The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims are united in their belief in God and the Prophet Muhammad and are bound together by such religious practices as fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and almsgiving to assist people in need. But they have widely differing views about many other aspects of their faith, including how important religion is to their lives, who counts as a Muslim and what practices are acceptable in Islam, according to a worldwide survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.
The survey, which involved more than 38,000 face-to-face interviews in over 80 languages, finds that in addition to the widespread conviction that there is only one God and that Muhammad is His Prophet, large percentages of Muslims around the world share other articles of faith, including belief in angels, heaven, hell and fate (or predestination). While there is broad agreement on the core tenets of Islam, however, Muslims across the 39 countries and territories surveyed differ significantly in their levels of religious commitment, openness to multiple interpretations of their faith and acceptance of various sects and movements.
To read the full survey click here
gamini / August 23, 2012
No Offence meant, has the 1.6 Billion Muslims each read the Mihraj and understood Islam? If they have been just made Muslims by the Peers and the family influence, I ernestly implore them all to read in detail the Mihraj. It will do a world of good to be knowledgeble and man to be wise without boasts apart.
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Mohamed Marzook / August 23, 2012
I agree with you Gamini. Not only reading and understanding Mihraj, all Muslims have not read and fully understood the other aspects and teachings of Islam as well. That is why Muslims sometimes find difficult to face the various challenges they confront now. But thanks to 9/11, whether a incident conspired or not, and the following events, they have made Islam to be widely discussed not only among Muslims but also people of other faiths. So that process has begun Islam will be understood by all the people of the world.
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gamini / August 23, 2012
Mohamed Marzook, I have no contempt towards any, who practise a Religion of one’s choice. That is an inaleianable right of an individual what ever the Religion is. What I am against is organised Religion where a few who try to pour Religion down the throats of others by force, believing they are right. For that matter all these intermediaries are not necessary if man has faith in a God above. He or she alone should be able to interact without anothers involvement, as I find most of the intermediaries who act as Priests or Mullahs, very often are questionable characters. All Religions have been distorted by the overzealous custodians. It is the essence of a Religion that matter and if it can help an individual, why not? At the same time all the Religious also should realise that not every Human who needs a Religion.
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Mohamed Marzook / August 23, 2012
Again agree with you Gamini. Any faith or religion would live and grow only people accept it by conviction. Anything that is forced cannot live or grow.
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