Muslims More Devout, Global Survey Released

A global survey released by Ipsos-Mori concludes that Muslims are more likely to adhere to Islam and say their own faith is the only path to Paradise.

Ipsos-Mori is a British research company that has undertaken some of the world's most in-depth surveys and reports. Recently, they released a global survey where their findings concluded Muslims are much more likely than Christians and Hindus to say that their own faith is the only true path to paradise, and they are more inclined to say their religion is an important part of their daily lives.
Muslims also have a much greater tendency to say their religion motivates them to be productive and do good works, according to the survey.

Ipsos-MORI surveys the same 24 countries on different questions every month, although they are heavily focused on the Middle East.

Comparative Religion - What else the survey says:

• The poll on religion found that 61% in Muslim-majority countries say their faith is the only true path to salvation or paradise, compared with 19% in Christian-majority countries.
• 61% of Muslims also say their religion motivates them to give their time and money to people in need, compared with 24% in Christian countries. 
• But, across the survey, more than half said religion made no difference because they saw giving time or money to those in need as important in any case.
• Muslims do not see Prophet Muhammad as simply an historical figure, but as a personal inspiration and model to be followed.
• Most Muslim-majority countries do not separate religion and politics, as Western countries do.

To this, Washington political scientist Farid Senzai responded that the West must take the Muslim world on its own terms.

‘‘Many Muslims want religion to play a role in politics. To assume that everyone around the world wants liberal secular democracy is an absurd idea.’’ (CNN)

• Azyumardi Azra, the director of the graduate school at the State Islamic University in Jakarta, said Muslims "perceive or misperceive (the West) as morally in decline, many Muslims feel that Islam is the best way of life. Islam for them is the only salvation."
• He notes that there has been no "Enlightenment" in Islam as there was in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, weakening the link between church and state in many Christian countries.
• "Muslim communities have never experienced intense secularization that took place in Europe and the West in general," says Azra. "So Islam is still adhered to very strongly."

Source & Image {CNN} AFP