Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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The Gallup Muslim-<strong>West</strong> Dialogue Index
Bangladeshis also believe <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> is committed
to better relations with <strong>the</strong> Muslim world <strong>and</strong>
35% believe <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> respects Muslims – <strong>the</strong>
highest portion of people holding <strong>the</strong>se views
among Muslim-majority countries surveyed.
Unlike Bangladesh, some might expect Saudi
Arabia <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>and</strong>s to be among <strong>the</strong>
most pessimistic about Muslim-<strong>West</strong> dialogue.
They were both directly affected ei<strong>the</strong>r by
military or cultural conflicts between Muslim
<strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern communities. However, <strong>the</strong>y rank
second <strong>and</strong> third respectively in <strong>the</strong> Index.
More Saudis believe greater interaction between
Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern societies is a benefit than
those who believe it is a threat, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y are
among <strong>the</strong> most likely majority Muslim
countries to give <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> credit for
commitment to better relations. Saudis are
also most likely to express confidence in
Muslim good will toward <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>, with roughly
7in10saying<strong>the</strong>Muslimworldrespects<strong>and</strong>is
committed to better relations with <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern
world.
In addition, Saudis are among <strong>the</strong> most likely
to say <strong>the</strong> relationship between <strong>the</strong> two
communities is of personal concern. These
perceptions may reflect a general optimism
among Saudis, encouraged by <strong>the</strong>ir current
economic boom. In 2007, 87% said <strong>the</strong>y were
satisfied with <strong>the</strong>ir current st<strong>and</strong>ard of living.
For reference, this compares to 82% of
Americans who express similar contentment.
Roughly 1 in 3 residents of <strong>the</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>and</strong>s
believe <strong>the</strong> relationship between Muslim <strong>and</strong>
<strong>West</strong>ern communities is getting better, second
only to Bangladesh. The Dutch are <strong>the</strong> most
likely to believe <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern world is committed
to improved relations with Muslim societies (72%)
<strong>and</strong> among <strong>the</strong> most likely to say <strong>the</strong>y are
personally concerned with this issue, though
less than half (46%) believes <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> respects
<strong>the</strong> Muslim world. Like Saudi Arabia, <strong>the</strong>
Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>and</strong>s is <strong>the</strong> most likely <strong>West</strong>ern country
to trust in <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r community’s good will;
2in5say<strong>the</strong>Muslimworldiscommittedto
better relations <strong>and</strong> 1 in 3 say it respects <strong>the</strong>
<strong>West</strong>. Like <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r European countries
surveyed, <strong>the</strong> majority of <strong>the</strong> Dutch see
greater interaction between <strong>West</strong>ern <strong>and</strong>
Muslim worlds as a threat, but <strong>the</strong>ir relative
optimism in o<strong>the</strong>r dimensions pushed <strong>the</strong>m
into third place.
Pakistan, Brazil <strong>and</strong> Russia rank last on <strong>the</strong>
Index due more to a lack of a positive
response than <strong>the</strong> prevalence of negative
responses. All three nations had a high
percentage of “don’t know” <strong>and</strong> “refuse”
responses to several questions. For example,
1 in 3 in Brazil refused to answer when asked if
relations between <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Muslim
world are improving, while 43% of Pakistanis
said <strong>the</strong>y were unsure. When this many
respondents answer this way, it usually means
one of two things – ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y are
uncomfortable with <strong>the</strong> topic or <strong>the</strong>y lack
interest in it.
In <strong>the</strong> case of Brazil <strong>and</strong> Russia, this may be
due to <strong>the</strong> lack of personal relevance many
respondents feel about <strong>the</strong> relationship
between Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern communities –
less than half say Muslim-<strong>West</strong> relations are
important to <strong>the</strong>m. This is not surprising, as
nei<strong>the</strong>r country would historically be considered
amemberofei<strong>the</strong>r<strong>the</strong><strong>West</strong>or<strong>the</strong>Muslim
world. It is interesting to note that both Brazil
<strong>and</strong> Russia, as sort of “third party observers”,
give <strong>the</strong> Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern worlds low
marks for commitment <strong>and</strong> respect of <strong>the</strong>
o<strong>the</strong>r. In both countries less than 1 in 5 say <strong>the</strong>
Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern worlds respect each o<strong>the</strong>r,
while roughly half say <strong>the</strong>y do not <strong>and</strong> a third