Who speaks for Islam?

[Al-khiyal]

Who speaks for Islam?: What a billion Muslims really think

by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed

Publication date February 28, 2008

In a post-9/11 world, many Americans conflate the mainstream Muslim majority with the beliefs and actions of an extremist minority. But what do the world’s Muslims think about the West, or about democracy, or about extremism itself? Who Speaks for Islam? spotlights this silenced majority. The book is the product of a mammoth six-year study in which the Gallup Organization conducted tens of thousands of hour-long, face-to-face interviews with residents of more than 35 predominantly Muslim nations — urban and rural, young and old, men and women, educated and illiterate. It asks the questions everyone is curious about: Why is the Muslim world so anti-American? Who are the extremists? Is democracy something Muslims really want? What do Muslim women want? The answers to these and other pertinent, provocative questions are provided not by experts, extremists, or talking heads, but by empirical evidence — the voices of a billion Muslims.

[Al-khiyal]

Who speaks for Islam?

John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed

Extremists and terrorism have too often monopolised the media's coverage and thus the message coming out of the Muslim world. But what do the vast majority of mainstream Muslims really believe, think, and feel? What are their hopes, fears, and resentments? Why is it that a robust anti-Americanism seems to pervade the Muslim world? Is it the sign of a clash of cultures – do they hate who we are? Or is it what we do? Rather than listening to extremists or simply relying on the opinions of individual pundits, why not give voice to the silenced majority?

We asked Muslims around the world what they really think and discovered that when we let the data lead the discourse, a number of insights are revealed. The most important finding from our research was this: conflict between Muslim and Western communities is far from inevitable. It is more about policy than principles. However, until and unless decision-makers listen directly to the people and gain an accurate understanding of this conflict, extremists on all sides will continue to gain ground.

Who speaks for Islam? What a billion Muslims really think is based on six years of research and more than 50,000 interviews representing 1.3 billion Muslims who reside in more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have sizable Muslim populations. Representing more than 90% of the world's Muslim community, this poll is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind. The results defy conventional wisdom and the inevitability of a global conflict – even as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue.

The study revealed some surprising findings. It showed that Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustifiable. Those who do choose violence and extremism are driven by politics, not poverty or piety. In fact, of the 7 percent of responders who did believe 9/11 was justified, none of them hated our freedom; they want our freedom. However, they believe that America, and the West in general, operate with a double standard and stand in the way of Muslims determining their own future.

We are constantly bombarded with images of angry Muslim teens partaking in violent demonstrations or being trained in Al Qaeda camps. This study showed, however, that the vast majority of young Muslims aren't dreaming of going to war; they are dreaming of finding work. Similarly, when asked about their hopes for the future, Muslims of all ages said they want better jobs and security, not conflict and violence.

The findings also revealed that Muslims across the world want neither secularism nor theocracy. They want freedom, rights and democratisation. At the same time, however, they claim that society should be built upon religious Islamic values and that the sharia (Islamic law) should be a source of law. Simply put, the majority of Muslim women and men want rights and religion, and they don't see the two as being mutually exclusive.

The West will be pleased to learn that nine out of ten Muslims are moderates – good news for those optimistic about co-existence. Muslims say the most important thing Westerners can do to improve relations with their societies is to change their negative views toward Muslims, respect Islam and re-evaluate foreign policies.

The unfortunate news is that there is a large number of politically radicalised Muslims (the 7 percent previously mentioned, which translates to approximately 91 million individuals) that could be pushed to support or perpetrate violence against civilians. Challenges for the West will only grow as long as these Muslims continue to feel politically dominated and disregarded.

John L. Esposito is a Georgetown University Professor
and Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
Dalia Mogahed is a Gallup Senior Analyst and Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies.

[Bent_Bladi]

*applause*

[Al-khiyal]

Review by Rami Khouri:

WASHINGTON, DC, February 27, 2008 -- Every few years a book is published that has the potential to change perceptions of millions of people, and, by doing so, perhaps to change policies of governments for the better. I believe that just such a book is the one being published in a few weeks entitled Who speaks for Islam, co-authored by John L. Esposito of Georgetown University, and Dalia Mogahed of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies.

This book analyzes the results of a global sample survey of one billion Muslims carried out in recent years, representing more than 90 percent of all Muslims in the world. It is published by Gallup Press, and comes out at a time when there is urgent and increasing need for more accuracy and breadth in dealing with the tensions, conflicts and misperceptions that plague relations between many in the United States and Muslim-majority societies.

