93 Worlds Muslims Moderates

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93% World’s Muslims Moderates (Gallup Poll):

Didn’t Believe Us First Time ‘Round?March 1, 2008 by Zainab (AnonyMouse) Stereotypes, The World

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In Case You Didn't Believe Us the First Time 'Round

I dunno about you, but I'm getting bored of all these “revelations” that the majority of Muslims

condemn terrorism, are not “radical,” believe in democracy (or at least, don't mind it), and all

that jazz.

Anyway, in case you don't believe Muslims telling you that most Muslims don't condone

terrorism, aren't radical, believe in democracy, etc. maybe you'll believe the Gallup poll telling

you that most Muslims don't condone terrorism, aren't radical, believe in democracy, etc.

The Great Gallup informs us that:

93% of the Muslim population is “moderate.”•

Only 7% of the Muslim population is “radical.”•

Being a religious Muslim doesn't make you a radical.•

“Radicals” are politically extreme, not necessarily religiously extreme; and give

political reasons, not religious reasons, for condoning terrorism.

•

“Radicals” are better educated, have better jobs, and are more hopeful about the

future than are “moderates”; they also support democracy/ believe in democracy

more than the “moderates” do, but are just cynical about getting it themselves.

•

Muslims don't want secularism or theocracy, but a democracy based on religious

values.

•

Muslims don't hate the West, they just don't want Western ways imposed on them.•

The most amazing thing is that it took them 6 years of interviewing approximately 95% of the

world's Muslim population to discover what we've been saying all along. It's nice to see that

people pay attention to us… NOT!

Anyway, these are basically the main points that the poll reveals, “challenging Western

stereotypes of Islam and Muslims.” Personally, I consider the poll to be as useful as Captain

Obvious, but whatever. If people choose to listen to another survey instead of what we've

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27/12/2012http://muslimmatters.org/2008/03/01/93-worlds-muslims-moderates-gallup-poll-didnt...

been saying all along, then fine. Whatever will help people get over their misconceptions

about us is worth having around, I guess.

Since I'm supposed to pretend that I'm a political analyst for now, it's time I get all politically

analytical… so here goes.

The first three points aren't really worth commenting on, since we've only been saying it since

forever; although as I said, since nobody seems to ever believe us, maybe they'll believe the

Gallup poll. I am, however, quite interested in the second half of the findings – they may not

be new to me, but they probably are for the majority of the non-Muslim audience.

If nothing else, the survey creates a new definition for “radicalism,” distinctly different from the

one we've gotten used to hearing from the media. Rather than defining radicalism or

extremism as something linked to religiosity (e.g. a practicing/ conservative Muslim is usually

eyed askance and suspected of being 'radical'), Gallup points out that it's far more political.

Religious reasons are rarely, if ever, given when support for terrorism or terrorist acts are

being explained; political views, particularly resentment against America and its disastrous

foreign affairs legacy, are what most people use to justify or understand (if not totally

approve) the motivations of the terrorists.

The main character in “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” (by Mohsin Hamed) comes to mind as

I think about it – Changez is a young Pakistani man, Muslim in name alone, who goes to New

York and lives it up… yet about 9/11, he says: “…I smiled. Yes, despicable as it may

sound, my initial reaction was to be remarkably pleased… I was caught up in the

symbolism of it all, the fact that someone had so visibly brought America to her

knees…”

Perhaps not a real-life example of what Gallup is trying to tell the West, but an example

nonetheless.

The survey shatters another stereotype: say “radical Muslim” and most people immediately

start thinking of a swarthy, bearded, robed guy with his face scarily contorted as he screams

out “Death to America!” or (to those less gender-discriminatory) of a niqaabi waving a burning

flag. Yet the poll tells us that “radical Muslims” are more likely to be highly educated and have

better jobs – basically, professionals!

This different look at what radicalism is and who it affects should lead us to thinking about

why it exists in the first place. Instead of settling on simplistic and grossly incorrect

explanations such as “they hate democracy” and “they hate our freedom,” those who are truly

concerned about the socio-political climate that exists today must realize that there are many

shades of grey and there's no black-and-white when it comes to who's right and who's wrong.

It's not about some comic-book-like secret organization suddenly deciding to take over the

world, as Islamophobes are constantly claiming is the goal of “Islamists”; rather it's a much

more complex situation with deep roots in the past and constantly experiencing “plot twists”

as the political situation becomes more extreme.

Furthermore, it also goes to show that “radical Muslims” do not hate democracy or freedoms,

as Bush has (in)famously claimed: it's quite the opposite! Most Muslims, not just the so-called

radicals, agree with the concept of democracy… however, what we do disagree with is the

idea that America seems to have, that whatever they do and say is what everybody else

should be doing also. In fact, if America truly believed in freedom, then it would give the rest

of us the freedom to believe in a society different from America's; in a way of life different

from America's; in a political system different from America's.

In recent debates about Shari'ah in the West, many non-Muslims argue that they don't want

Shari'ah imposed on them – now, is it so difficult for them to realize that Muslims don't want

Western ways imposed on us? We're not telling non-Muslim women to start wearing hijaab,

so why do they insist on telling us to stop wearing hijaab (perhaps not in so many words, but

that's the basic message)? It's attitudes like this, on a societal level and a political level,

which so many Muslims disagree with – yet the West must realize that just because we

disagree with you, doesn't mean we hate you and are out to destroy you.

