82% Pakistanis feel laws should follow Holy Quran teachings: Survey
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)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1727142053-0/Jacob-Erodi-(3)1727142053-0-405x300.webp "article")
1736332856-0/Untitled-design-(20)1736332856-0-270x192.webp "kourtney kardashian s stepdaughter alabama barker debuts striking new look after recent er visit")
1736334465-0/sidra--(45)1736334465-0-270x192.webp "sindh introduces ev taxis for unemployed youth")
@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.
Tell me one modern state where the application of complete Islamic Law has succeeded. Saudi Arabia? Pakistan?
I always wonder if Islamists realise just how arrogant, bigoted and ridiculous they sound. There are numerous ideologies and concerns which aim to provide a full system and address every aspect of life - should they also be implemented immediately and without the consent of the public? You see it's 'My god is better than your god' thinking, thoroughly rooted in ancient times and that is where it ought to remain.
@ali awan: No, you call then minorities(hindu,christian, ahmadia etc.).
Pakistan seems to have become Iran, that too minus the revolution. Would any of the commentators who have written in favor of an a state practicing Islamic laws explain how these laws are any different from these so called secular man made laws. Please feel free to throw in some links if you know any.
...but the Constitution states that there can be no Laws that are repugnant to the principles of Islam. There should be no debate on this, what should be debated is the correct implementation of this and therein lies the rub.
@Arsalan Khan: if u/cought thief and ask him why he did it and reply i can not find the job then it is resposblity of the state to give him job,then u/bring the head of the state to clearfise why this man do not find the job?wht's the unemployent in pakistan i belive 35% then all the state head r/guilty and should be punished.islamic law is good for small papulation or state control every thing like saudi's.they got oil and they can effort pay there citizen with out let them work.
I wonder if the Quran says anything about paying your taxes, utilities, corruption or bribery -- if so then some of that 82% are clearly hypocrites. I have never understood how a country which is supposedly so religious could appear to be so morally bankrupt.
(Fake) Liberals can't take it... it's pure democracy bhai..! Legislate and enforce what the majority wants. after all it's the government of the people for the people
Democracy is only acceptable if it’s about gay rights etc, but if majority asks about the law of the lord to be implemented then its extremism
@Arsalan Khan: None of that is Shariah... read up on it first... and then discuss.
@Haroon: Democracy is only acceptable if it's about gay rights etc, but if majority asks about the law of the lord to be implemented then its extremism
I am sure 99% of Pakistani just talk about Islam and the Quran and do not understand or practise the true spirit of the religion.
This number have fallen from 90 percent to 82 percent in recent years and this means now 18 out of 100 or more than 4 crore people ( or 40 million) are now thinking in a different manner and this is a positive sign.
@shah: You are in for a big surprise. The system you are cheerleading is man-made too.
oooooopsss........... now that would tease the 18% Atheist a.k.a liberal mafia of Pakistan.....Obviously, the survey wouldn't be a genuine one, right?????
Pakistanis lack basic Islamic education and adab - how many know the Quran and the way of our Last Prophet pbuh? The way Pakistanis seem to look the other way at the antics and blasmpemies of Mullahs against both Muslims and minorities - I guess very little.
You cannot have Quranic Laws/Teachings being interpreted by jahil mullahs - period, this has already brought harm not just on Pakistan but Muslims.
Mohammed Abbasi Association of British Muslims
Moreover, currently there is not a single country on this earth which is 100% following the Islamic laws. If you argue that KSA is the one then I would say that in no Islamic state would a woman be banned from sitting behind the wheel. In order to know a thing better we need to develop a good understanding of it which ought to be based on our research and on some other persons research. We all are sane enough to arrive at a conclusion on our own thinking then why do we have to depend on other person's ideas..Hilarious!!
I cannot stop laughing when I see people with second-hand, limited knowledge about Islam commenting against it. and i feel pity for those so-called educated Muslim who see Islamization an equivalent to Talibanism. No doubt we deserve to be ruled by the intruders!!
Our favourite hobby is to boast about limited knowledge. We love to portray ourselves as eloquent speaker with knowledge which we gain by watching talk shows and over-hearing and spreading other people's ideologies.
we cannot change our future until we get to the core of the issues on the basis of our own study and research and then choose between the right and wrong!
@salim: I am surprised that you don't know about your own religion mate. Islam isn't just a religion it is way of living (what we call its a DEEN). Its teaching is not just limited to mosques or individuals its a complete code of life. A person alone at home, working at his profession, talking or meeting with others, governing a state or whatever he is doing he is oblige to ISLAM.
