The Malay of Peninsular Malaysia makeup the majority of the Malay peoples in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. In Malaysia, people are classified as Malay by the federal constitution if they speak their national language, Bahasa Malaysia, practice Malay customs, and are followers of Islam. The Malay of Peninsular Malaysia find much pride in their cultural heritage and place great emphasis on family and community dependence. Titles, such as Pa' Long (Eldest Uncle), are used as terms of endearment to acknowledge hierarchical position.

Though most Malay people live in Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, they have a small diaspora that has migrated to North American and European countries like the Netherlands.

Most Malay families consist of a husband, his wife, and their children. In Malay society, marriage is expected of every person. There are no descent or kinship groups among the Malay. The strongest characteristic of Malay identity that remains consistent regardless of their location is their adherence to the Islamic faith. Malays worldwide recognize a Malaysian law that defines a Malay as "a person belonging to any Malayan race who habitually speaks Malay (or any Malayan language) and professes the Muslim religion." By inference, any Malay who professed Christ, even in the Netherlands, would cease to be Malay!

Islam was brought to Malaysia by Arabic and Indian traders many centuries ago, and the Malay people have come to embrace and ardently follow the Islamic religion. All Malay people are considered Islamic though levels of devotion to the religion are varied. Even those who half-heartedly follow Islam participate in the fasting month, and the Malay people of affluence will go on the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once if not many times during their lifetime.

The Malay have early roots in Hinduism and you will find traces of this in certain aspects of their culture such as weddings. For instance, the bride and groom will paint their hands with henna and will sit upon a platform for hours for the guests to admire.

While the Malay place great emphasis on family, it is ironic that one of their greatest needs lies in the breakdown of the family unit. Divorce and youth issues are challenges facing the Malay family both in Malaysia and in Europe.

* Scripture Prayers for the Malay in Netherlands.

* Pray for teams of believers to do sustained, focused prayer for the Lord to open the hearts of Malay family leaders in the Netherlands to experience God’s blessing.
* Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Malay people to change their society from within.
* Pray for Malay families to be drawn by the Holy Spirit to seek forgiveness, and to understand the adequacy of Christ’s work on the cross.
* Pray for Malay disciples of Christ to make other disciples, who in turn will make even more disciples!

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13437/DA
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13437/MY