Survey challenges myths about Islam
Karin Zeitvogel,
Washington
February 28, 2008
A HUGE survey of the world's Muslims challenges Western notions that equate Islam with radicalism and violence.
The survey, conducted by the Gallup polling agency over six years in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, seeks to dispel the belief held by some in the West that Islam itself is the driving force of radicalism.
It shows that the overwhelming majority of Muslims condemned the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and other subsequent terrorist attacks, the authors said in Washington.
Dalia Mogahed, co-author of the book Who Speaks for Islam?, which grew out of the study, said: "Religion is an important part of life for the overwhelming majority of Muslims, and if it were indeed the driver for radicalisation, this would be a serious issue."
The study showed that widespread religiosity "does not translate into widespread support for terrorism", said Ms Mogahed, director of the Gallup Centre for Muslim Studies.
About 93% of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims are moderates and only 7% are politically radical, according to the poll, based on more than 50,000 interviews.
In majority Muslim countries, overwhelming majorities said religion was a very important part of their lives — 99% in Indonesia, 98% in Egypt, 95% in Pakistan. But only 7% of the Muslims surveyed — the radicals — condoned the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001, the poll found.
Moderate Muslims interviewed condemned the attacks because innocent lives were lost and civilians killed.
"Some actually cited religious justifications for why they were against 9/11, going as far as to quote from the Koran — for example, the verse that says taking one innocent life is like killing all humanity," Ms Mogahed said. Radical Muslims gave political, not religious, reasons for condoning the attacks, the poll showed.
The survey shows radicals to be neither more religious than their moderate counterparts, nor products of abject poverty or refugee camps.
"The radicals are better educated, have better jobs, and are more hopeful with regard to the future than mainstream Muslims," said John Esposito, who co-wrote Who Speaks for Islam?"Ironically, they believe in democracy even more than many of the mainstream moderates do, but they're more cynical about whether they'll ever get it," said Dr Esposito, a professor of Islamic studies at Georgetown University in Washington.
Gallup launched the study following the 9/11 attacks, after which US President George Bush said: "They hate … a democratically elected government."
But the poll found that most Muslims, including radicals, admire the West for its democracy, freedoms and technological prowess. What they do not want is Western ways forced on them. Muslims want self-determination, not an American-imposed democracy.
AFP
Survey challenges myths about Islam - World - theage.com.au
Who Speaks for Islam?
I would like to know more about the specific questions & methods used, but I'm not especially surprised by this. I have never bought into the whole 'Muslims are totally different from us' line that has become recieved wisdom in some quarters. It owes a lot to the successful propaganda of radicals & misunderstanding of what Muslims mean when they criticize the West than it does to reality.
This study will no doubt come in for furious criticism from those who have convinced themselves about the inevitable 'clash of civilizations' & all that tripe. I prefer to see it as more proof that if the West approaches Islamic societies intelligently & with respect we will achieve infinitely more than if we approach them with arrogance & force.
Karin Zeitvogel,
Washington
February 28, 2008
A HUGE survey of the world's Muslims challenges Western notions that equate Islam with radicalism and violence.
The survey, conducted by the Gallup polling agency over six years in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, seeks to dispel the belief held by some in the West that Islam itself is the driving force of radicalism.
It shows that the overwhelming majority of Muslims condemned the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and other subsequent terrorist attacks, the authors said in Washington.
Dalia Mogahed, co-author of the book Who Speaks for Islam?, which grew out of the study, said: "Religion is an important part of life for the overwhelming majority of Muslims, and if it were indeed the driver for radicalisation, this would be a serious issue."
The study showed that widespread religiosity "does not translate into widespread support for terrorism", said Ms Mogahed, director of the Gallup Centre for Muslim Studies.
About 93% of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims are moderates and only 7% are politically radical, according to the poll, based on more than 50,000 interviews.
In majority Muslim countries, overwhelming majorities said religion was a very important part of their lives — 99% in Indonesia, 98% in Egypt, 95% in Pakistan. But only 7% of the Muslims surveyed — the radicals — condoned the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001, the poll found.
Moderate Muslims interviewed condemned the attacks because innocent lives were lost and civilians killed.
"Some actually cited religious justifications for why they were against 9/11, going as far as to quote from the Koran — for example, the verse that says taking one innocent life is like killing all humanity," Ms Mogahed said. Radical Muslims gave political, not religious, reasons for condoning the attacks, the poll showed.
The survey shows radicals to be neither more religious than their moderate counterparts, nor products of abject poverty or refugee camps.
"The radicals are better educated, have better jobs, and are more hopeful with regard to the future than mainstream Muslims," said John Esposito, who co-wrote Who Speaks for Islam?"Ironically, they believe in democracy even more than many of the mainstream moderates do, but they're more cynical about whether they'll ever get it," said Dr Esposito, a professor of Islamic studies at Georgetown University in Washington.
Gallup launched the study following the 9/11 attacks, after which US President George Bush said: "They hate … a democratically elected government."
But the poll found that most Muslims, including radicals, admire the West for its democracy, freedoms and technological prowess. What they do not want is Western ways forced on them. Muslims want self-determination, not an American-imposed democracy.
AFP
Survey challenges myths about Islam - World - theage.com.au
Who Speaks for Islam?
I would like to know more about the specific questions & methods used, but I'm not especially surprised by this. I have never bought into the whole 'Muslims are totally different from us' line that has become recieved wisdom in some quarters. It owes a lot to the successful propaganda of radicals & misunderstanding of what Muslims mean when they criticize the West than it does to reality.
This study will no doubt come in for furious criticism from those who have convinced themselves about the inevitable 'clash of civilizations' & all that tripe. I prefer to see it as more proof that if the West approaches Islamic societies intelligently & with respect we will achieve infinitely more than if we approach them with arrogance & force.
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