The reasons for my enthusiastic advance praise for this volume are not only the depth of its contents, the clarity of its conclusions, and the fact that it is a fast and absorbing read. Its primary compelling strength is the sharp insights it offers into the thinking of Muslims around the world, painting a very different view of Muslims and Islam than the one projected in popular culture or public politics in the United States.

It has been a painful experience to read this book and chat with the authors, while simultaneously following political coverage on American television during my current trip to the United States. President George W. Bush may have cooled down his wild rhetoric about “Islamofascists,” but Republican presidential contender John McCain and others have filled the vacuum with their constant references to Islamic extremism being the threat of the century and the defining issue of our times. Mainstream cable television, local newspapers, and public affairs radio make things even worse by referring to Islam and to Muslims primarily in the context of violence, warfare, fanaticism, or anti-Americanism.

So it is refreshing and useful for more sensible American relations with Muslims and their cultures that this book provides a clear, emphatic antidote to the fear, racism, and anger that still drive many Americans’ attitudes to Muslims and Islam. The need to redress the situation of imbalanced and tense US-Islamic relations was most poignantly reflected in a point the authors made when I had a chance to chat with them recently:

When Americans were polled and asked what they admired about Islam, 57 percent said “nothing” or “I don’t know,” while a majority of Muslims around the world easily named several specific things they admired about the United States, including its democracy, technology and liberty - the same things that Americans say they admire about their democracy. Muslims listed the key elements of the democracy they desired as freedom of speech, religion and assembly.

The survey and book offer a number of important insights that are based on intensive field research, not preconceptions distorted by political violence, and by politicians who deliberately play on people’s fears and ignorance.

What was the single most important conclusion the authors drew from their work? “The conflict between the Muslim and Western communities is far from inevitable. It is more about policy than principles.” They add a critical thought, though: “However, until and unless decision-makers listen directly to the people and gain an accurate understanding of this conflict, extremists on all sides will continue to gain ground.”

The book is rich in detailed findings and analyses. Here are some of its key conclusions, as summarized by the authors:

Muslims differentiate between different Western countries, criticizing or celebrating them on the basis of their politics, not their religion or culture. The vast majority of Muslims who are asked about their future dreams speak usually of getting a good job, nor engaging in jihad. Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustified. Those who condone acts of terrorism are a minority and are no more likely to be religious than the rest of the population. What Muslims say they least admire about the West is its perceived moral decay and breakdown of traditional values - the same responses given by Americans. Muslim women want equal rights and religion in their societies. Muslims are most offended by Western disrespect for Islam and Muslims. Majorities of Muslims want religion to be a source of laws, but they do not want religious leaders to play a direct role in governance or crafting a constitution.

This kind of polling and analysis should be tremendously important for political leaders in both Muslim and Western societies. It sketches the personal values and political sentiments of a vast majority of men and women who can be mobilized on the basis of their real sentiments anchored in justice, democracy, and respect for religious and social norms - not their imagined adherence to violence and extremism.

[Al-khiyal]

Major survey challenges Western perceptions of Islam

[Al-khiyal]

Que pense vraiment un milliard de musulmans ?

Samedi 5 Décembre 2009 -- En dépit de l’immense couverture médiatique du terrorisme planétaire, tel que le pratiquent divers groupes «islamiques» autoproclamés, aux Etats-Unis, en Europe, au Moyen-Orient et en Asie, on ne connaît guère ce que pense et ressent la plus grande partie des musulmans dans le monde. Qu’ont-ils à dire de la violence et des attentats terroristes, de la démocratie, des droits de la femme et des relations entre leurs pays et l’Occident ? Quels sont leurs valeurs, leurs buts, leurs convictions religieuses ? Ce mois-ci, en regardant Inside Islam, le public des salles de cinéma à Washington et à New York pouvait apporter quelques réponses à cette question. Ils sont allés voir Inside Islam, ce film novateur tiré de Who Speaks for Islam ? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, livre cosigné en 2008 par John Esposito, professeur à l’université de Georgetown, et Dalia Mogahed, directeur exécutif du Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. Depuis sa première à Washington cet été, le film est en tournée nationale. Il est construit à partir de nombreuses années de recherche innovante. Entre 2001 et 2006, John Esposito et Dalia Mogahed ont travaillé à l’institut Gallup sur la plus grande enquête qui ait jamais été réalisée sur les populations musulmanes. Leurs résultats sont venus mettre en échec les lieux communs et les clichés sur le “choc des civilisations”, alors que se poursuivaient les guerres d’Irak et d’Afghanistan.

