A long overdue poll

[nus_muslimsoc] What a Billion Muslims Think?‏
From: nus_muslimsoc@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Amir Hussain (syedamirhussain@nus.edu.sg)
Sent: Wed 4/16/08 2:22 PM
Reply-to: nus_muslimsoc@yahoogroups.com
To: nus_muslimsoc@yahoogroups.com

What a Billion Muslims Think?

By Aijaz Zaka Syed

Opinion polls fascinate me. They are, if honestly conducted, perhaps
the best possible way to gauge public opinion. At a time when spin is
the norm and global media is controlled, manipulated and dictated by
powerful cliques, corporate interests and governments, it's not easy
to get a clear picture on any given issue.

This is especially true when the story involves marginalised
minorities and dispossessed groups. And of late the Muslims, currently
the world's favourite punching bag, have been at the receiving end.

After the spectacular assassination of Marxism and disintegration of
Soviet Union, the West found itself a new enemy in Islam.

The 9/11 attacks in the US and 7/7 strikes in the UK were only
excuses, not the causes, to hasten this process. They might have
contributed to the current hysteria against everything Islamic but
they never were the Original Sin as we've been given to believe.

Myths like this have been demolished in a most interesting survey
conducted by Gallup. What makes this opinion poll like no other is
that it has been conducted over a period of six years, beginning after
the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Gallup conducted research in 35 Muslim countries, interviewing more
than 50,000 people, to come up with what it calls the first
comprehensive survey of Muslim world opinion.

And the results have also given birth to a book called, Who Speaks for
Islam? What a billion Muslims really think by John L. Esposito and
Dalia Mogahed.

The poll and the book offer a much-needed reality check on the
relations between the West and Muslim world. Some of the findings are
genuinely surprising and revealing even for someone like me who has
been obsessed with the issue.

Many conclusions of the poll only go to confirm what we in the Middle
East and Muslim world have always known but couldn't succeed in
putting them across to our friends in the West.

For instance, the fact that it's not Islamic teachings that drive some
individuals to violence but historical injustices inflicted and
perpetuated by some Western powers.

Which is why one so hopes that the urgent message this poll seeks to
convey reaches the Western audience — and the wider world. It would be
such a shame if it doesn't.

Because, as Dalia Mogahed argues in the book, Who Speaks for Islam…,
this ostensible conflict between Islam and West is far from inevitable.

Many concerned commentators including this humble hack have repeatedly
argued that what is fuelling the so-called clash of civilisations is
not some absurd hatred of the Christian West sanctioned by Islam but
Western ignorance about Muslims. The poll backs this argument.

A huge majority of Muslims regardless of where they live, whether in
Sunni Saudi Arabia or Shia Iran, they are surprisingly well informed
about the West, its values and ideals.

In fact, most of them admire the West for its scientific achievements,
economic progress and celebration of knowledge and excellence. The
West is admired by the Muslims for the political freedom, democracy
and rights it offers its people.

There are other findings that are equally interesting. Contrary to
common perceptions in the West, the majority of respondents think men
and women have equal rights.

A whopping 94 pc of Indonesians, the world's largest Muslim nation,
share this view. In Islamist Iran, the figure is 89 per cent. And in
the much-reviled Saudi Arabia, it's 73 percent.

A great majority of Muslims also believe a woman can work outside her
home in any job for which she is qualified (88 pc in Indonesia, 72 pc
in Egypt and even 78 pc in Saudi Arabia). And they also believe women
should be able to vote without interference (87 pc in Indonesia, 91 pc
in Egypt, 98 pc in Lebanon).

What about the legendary Muslim sympathy for terrorism? While 6 pc of
the Americans think attacks involving civilians are 'completely
justified,' in Saudi Arabia, this figure is 4 pc. In Lebanon and Iran,
it's 2 percent.

And mark this, it's important. The majority of Muslims absolutely
rejects violence and terrorism. In fact, many of the respondents
quoted Quranic verses to point out that extremism goes against Islamic
teachings.

Going by these findings, would any reasonable person in his right mind
blame Islam of championing extremism and violence? And remember, this
survey was not sponsored by Al Jazeera, Bin Laden's favourite channel,
but by Gallup, the biggest name in the business.

So what is it then that drives the West and Muslim world apart? The
answer lies in Western indifference, nay casual contempt, for a
billion believers and all that they believe in. I am not saying this;
Gallup poll does.

Again this shouldn't come as a surprise. While admiring Western values
such as democracy and freedom, Muslims feel these values are
conveniently cast aside when it comes to applying them to Muslim world.

More than 65 pc of Egyptians, Jordanians and Iranians believe the US
will never allow people in the Middle East to run their own affairs
and chart their own course.

When the Gallup pollsters asked Muslims around the world what the West
could do to improve relations with the Muslim world, the most frequent
responses were for the West to demonstrate more respect for Islam and
to regard Muslims as equals, not as inferior.

The Western contempt for Islam, especially the ignorance of Americans,
is not something that is imagined by us. The poll findings speak for
themselves.

The majority of Americans (66 pc) admit to having "some" prejudice
against Muslims; one in five say they have 'a great deal' of
prejudice. Almost half do not believe US Muslims are 'loyal' to their
country; and one in four doesn't want a Muslim as a neighbour!

Given these views, is it any surprising that Muslims are invariably
portrayed in the US media, including that big propaganda machine
called Hollywood, as terrorists?

If the Muslims harbour some degree of anti-US sentiment, it's not
because of what the Americans are; it's because of what they do or
have been doing in the Muslim world. But how would you explain the
deep-seated paranoia and Islamophobia in the US and West?

Whatever its causes, this divide is most unfortunate and unnatural.
Because there is a great deal lot that unites the Muslims and the
Americans. In an increasingly materialistic world, they continue to
hold on to their belief in God.

Unlike in Europe and much of the world, religion plays a healthy and
positive role in the day-to-day life of the Americans as well as
Muslims. They both cherish universal values like honesty,
truthfulness, hard work, accountability and being always loyal to your
family.

Just look around. What we have in common is much more than what we do
not — notwithstanding what the Bushes and Bin Ladens of this world
would have you believe. Which is why this divide is such a tragedy. We
Muslims want to bridge this gulf. Is the other side equally willing?

-Aijaz Zaka Syed is a senior editor and columnist of Khaleej Times. He
contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com

© Copyright 1999-2008 PalestineChronicle.com. All rights reserved