Source: The New York Times
By
A new poll of British Muslims revealed attitudes on homosexuality and terrorism sharply out of step with broader public opinion, but also set off a debate about the reliability of such surveys.
The survey was conducted by the polling company ICM Unlimited and commissioned by the British network Channel 4, which showcased itsresults in a documentary broadcast on Wednesday. The network said that the findings showed that the mainstream Muslim majority shared many values with non-Muslim Britons but warned that more extreme views lurked beneath the surface.
“Looking deeper into the results, a chasm develops between those Muslims surveyed and the wider population on attitudes to liberal values on issues such as gender equality, homosexuality and issues relating to freedom of expression,” the network said in a statement. “And it also reveals significant differences on attitudes to violence and terrorism.”
Trevor Phillips, the former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, analyzed the results for Channel 4 and said in a statement that they showed Britain faced a threat of “the establishment of a nation within our nation.”
The solution, he said, was a “muscular approach to integration.”
The Muslim Council of Britain, a leading Muslim umbrella group, rejected the poll results, which it said contradicted the findings of earlier studies. One of its leaders, Miqdaad Versi, argued that the survey used the views of a “fringe minority” to smear a large and diverse population.
Among the poll results were relatively high levels of disapproval for homosexuality, with 52 percent of respondents saying it should be illegal and 47 percent saying gay people should not work as teachers. On the issue of women’s rights, 39 percent agreed with the statement “wives should always obey their husbands.”
About one-third of respondents said they would tell the police if they knew someone who was getting involved with supporting terrorism in Syria. The same proportion refused to condemn people who take part in violence against those who mock the Prophet Muhammad. Almost one quarter said they favored replacing the British legal system with Islamic law.
The survey also showed that most respondents liked living in Britain, however, with 88 percent saying they thought it was a good place for Muslims. The percentage of respondents who reported a strong sense of belonging in the country, 86 percent, was higher than the national average.
Categories: Europe, Muslims, Survey, The Muslim Times, UK