The World Muslim Population

- 23% of the population, according to a Pew Research Study.

The Sunni Muslims are predominant - 87-90% - with predominantly Shi'a concentration - 68-80% - in Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.

More than 300 million Muslims, or one-fifth of the world's Muslim population, live in countries where Islam is not the majority religion. These minority Muslim populations are often quite large. India, for example, has the third-largest population of Muslims worldwide. China has more Muslims than Syria, while Russia is home to more Muslims than Jordan and Libya combined.

Muslim world decreased the support for terrorism

http://www.pewglobal.org/

September 10

Eight years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Pew Global Attitudes Project finds that support for Osama bin Laden has declined considerably among Muslim publics in recent years. Moreover, majorities or pluralities among eight of the nine Muslim publics surveyed this year say that suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilians can never be justified to defend Islam; only in the Palestinian territories does a majority endorse such attacks.The drop in support for bin Laden has been most dramatic in Indonesia, Pakistan and Jordan. Currently, about one-quarter of Muslims in Jordan (28%) and Indonesia (25%) express confidence in the al Qaeda leader to do the right thing regarding world affairs; in 2003, majorities in each country agreed (56% and 59%, respectively).

Read the full commentary at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1338/declining-muslim-support-for-bin-laden-suicide-bombing

Confidence in Obama Lifts U.S. Image Around the World

Most Muslim Publics Not So Easily Moved

July 23

The image of the United States has improved markedly in most parts of the world, reflecting global confidence in Barack Obama. In many countries opinions of the U.S. are now about as positive as they were at the beginning of the decade, before George W. Bush took office. Improvements in the U.S. image have been most pronounced in Western Europe, where favorable ratings have soared. Opinions of America have also become more positive in key countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia. However, the U.S. image has moved little in some predominantly Muslim countries, where deep concerns continue about U.S. policy and America's role in the world despite the president's popularity.

These are the findings of the latest survey by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, which conducted over 26,000 interviews from May 18 to June 16 among 24 nations and the Palestinian territories. In addition to an in-depth examination of the image of America, this report examines attitudes toward the worldwide recession, globalization, China and other major powers, Islamic extremism, the environment and swine flu.

Read the full report at: http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=264

Also at PewGlobal.org, explore a new interactive database allowing you to search public opinion trends in 55 countries on topics ranging from attitudes toward the U.S. to people's assessments of their own lives to views about globalization, democratization, extremism and other important issues.

Results can be displayed in map, table or chart formats: http://pewglobal.org/database/

And for more information on this year's report, watch a slide show with commentary by Pew Research Center President Andrew Kohut: http://pewglobal.org/docs/?DocID=12

For a new American policy in the Middle East

Obama's speech in Cairo.

A couple of observations:

- what during the electoral campaign was rather an argument against him, was used as an element of unity and common understanding with the Muslim world - his personal story, the Muslim ties and the youth spent in Indonesia

- it is time for a partnership between America and Islam

- criticism against some "liberal" Western countries trying to impose to the Muslims what to wear

- Israeli government should stop the policy of settlements (while denouncing the "inacceptable" situation of the Palestinians) and accept a Palestinian state it is in its interest too. Hamas should stop violence and play a role in unifying Palestinian people and recognize the state of Israel. Jerusalem should be the place of praying for Jews, Muslism and Christians

- the discourse was rather faced on the religious aspects and the need for an inter-faith dialogue, rather than on the variety institutionalized Islam took in the Muslim world

Reactions in the Muslim world

Ashura celebrations in Shi'a communities

Millions of members of Shi'a communities celebrated Ashura in the Iraqi city of Karbala.


See also: http://www.slate.com/id/2208110/