Beliefs and Practices of U.S. Muslims Differ from Muslims Abroad
A majority of U.S. Muslims (57%) say Islam can be understood in more than one way; globally, views among Muslims trend in the opposite direction.
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New Pew Forum Report Describes Unity and Diversity of Islam Around the Globe
Washington, D.C. – The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims are united in their belief in God and the Prophet Muhammad and are bound together by such religious practices as fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and almsgiving to assist people in need. But they have widely differing views about many other aspects of their faith, […]
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Chapter 6: Boundaries of Religious Practice
In addition to probing opinions about different sects, the survey asked whether certain forms of worship – visiting shrines, reciting religious poetry and dancing devotionally – are acceptable under Islam. The survey also asked whether the teachings of Islam permit appeals to dead ancestors and jinn and the use of sorcery. In most of the […]
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Chapter 5: Boundaries of Religious Identity
Who counts as a Muslim, and who does not? Which beliefs and practices are Islamic, and which are not? Many Muslims across the globe hold firm views on such questions. Asked, for example, whether there is only one true way to interpret Islam’s teachings or whether multiple interpretations are possible, half or more of the […]
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The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity
The world’s Muslims are united in their belief in God and the Prophet Muhammad and are bound together by such religious practices as fasting during Ramadan and almsgiving to assist the needy. But they have widely differing views about other aspects of their faith, including how important religion is to their lives, who counts as a Muslim and what practices are acceptable in Islam.
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Chapter 2. Threats and Concerns
Americans express far more concern about China’s economic strength than about its military strength. This is reflected in the solid majorities that say the large amount of American debt that is held by China, the loss of U.S. jobs to China and the U.S. trade deficit with China are very serious problems for the United […]
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Appendix A: U.S. Muslims: Beliefs and Practices in a Global Context
American Muslims, like Muslims in other countries, overwhelmingly accept certain core religious beliefs, such as the conviction that there is one God and that Muhammad is His Prophet. However, U.S. Muslims tend to be less observant than Muslims in many countries surveyed when it comes to practices such as daily prayer and mosque attendance. Moreover, […]
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Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation
Most of the world’s Muslims identify as Sunnis or Shias.8 However, many Muslims do not identify with either sect but rather see themselves as “just a Muslim.” At least one-in-five Muslims in 22 of the 38 countries where the question was asked identify themselves in this nonsectarian way.9 Other affiliations, such as membership in a […]
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Preface
From its origin on the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century C.E., Islam has grown into a worldwide religion with more than 1.6 billion adherents – nearly a quarter of the world’s population.1 Today, Muslims live on all inhabited continents and embody a wide range of races, ethnicities and cultures. What beliefs and practices unite […]
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Wait, You Still Don’t Like Us?
While the image of the United States has improved throughout many parts of the world during Barack Obama’s presidency, negative views of America remain stubbornly persistent in key Muslim countries. Much of this animosity is due to continuing concerns about U.S. power and widespread opposition to major elements of American foreign policy.