Bien avant la sortie de Who Speaks for Islam ?, les hautes sphères du gouvernement concoctaient une politique à l’égard d’un peuple qu’elles connaissent à peine. À la sortie du livre, l’archevêque Desmond Tutu, lauréat du prix Nobel de la Paix, a déclaré à juste titre : «En cette époque pénible de confrontations et d’hostilités accrues, peu de livres pourraient être plus opportuns.» En 2008, la fondation Unity Productions (UPF) décidait d’en tirer un film, reconnaissant l’importance du message et l’utilité qu’il y aurait à le transmettre à un plus vaste public. Alex Kronemer, cofondateur d’UPF et coproducteur exécutif du film, a déclaré : «Le message de ce livre doit être entendu par les responsables américains : pour nous rapprocher authentiquement du monde musulman, nous devons comprendre ce que le monde musulman veut vraiment.» L’avant-première, destinée aux milieux politiques, a eu lieu en août 2009, au Département d’Etat. Après la projection, les participants ont pris part à un débat avec Alex Kronemer, qui dirigeait le bureau des droits de l’homme au Département d’Etat sous le gouvernement Bill Clinton. Le but de ces projections ciblées – justifié par les résultats du sondage Gallup – est d’aider les décisionnaires à comprendre les conséquences que peut avoir la politique étrangère américaine sur le comportement des musulmans à l’égard des Etats-Unis et qu’un infléchissement de cette politique aura des répercussions considérables sur la façon dont les musulmans perçoivent les Américains.

Le 3 juin dernier, lors de la première à Washington, Madeleine Albright, ex-secrétaire d’Etat, était l’invitée d’honneur. Elle a déclaré après la projection : «Lorsque la peur prend le dessus, toute communication s’arrête et le soupçon s’installe. C’est pourquoi Inside Islam est un film important et les enquêtes approfondies de l’institut Gallup si précieuses.» Depuis lors, le film a été projeté dans plusieurs grandes villes d’Amérique du Nord. Ces événements rassemblent les mouvements associatifs, les milieux politiques et les organisations interconfessionnelles, habituellement en présence d’un expert de chez Gallup et d’un représentant d’UPF, qui enrichissent le débat sur le film et sur les résultats du sondage. L’enquête révèle ainsi que, lorsqu’on leur demande ce qu’ils admirent en Occident, les musulmans citent fréquemment la liberté politique et la liberté de parole. Le public s’étonne aussi d’apprendre qu’une grande majorité de musulmans – dont 73 % de Saoudiens et de 89 % d’Iraniens – estiment que les femmes devraient avoir les mêmes droits que les hommes. À ce jour, des milliers de personnes sont allées voir le film : de Toledo à Toronto, de la Nouvelle Orléans à New York, les spectateurs veulent savoir ce qu’un milliard de musulmans, dont de nombreux dirigeants, pense vraiment. D’autres organisations ont manifesté leur intérêt, non seulement en diffusant le film sur leurs réseaux, mais aussi en collaborant à la production de matériel pédagogique afin qu’un jeune public puisse aussi bénéficier de l’information et y réfléchir. Le film crée un environnement dans lequel le dialogue des civilisations, pour reprendre les termes de Muhammad Khatami, ex-président de l’Iran, devienne inévitable. Il invite les spectateurs américains à repenser leur attitude envers les musulmans, ces gens qui sont parfois aussi leurs voisins. Souhaitons que, grâce à des films comme Inside Islam, la crainte et le soupçon puissent céder le pas au dialogue.

Sara Reef est directrice de projet à Intersections International
et Zeeshan Suhail, membre du bureau d’Americans for Informed Democracy.
Article écrit pour le service de presse de Common Ground (CGNews)

[Ruks]

hmm..i used to like prof. John, but i haven't read anything recent by him these days. I'm sceptical about this research. ok now eveyone outside the muslim community understands that we are 'normal' human beings wanting to live in a safe and secure society for our families, so what? does this change anything in terms of politics? or foreign policies? of course not. thats not what the state of play is about, and a large piece of research (most likely with the best of intentions) is hardly going to change the status quo