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Muslim Americans Express Optimism, Loyalty to the U.S.
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Muslim Americans Express Optimism, Loyalty to the U.S.

by Lymari Morales

Muslim Americans generally feel better off and more hopeful than they were in 2008. They see themselves as loyal to the U.S. and express trust in its democratic institutions. Still, nearly half say they have experienced prejudice.

Those are some of the major findings from the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center's new report on Muslim Americans, released this morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The report, "Muslim Americans: Faith, Freedom, and the Future," is based on interviews conducted in 2011 as part of our Gallup Daily tracking survey. The large samples provide a rare, in-depth look at how Muslim Americans compare with other major faith groups in the U.S.

Among the key findings presented by Abu Dhabi Gallup Center Senior Analyst Mohamed Younis:

  • Muslim Americans are the most likely of major faith groups in the U.S. to reject violent attacks against civilians.
  • Muslim Americans are the most critical of the institutions and interventions associated with counter-terrorism.
  • Muslim Americans identify equally with the U.S. and their religion.
  • Muslim Americans' religious commitment is associated with better emotional health and civic engagement.
  • Muslim Americans are often similar to Jewish Americans in their views and perceptions.

Introducing Younis, Dr. Jocelyne Cesari of Harvard University said the study confirms several trends researchers have been studying. Specifically, Cesari said the Gallup report confirms that "the more Muslim you are, the more civic you are," and that, "Muslims tend to trust major institutions in the country in which they live."

Read more about these findings in today's Gallup.com story, "Most Muslim Americans See No Justification for Violence" and in the complete report from the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center. We will also release an additional story Wednesday morning, focused on Muslim Americans views on their country and their faith.

Read more coverage by The New York Times and CNN.

To stay up to date on future reports and findings from the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center, sign-up for Muslim World news from Gallup.com and follow @abudhabigallup on Twitter.


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