hafeezanwar
Junior Member
Study: Muslims in West are patriotic, tolerant
A new study found that Muslims are more patriotic, more tolerant and more likely to reject violence than the rest of Western society believes they are. The study, which looked into Muslims integration into Western society, interviewed around 30,000 people in 27 countries by the Gallup polling company.
It mainly focused on European Muslims, and the misconceptions about their attitudes in wider European society. Accordingly, the survey showed that the most potent sources of tension between Muslims and the West are joblessness and poverty, challenging previous misconceptions that religion is responsible for these differences.
It concluded that non-Muslims including the public and lawmakers have misunderstood the attitudes of most Muslims in the West, hampering efforts to promote understanding.
For example, most Muslims are as happy as other Europeans to live alongside people of other religions and ethnic backgrounds, and share broadly similar views with their neighbours.
Integration
Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the London and New York-based Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and a faith adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama, said the study found that most Muslims welcome closer ties to the rest of the society.
"Many of the assumptions about Muslims and integration couldn't be more wide of the mark," she said. "European Muslims want to be part of the wider community and contribute to society."
Mogahed also said that American Muslims enjoy relatively good relations with the rest of the society, and suffer less from economic inequality.
In Britain, most Muslims want to belong but only 10 percent consider themselves integrated into the British society. That compares to 46 percent of Muslims in France and 35 percent in Germany.
Poverty
The study found that the global financial crisis widens the gap between Muslims and the West, with competition for jobs and resources adding stress to race relations.
It showed that 38 percent of British Muslims were employed, much lower than the figure for the British general public and lower than Muslims in Germany or France, where 53 percent and 45 percent respectively said they had a job.
"Economic integration may become more precarious in light of the current financial crisis affecting Europe," Mogahed said.
Mohammed Shafiq, of the British Muslim organization the Ramadhan Foundation, said the key thing that divides people is poverty. “It's not about faith, it's not about ethnicity,” he said.
The survey also found that Muslims don't prioritize their faith over patriotism, Mogahed said.
77 percent of British Muslims feel a strong sense of British identity, compared to 50 percent of the country's non-Muslims. In France, around half of Muslims and non-Muslims say they feel a strong sense of patriotism, the study said.
-Agencies
A new study found that Muslims are more patriotic, more tolerant and more likely to reject violence than the rest of Western society believes they are. The study, which looked into Muslims integration into Western society, interviewed around 30,000 people in 27 countries by the Gallup polling company.
It mainly focused on European Muslims, and the misconceptions about their attitudes in wider European society. Accordingly, the survey showed that the most potent sources of tension between Muslims and the West are joblessness and poverty, challenging previous misconceptions that religion is responsible for these differences.
It concluded that non-Muslims including the public and lawmakers have misunderstood the attitudes of most Muslims in the West, hampering efforts to promote understanding.
For example, most Muslims are as happy as other Europeans to live alongside people of other religions and ethnic backgrounds, and share broadly similar views with their neighbours.
Integration
Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the London and New York-based Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and a faith adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama, said the study found that most Muslims welcome closer ties to the rest of the society.
"Many of the assumptions about Muslims and integration couldn't be more wide of the mark," she said. "European Muslims want to be part of the wider community and contribute to society."
Mogahed also said that American Muslims enjoy relatively good relations with the rest of the society, and suffer less from economic inequality.
In Britain, most Muslims want to belong but only 10 percent consider themselves integrated into the British society. That compares to 46 percent of Muslims in France and 35 percent in Germany.
Poverty
The study found that the global financial crisis widens the gap between Muslims and the West, with competition for jobs and resources adding stress to race relations.
It showed that 38 percent of British Muslims were employed, much lower than the figure for the British general public and lower than Muslims in Germany or France, where 53 percent and 45 percent respectively said they had a job.
"Economic integration may become more precarious in light of the current financial crisis affecting Europe," Mogahed said.
Mohammed Shafiq, of the British Muslim organization the Ramadhan Foundation, said the key thing that divides people is poverty. “It's not about faith, it's not about ethnicity,” he said.
The survey also found that Muslims don't prioritize their faith over patriotism, Mogahed said.
77 percent of British Muslims feel a strong sense of British identity, compared to 50 percent of the country's non-Muslims. In France, around half of Muslims and non-Muslims say they feel a strong sense of patriotism, the study said.
-Agencies