In conclusion, I hope that this poll's findings cause people to think more deeply about the

issue of Muslims and “radicalism,” and to explore the many nuances of the socio-political

issues related to Muslims and Islam in the West. Hopefully, this will foster tolerance and

understanding of different points of view, which are sorely needed in a time when people are

quick to label things as black-and-white and refuse to agree to disagree.

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Zainab (AnonyMouse)

Zainab bint Younus (AnonyMouse) is a young Canadian Muslimah, originally from the

West Coast of Canada. She writes about whatever concerns her about the state of the

Muslim Ummah, drawing upon her experiences and observations within her own local

community. You may contact her at [email protected] She is is no

longer a writer for MuslimMatters.org.

VIEW ALL POSTS BY ZAINAB (ANONYMOUSE)

Ikram 3 / 1 / 2008 10:08 AM

Manas Shaikh 3 / 1 / 2008 11:55 AM

awake 3 / 1 / 2008 12:50 PM

mcpagal 3 / 1 / 2008 2:42 PM

SumDumGuy 3 / 1 / 2008 10:20 PM

This is urgent; Someone has opened a chatroom in Paltalk in which hate letters and pictures are

posted about the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Paltalk has asked for 4 million votes to close down the room.

As for now (2:07 PM GMT), 1,577,260 people have voted.

Vote now and post this to your friends! Show them what Muslims can do.

To Vote (it takes a few seconds):

http://www.petitiononline.com/Steyr/petition.html

-Ikram, maintainer of Sheikh Yusuf Este’s Minbar on Myspace

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REPLY

I believe some people will learn from this. I also believe some people will come up with “practice

what you preach”- which is very funny, because it can be turned around on them.

Anyway, what is important is to keep on working first within the community, and then building trust

outside it.

And Allah knows best.

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The 7% translates into approximately 91 million people worldwide, roughly a third of the population

of the US.

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awake: 7% of 1.2 billion muslims = 84 million, not 91 :)

In general, I don’t see that it’s necessary to treat this research with hostility, it’s always good to

have statistics to back up what you’re saying!

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REPLY

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amad 3 / 1 / 2008 10:36 PM

SumDumGuy 3 / 1 / 2008 11:32 PM

amad 3 / 1 / 2008 11:35 PM

me 3 / 2 / 2008 3:44 AM

BrotherD 3 / 2 / 2008 6:54 PM

Asma 3 / 3 / 2008 3:32 PM

Hassan 3 / 4 / 2008 10:02 AM

eli 3 / 8 / 2008 11:02 AM

How about a link to the gallup poll itself?

When you argue with the dhimmi-wannabes, linking to a blog doesn’t count for much without first

sources to back it up.

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REPLY

The link is available to the BBC report in the very first paragraph.

The link to the report on Gallup:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/104629/Who-Muslims.aspx

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Thanks. Links in your articles have the same color as the rest of the text and are not underlined

either. They do change background color if I hover my mouse directly over the link. But all in all it

makes it very difficult to distinguish a link from regular text.

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Good point. I think we should try to highlight important links better next time.

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i’m a radical..so sue me!

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Is the IDF considered a terrorist organization? Ditto for the CIA and US armed forces. It serves to

define terrorism, but survey after survey simply mentions the term without defining it. Is a radical

anyone that believes in the use of violence? What about self-defense?

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believe in democracy or at least don’t mind it? no way. When muslims “support democracy,” it

means that they want to choose their leaders, and they think that’s democracy. It _doesn’t_ mean

that they are willing to give men the right to legislate, and that’s what democracy _is_. There’s no

way it’s acceptable for a muslim to support democracy.

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A relevant interview, must read:

http://www.counterpunch.org/wajahat03042008.html

BTW this post ends my boycott. I had lot of self retrospection and thinking done. Hence I decided I

would post. (plus Amad paid for the food when he was in Houston, that was quite convincing.)

For those who don’t know what boycott Hassan is talking about, it was related to the

“discussions” around the pledge what seems like ages ago. Amazing what a plate of food

can do -amad

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“In fact, if America truly believed in freedom, then it would give the rest of us the freedom to believe

in a society different from America’s; in a way of life different from America’s; in a political system

different from America’s.”

Amazing…

Do you believve that people have a choice not to choose shariah? or choose to eat pork, or non-

halal?

How about women? doyou believe they have the freedom to choose to wear a veil…or not?

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captainjohann 8 / 30 / 2008 11:36 AM

Do women have the freedom to drive in muslim countries, go shopping on their own, wear what

they choose?

I think you are in serious denial aka, a moderate muslim. Let’s see if you respond as a moderate

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REPLY

The Kashmiri Leader gillani is very truthful about it “that Muslims donot want DEMOCRACY. for

them democracy is a country in which Islam alone is practised and others coexist paying zizia.

Same is the testament of Indian Mujahadeen and also the most populat cleric in India Dr.Zahir naik.

0 0

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93 Worlds Muslims Moderates