And its difficult to follow SHARIAH but still we can try, not on country level but atleast at individual levels.....ZARA SOCHIYE
Ooo pakistanis must b scared to comment on this page, coz they are in seriouse danger of being arrested for blaspheme! Hail the injustice!
Turks, the role model of Pakistan, has only 17% wanting to follow Quran in legal matters. That should teach Pakistanis not to wear religion on their sleeves all the times.
Hilarious comments above from the fundos, who clearly would have no idea how to run a modern state with a fair system of law that would give rights to the individual. No other ancient outdated collection of pages would ever be taken so seriously, in such a worrying and dangerous manner.
at least there are 18% Pakistanis who are sane.
there is not an inch doubt that we want Islamic law. We have seen what destruction these man-made secular systems have brought to humanity.
All man made systems will die at its own.
@salim: Almsot agreed with "What pakistan needs is to become a secular society where religion doesn’t interfere in the affairs of the state" to be amended as, "What Pakistan needs is to become a society where relgion doesn’t interfere in the affairs of the state". Word secular is not needed as it is not digestable to many in Pakistan. See the Indonesia. More than 95% Muslim population but state does not interfere in relgious matters. Follow good examples.
@All All so called deomocracy loving liberals should accepted the reality of Pakistan and other Muslim countries. Most of the dictators in the Middle East and even Pakistan (except for Zia) were dictators, so secularism does not help solve any problems as such. Most countries after Arab Spring are voting for Islamists, and in Pakistan the majority of the public have been conservatives. And if turkey can do well and better than secularists under a Islamic party, Pakistan will benefit too. So liberals should set aside the hypocrisy and accept the fact that the majority in Pak want an Islamic state, where the minority rights are fully protected.
@salim: IF you believe in Democracy, you Should believe what 85% want and should not seek to impose what You want.
Or come out openly and declare that you don't believe in Democracy.
@Ali Awan: Please enlighten me as to what brutalities you are talking about. In fact, only a secular system can bring these tribals to book for their inhumane practices.
Who took the poll? what is its credibility? What was the sample size? a lot of information missing.
I was wondering who those 13% Muslims are (18% - 5% non-Muslims) but I guess I have found them here.
@Muhammad Hassan: coz tribal ppl have seen the brutality of secularism
Am loving the situation of Pakistan.And pak govt. must do what 82% of population want ie complete implementation of Islamic laws just like KSA
@Arsalan Khan: Add slavery to the list along with amputations.
Does that mean I am free to own and engage in carnal acts with my 'right hand posessions'? Is there a person fit enough to decide which laws from a different time and age are to be followed in the 21st century?
Islam is complete code of life and it does insure provision of rights to each single individual and it has the unmatched ability to eradicate the troubles from the society once for all. I don't see a single reason why would somebody defy implementation of Islamic system. The system which is revealed by Allah Almighty. And how a person who at one place claims to be a Muslim and on other hand he speaks ill of Islamic System. That’s eccentric. I believe only an idiot or ignorant of highest eminence might dare to rebuff establishment of Islamic rule.
@Muhammad Hassan: Support Al Qaida : 100% ------ and that takes of every other segment of Pakistani society like schooling, health care and Equal Rights for both men & women which means none for none.
So,what's next,beheadings in the public squares,whipping of women,eye for an eye?
Further, In 1946, Quaid-e-Azam declared
‘We do not demand Pakistan simply to have a piece of land but we want a laboratory where we could experiment on Islamic principles.
In his message to the frontier Muslim Students Federation, he said:
Pakistan only means freedom and independence but Muslims ideology which has to be preserved which has come to us a precious gift and treasure and which we hope, others will share with us. (Address on 18th June 1945)
Im still embarrassed in a muslim ideological state it says 82%! It should say 99.99%. . . . . . Wonder if we can call rest 18% still muslims
Makes complete sense... Muslims reject terrorism. Muslims want Islamic laws to be implemented, and see Islam as the answer to all problems... including corruption and terrorism...
Our obsession with religion has reached dangerous heights.What pakistan needs is to become a secular society where religion doesn't interfere in the affairs of the state.We've seen the disastrous consequences of the obsession with religion in our country over the last decade.Religion is a private matter,it has no place in the laws and running of the state.
If the survey was conducted in tribal areas the results would be more like this:
Support strict Islamic laws: 95% Equal Rights for women: 5% Support Al Qaida: 75%