News
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Muslims want to live under democracies: poll
* Gallup poll says ‘overwhelming’ majority strongly feels West disrespects Islam
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: A major survey that claims to represent one billion Muslims around the world has found that the majority favours democratic rights and representative government, rather than any of their radical alternatives. The overwhelming majority of Muslims strongly feels that the West disrespects both Islam and Muslims, a perception that is broadening the gulf between the world’s Muslims and the West. The United States in particular is seen as exhibiting “cultural disrespect” for Islam, as well as being out to gain political domination of Muslim countries. The acute conflicts in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan are major factors that deepen the feeling that the US has little interest in helping their resolution in a manner which ensures that justice is done. The results of the survey conducted by Gallup Inc, which forms the basis of a book – Who Speaks for Islam by John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed - were released on Thursday at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The poll conducted over a period of five years, covering 35 countries and 50,000 respondents, found that substantial majorities in nearly all nations surveyed say that if asked to draft a constitution for a new country, they would guarantee freedom of speech, “allowing all citizens to express their opinion on the political, social, and economic issues of the day”. However, while acknowledging and admiring many aspects of Western democracy, those surveyed do not favour wholesale adoption of Western models of democracy. Many appear to want their own democratic model that incorporates Shariah, which they view as representative of Islamic values and the rule of law. They want, both men and women, a model that is democratic and yet inclusive of religious values. In Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, the majorities want Shariah as the “only source” of legislation. The majority of women in virtually every country surveyed, including Saudi Arabia, believes that women deserve the same legal rights as men, to vote without influence from family members, to work at any job they are qualified for, and even to serve in the highest levels of government. According to the Gallup poll, 7 percent of respondents think that the 9/11 attacks were “completely” justified and view the United States unfavourably. Among those who believe that the 9/11 attacks were not justified, 40 percent are pro-US, but 60 percent view the US unfavourably. Analysing and comparing the answers of the 7 percent with the moderate majority produced some surprising results. The survey makes it clear that the 7 percent it calls “politically radicalised” because of their radical political orientation, are going to commit acts of violence. However, those with extremist views are a potential source for recruitment or support for terrorist groups. Because this group believes in changing political conditions, it is likely to view attacks on civilians as justifiable. Forty-nine percent of the radicals were found to be between the ages of 18 and 29; while 41 percent of those with moderate views are in the same age range. Political radicals are more likely to be male (62 percent), 37 percent being female. In addition, a minority of suicide bombers has been women. The data also show that lack of education and poverty are not key factors among those with extremist views. The politically radicalised, on average, are more educated than moderates: 67 percent of the politically radicalised have secondary or higher educations (versus 52 percent of moderates). Radicals are not more economically disadvantaged: 65 percent of the politically radicalised say they have average or above-average income, versus 55 percent of moderates. Esposito and Mogahed, the authors of the book – Who Speaks for Islam – found that when asked in 2002 what they knew about Islam, 54 percent of Americans said “not much”. In January 2007, the number of those who gave the same answer to the same question had risen to 57 percent. When Muslims were asked by Gallup what they most admired about the West, the majority replied, “Technology, liberty and democracy.” When the same question was put to Americans, they could find nothing about Islam that they admired. When asked if the 9/11 attacks were justified, 92 percent of Muslims in the 35 countries polled answered in the negative. The 7 percent that justified the attacks could not quote a single verse from the Quran to support their view.
Courtesy Daily Times