and to help them use their gifts in harmony with others so that the body of Christ may be built up.

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

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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