ABU DHABI: A majority of Arab Muslim youths see the actions of extremists such as the militant Islamic State group (IS) and Al Qaeda as a perversion of Islam’s teachings, according to a new poll.

The Zogby Research Services poll of 5,374 young Muslim men and women from the Middle East and North Africa also found that many millennials blame corruption and repressive governments for the rise of militants groups.

“At least three-quarters of millennial respondents in all countries surveyed” said movements like IS and Al Qaeda “are either a complete perversion of Islam’s teachings or mostly wrong”, the polling firm said.

The survey was conducted in October and November 2015 with respondents aged 15 to 34 in Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories.

More than 90 per cent of respondents in Morocco and the UAE called both extremist groups a “complete perversion of Islam”, as did 83 per cent of respondents in Egypt and more than 60 per cent in Bahrain and Jordan.

More than 55 per cent of respondents in the Palestinian territories and Saudi Arabia also said the radical groups were distorting Islam’s teachings.

More than 30 per cent of those polled in many countries, including 69 per cent of respondents in the UAE and 50 percent in Morocco, said “corrupt, repressive, and unrepresentative governments” were the main causes of young men and women joining extremist groups.

Others blamed extreme religious teachings and poor levels of education.

“In most countries, the majority says that religion does not need to be reformed” but rather that religious discourse “needs to be made more relevant”, the polling firm’s chief James Zogby said while releasing the survey results.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

PAKISTAN has now registered 50 polio cases this year. We all saw it coming and yet there was nothing we could do to...
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...
Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...