Where are the moderate Muslims? Everywhere, apparently. A new study by Pew shows that support for suicide bombings has been cut in half in many parts of the Muslim world. Most notably, the survey finds large and growing numbers of Muslims in the Middle East and elsewhere rejecting Islamic extremism.
The percentage of Muslims saying that suicide bombing is justified in the defense of Islam has declined dramatically over the past five years in five of eight countries where trends are available. In Lebanon, for example, just 34% of Muslims say suicide bombings in the defense of Islam are often or sometimes justified; in 2002, 74% expressed this view. However, Palestinians stand out for their broad acceptance of suicide bombing. Seven-in-ten-Palestinians say this tactic is at least sometimes justified.
The survey adds:
The decreasing acceptance of extremism among Muslims also is reflected in declining support for Osama bin Laden. Since 2003, Muslim confidence in bin Laden to do the right thing in world affairs has fallen; in Jordan, just 20% express a lot or some confidence in bin Laden, down from 56% four years ago. Yet confidence in bin Laden in the Palestinian territories, while lower than it was in 2003, remains relatively high (57%).Opinion about Hezbollah and Hamas varies among Muslim publics. Views of both groups are favorable among most predominantly Muslim countries in the Middle East and Asia. And Palestinians have strongly positive opinions of both militant groups. But majorities in Turkey have negative impressions of both Hezbollah and Hamas.
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the so called cruseders n zionist have the equipment to deliver death n destruction on innocent muslims, while the supress muslims do not have what should the muslims do?
I am hoping inshallah the press will now begin to focus on covering Islam not in relationship to terrorism or extremism, but instead in a more well-rounded way wherein non-Muslims will have a better understanding of Islam. Newsweek magazine recently featured Islam as its cover story, and basically the stories were well-rounded. It is one example of exposing more of Islam to the general public in a more balanced way. Now, the next project is to make people stop using the word "jihadist" to describe terrorist or extremist behavior!
Asalamualaikum wr wb.May Allah swt bless us all always in all ways. "The Fruit of the spirit is love , joy , peace ,& patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness , gentleness , & SELF control. Against such things there is no law. like all the laws of nature , there is utter perfection in this law . you create your life whatever you sow, you reap! YOUR THOUGHTS are seeds and the harvest you reap will depend on the seeds you plant. EXAMPLES moves the WoRlD more than DOctorine. follow the BOOK and the lifes of our prophet. no complains, just Qadah and Qadar.
JIHAD within ourself is more important than anything else. Jihad for the peaceful happier world. jihad starts within ourself now.......
The real point is that Muslims believe militancy will not solve most of their problems, eventhough it is appropriate in certain circumstances, like invasion, occupation, usurpation, and colonization.
In contrast, more and more Americans support bombing Makka and Madinah as retaliation against the actions of a few bombers. More Americans want to kill 100s of millions of Muslims arbitrarily as if all Muslim life is expendable and nothing is valued or significant, even allies.
It is wonderously arrogant, a self-destructive cancer growing in America which will ultimately prove to kill themselves. Anyone who knows Muslims would tell you the fastest way to turn every and all Muslims: liberal, moderate, conservative, extremist united and against America is to bomb Makka and Madinah. Every embassy, every imperial base, every relation with Muslims would be in question. No Muslim ruler could keep his throne if he worked with America then. And Israel would be further isolated as America's 51st unofficial state.
So Muslims are less extremist but Americans are more.
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