Urdu in Norway

Introduction / History

Aryan tribes entered India about 1500 BC mixing with Mongolians, Greeks and Huns. Through the generations this ethnic blending caused the Urdu’s Indian features to gradually become more Caucasian and their languages to become more diverse. In later centuries Muslim influences promoted the linguistic change out of which the Urdu language eventually developed. Hindi and Urdu are similar languages, but they are divided by religious affiliation; Hindi is spoken by the Hindu peoples while Urdu is spoken by Muslims. Urdu is heavily laden with Persian and Arabic words and is written in the Persian script.
Today when one thinks of South Asian Muslim languages, Urdu is the first one that comes to mind. Urdu is seldom a heart language, but it is the trade language of Pakistan. Urdu speakers come from all walks of life, but they usually originate in either Pakistan or northern India. The Urdu possess a sense of group identity based on cultural and historical factors: the Islamic religion, a Persian cultural tradition, the Urdu language, and the tradition of Muslim supremacy in northern India.
In recent years many Urdu-speaking Muslims have emigrated to Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, searching for economic opportunities. Skilled laborers and highly educated professionals among them have also emigrated to Western Europe, North America, and British Commonwealth countries all over the world.
Most Pakistanis in Norway speak Punjabi, but there are some who prefer Urdu. Initially the Urdu in Pakistan came to Norway as guest workers in the 1970s. Most of these were young men. As time progressed, Norway allowed these young men's families to join them, as living in this country offers these immigrants the stability that they need and seek. It was at one time the practice of Pakistanis to get a wife from the old country, but this practice is decreasing year by year.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Today, many Pakistani wives are also employed, especially those who have been there for a generation. Pakistanis are sometimes discriminated against in Norway's job market as indicated by the smaller percentage of those with Pakistani names who are granted job interviews.
Parents of these Urdu offspring pressure them to get a good education and become lawyers, doctors or engineers. Pakistanis in Norway usually have college degrees. As often happens, the second generation is caught between parents who raise them with the values of the old country and the more liberal values of the new country. Even those who are born and raised in Norway cling to religious values which are Islamic even though their political beliefs are very diverse.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Although the Urdu are predominantly Muslims, they are not completely unified. There are intense differences among the various Muslim sects (the Hanafites, Shafiites, and Ithna-Asharis).
Since entire communities tended to migrate together, different Islamic sects are found in different countries. For example, in Turkey and South Africa, the Urdu speakers are almost completely Sunni Muslims, whereas in Canada and in Pakistan, they are almost completely Hanafite Muslims.

What Are Their Needs?

The Urdu speakers in Norway need the chance to respond to the wonderful grace of Jesus. That is very hard for them to do when there is so much community pressure to not deviate from the Islamic religious system. Pray also that Urdu-speaking Christian believers would be able to share their testimonies and the truth of Jesus effectively and safely.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to the Urdu speakers in Norway.
Pray for people of peace to emerge among the Urdu people who will accept Christ's ambassadors.
Pray for a massive movement to Christ among Urdu speakers to occur this decade leading to spiritual and physical blessings to raise from their acceptance of Christ.
Pray for resources like the JESUS Film and Urdu language broadcasts to become widely available among the Urdu populations.

Text Source:   Joshua Project