82% Pakistanis feel laws should follow Holy Quran teachings: Survey

Al Qaeda seen as favorable by 13% of Pakistanis, says survey conducted by Pew Research Center.


Afp July 11, 2012

WASHINGTION: Democracy is still popular in six Muslim-majority countries, over a year after the Arab Spring, and the majority in some countries favors laws based on the Holy Quran, according to a poll published Tuesday.

In Pakistan, 82% of participants feel "laws should strictly follow the teachings of the Holy Quran." In the rest of the Muslim world, only 72% of Jordanians, 60% of Egyptians, 23% of Tunisians and 17% of Turks and Lebanese agreed.

The first two Muslim-majority nations to overthrow a dictator still "desire" democracy, with some 67% of Egyptians and 63% of Tunisians saying "democracy is preferable," according to the survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in recent months.

In the rest of the region, 84% of Lebanese and 71% of Turks say "democracy is preferable," but Jordanians and Pakistanis are less enthusiastic, at 61% and 42% respectively.

Forty-five percent of Tunisians say the country has improved without ousted 23-year president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, and 42% disagree. Tunisians are still optimistic about the future of their country, with 75% saying the nation's flailing economy will improve.

Aside from Lebanon, which boasts a large Christian minority, a majority of poll participants across the surveyed Muslim nations feel Islam does and should play a central role in government. Points of view differ across the countries regarding the degree to which Islam should affect policy.

A majority of poll participants believe women should have the same rights as men. Lebanese led the pack with 93% believing in gender equality. Only 74% of Tunisians and 58% of Egyptians support equal rights for women. Some 67% of Tunisian women say that equal gender rights are very important, whereas only 50% of men agree.

The overwhelming majority of most poll participants opposed extremists, even if al Qaeda is seen as favorable by 19% of Egyptians, 16% of Tunisians and 13% of Pakistanis.

The polls were conducted in March and April, with a sample of 1,000 participants per country and a margin of error ranging from more or less than 3.9 to 5.2 points across the different countries.

COMMENTS (47)

Sadruddin Mitha | 11 years ago | Reply

@Muhammad Hassan: @salim: We have totally misunderstood vision of founder of the nation. all he wanted was freedom to Muslims of sub-continent to practice theirk faith individually wijthout any influence from majority of Hindus who might obstruct muslims from performing thier ritual. He had never imagined a state called Islamic Republic in fact he was very clear right from beginningk that state would have no business with religion and even minorities will have complete freedom to follow their faith without any interference from the State. to follow one's faith and to make a islamic state are two different notions. Islam can be interpreted by uneducated, illiterate Maulvis to equally illiterate population . there is no single authority within the Islamic world to give us auathentic and acceptable interpretation of quranic verses. I think it is for every individual to understand the message of Allah according to his/here capacity (mental) and in this situation, state can manipulate message of Allah to theirk advantage as Zia did during his tenure and Musharraf taught us enlightened moderation meaning of which we have never understood State can declare Muslims as minority to get vote bank and zakat compulsory deducted frojm accounts there is no such converpt. every muslim has to perform his obligations himself and he can not pass it on to any body willingly or under law../We have exhibited to the world Islam allows suicide bombers and that is why our young genration is misguided that this is the holy message. we have used islam as a weapon and sword to our advantage and misguided innocent people. In mu humble opinion statae has no business interfering in religion. It is for every individual to decide and act upon his understanding of faith. one reason we are directionless today is state directing our code of life.which is basically in contrast to natural justice.

Mard-e-Haq | 11 years ago | Reply

Tell me one modern state where the application of complete Islamic Law has succeeded. Saudi Arabia? Pakistan?

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