Americans Ignorant of Islam: Poll

There are between six to seven million Muslims in the United States

26 September 2007

CAIRO — Despite its growing visibility in society in recent years, the majority of Americans know very little about the practices of Islam and don not see any common grounds between the Muslim faith and their own Christian beliefs, a new US survey has revealed.

"Fifty-eight percent say they know little or nothing about Islam’s practices," concludes the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

It noted that the number of people who say they know little or nothing about Islam has changed very little since 2001.

The survey found that most of the 3002 people interviewed nationwide saw little in common between Islam and their faith.

"Fully 70% of non-Muslims say that the Muslim religion is very different from their own religion."

It noted that the proportion who say that Islam has little or nothing in common with their own religion has increased substantially since 2005.

There are between six to seven million Muslims in the United States, making up less than three percent of the country's 300 million population.

Tarnished

Despite the public lack on knowledge, the poll saw that attitudes toward Muslims and Islam "have grown more negative in recent years."

About 35 percent of respondents expressed an unfavorable view of the Muslim faith.

"Forty-five percent of those polled said Islam was more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its believers."

When asked for the single word that best describes their impression of Islam, far more Americans mention negative words than positive ones, said the survey.

The most frequently used negative word to describe Islam is "fanatic," with "radical" and "terror" often mentioned as well.

US Muslim leaders say the survey results are something to expect amid the current environment that has tarnished a peaceful faith.

"We're not surprised," Safaa Ibrahim, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told the Los Angeles Times.

"It's difficult to remove the tarnish of twisted interpretations of terrorists from what Islam means."

In its annual report, the leading US Muslim advocacy group said discrimination jumped 25 percent last year with Islamophobia being much evident in federal and government agencies.

The 40-page report showed that hate crime complaints including physical attacks against individuals and mosques rose 9.2 percent.

Six years after the terrorist 9/11 attacks, many American Muslims complain that they continue to face discrimination and stereotyping because of their Islamic attires or identities.

Media

The Pew Research Center found that the view of Islam in the society is largely affected by the media.

"The biggest influence on the public's impressions of Muslims, particularly among those who express an unfavorable opinion of Muslims, is what people hear and read in the media."

About a third of those polled, including half of those who offer a negative opinion of Muslims, said what they have seen or read in the media had the biggest influence on their views.

The head of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), America's largest Jewish movement, has accused US media and politicians of demonizing Islam and portraying Muslims as "satanic figures."

Famed US academic Stephen Schwartz had criticized the Western media for failing to meet the challenge of reporting on Islam and Arab issues after the 9/11 attacks.

A recent British study accused the media and film industry of perpetuating Islamophobia and prejudice by demonizing Muslims and Arabs as violent, dangerous and threatening people.

The Pew found that knowing a Muslim is usually associated with more positive views of the religion.

"Among those who know a Muslim, 56 percent have a favorable overall impression of Muslims, compared with just 32 percent of those who are not acquainted with a Muslim."

Click here to read the survey findings in full.