What A Billion Muslims Really Think
A very interesting post:
Following the 9/11 attacks, President Bush claimed that Muslims hate America for its freedoms. Since then, 50,000 Muslims in 35 countries were surveyed by Gallup, the largest poll of Muslims ever. The results represent over 6 years of study and are outlined in a new book by Dalia Mogahed and John L. Esposito entitled “Who Speaks For Islam? What A Billion Muslims Really Think”. The survey was based on face-to-face, hour-long interviews. I’m really looking forward to reading it, especially having read a great deal of Esposito’s literature, but here are some of the preliminary findings I found interesting, as outlined in an op-ed and a BBC article:
- It showed that Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustifiable.
- Those who do choose violence and extremism are driven by politics, not poverty or piety.
- Of the 7 percent of respondents who did believe that 9/11 was justified, none of them hated our freedom; they want our freedom. But they believe that America — and the western world in general — operate with a double standard and stand in the way of Muslims determining their own future.
- The vast majority of young Muslims aren’t dreaming of going to war; they are dreaming of finding work. When asked about their hopes for the future, Muslims of all ages said they want better jobs and security, not conflict and violence.
- Muslims want self-determination, but not an American-imposed and defined democracy. They don’t want secularism or theocracy.
- What the majority wants is democracy with religious values.
- The radicals are better educated, have better jobs, and are more hopeful with regard to the future than mainstream Muslims. But they’re more cynical about whether they’ll ever get it.
- 9 out of 10 Muslims are moderates
- Muslims say the most important thing Westerners can do to improve relations with their societies is to change their negative views toward Muslims, respect Islam and re-evaluate their foreign policies.
Following the 9/11 attacks, President Bush claimed that Muslims hate America for its freedoms. Since then, 50,000 Muslims in 35 countries were surveyed by Gallup, the largest poll of Muslims ever. The results represent over 6 years of study and are outlined in a new book by Dalia Mogahed and John L. Esposito entitled “Who Speaks For Islam? What A Billion Muslims Really Think”. The survey was based on face-to-face, hour-long interviews. I’m really looking forward to reading it, especially having read a great deal of Esposito’s literature, but here are some of the preliminary findings I found interesting, as outlined in an op-ed and a BBC article:
- It showed that Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustifiable.
- Those who do choose violence and extremism are driven by politics, not poverty or piety.
- Of the 7 percent of respondents who did believe that 9/11 was justified, none of them hated our freedom; they want our freedom. But they believe that America — and the western world in general — operate with a double standard and stand in the way of Muslims determining their own future.
- The vast majority of young Muslims aren’t dreaming of going to war; they are dreaming of finding work. When asked about their hopes for the future, Muslims of all ages said they want better jobs and security, not conflict and violence.
- Muslims want self-determination, but not an American-imposed and defined democracy. They don’t want secularism or theocracy.
- What the majority wants is democracy with religious values.
- The radicals are better educated, have better jobs, and are more hopeful with regard to the future than mainstream Muslims. But they’re more cynical about whether they’ll ever get it.
- 9 out of 10 Muslims are moderates
- Muslims say the most important thing Westerners can do to improve relations with their societies is to change their negative views toward Muslims, respect Islam and re-evaluate their foreign policies.
posted by Khalid at 3:28 PM
9 Comments:
hey hey khalid:))) for u & readers interested in the idea of non-american democratic worlds...check out Nobel Prize in economics winner Amartya Sen's famous piece on "WHY DEMOCRATIZATION IS NOT THE SAME AS WESTERNIZATION.":
http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/sloth/2003-09-29a.html
sen should not write about iraq, but on the history of democracy, as not ballots but as 'developing spaces for public reasoning' he is brilliant...arguing that the arab world has as much claim to the greek heritage of democracy as europeans do (if not far more legitimate claims), but most importantly explains how democracy in its purest form is part of a "global heritage" richly evident in persian, arab, african, and indian history...& future democratic movements in these parts of the world must recognize that the roots of democracy are not western
"Following the 9/11 attacks, President Bush claimed that Muslims hate America for its freedoms."
I thought he said the attackers, the people who did 9/11, hate America for its freedoms.
just a quick note: Hello Iraqi Mojo, welcome 3eni, as for your comment you are right i didnt notice that, as you know i didnt write the post:) but in a general sense, it doesnt change the concept, this is to a certain extent the main stream idea about how Muslims hate ameria for its freedom or way of life etc, thanks for passing and dont be a stranger.
Kate:) thakns for your comment very much, i will check what you refered to soon inshalla once i have some time!
**khalid runs!**
:))
It really bothers me when mainstream media inflames these jealousies and fears between people.
Only yesterday I cast aside news in disgust, once again, having read two articles in the very same publication practically encouraging the mayhem we see in Gaza today.
The one article showed an un-representative photograph of Palestinians apparently celebrating the death of Israelis (who knows what they were really celebrating, could have been a wedding for all anyone knows).
The other column was particularly inflammatory for Israelis, digging out the old nazi zionist rhetoric about jews being rich and greedy.
Both articles made me almost sick to death. Who can be responsible for allowing that sort of sensationalist smut into the news?
They have to be stopped.
(Sorry had to use anonymous option, no web page at the moment or anything - Bob).
You know, this is a two-way street.
Us Americans want to be able to go about our day without having to worry about being attacked by a group of extremists. It is in the interest of the American people that we are engaged in the world.
But, just so you know, I do not support the Iraq invasion, auite the contrary. And I know of some pretty nasty stuff that the United States government has done to Iraq and I do not support it.
But, I think that a majority of AMericans do respect islam. and our government DOES respect islam. We are active in the Middle East to secure American interests.
I'm Phillip Adams, a friend of Katie Binder's.
I do not like the massacre of americain in your country which is your; I am of all heart with you let us not forget that the Iraq is a cradle of the hummaniter I am not Musulman
Antony MC
france
Hello
In my point of view, the problem is to find out who is God - may be He has many names, and faces, who is Mohammed - may be he talked about resurrection but could not rise himself from the dead, what is the Law - Is it something fit to enroll religious supreme leaders? and what kind of people are we? Actually, nobody has never seen Allah, El, Elohim, Yahve, nobody has never seen Mohammed what happens to him in paradise - if you can proof it has ever existed except in religious teachings, no-one know what is the Law except for my personal one and finally every body wants someone to be adducted and force him/her to do what I can't do for my family. And Islam has a great honour to compile on top of condemns and hate because my dream of Islam is legal purity - which is not Islam - should become true where concepts are only words in a dictionary for a language: Arabic.
I suggest learning grammar and logics would save Iraq, but what God can He do? Certainly nothing.
Sorry, I was adducted myself and I know what is to be locked inside a system and judged to be killed by Sunni tribunals in France ... I only believe in Ingil's teaching, the prophets' teaching who are all Jews and the Jewish Torah teachings which are banned from Iraq and Israel by Supreme religious leaders. There are not very spiritual at all.
I both condemn Israel and Islam, Israel and Christians. I say Sunni leaders are criminal, others people claiming Islam to be their flags are criminal, Jews are criminal and others as well. So America is criminal but only part of the overall problem, I think.
Peace and love on yours family. Please don't take arms.
Can you suffer more than Yahve Adonai the servant of Elohim has suffered to make you free? Are you?
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