A majority of Muslims around the world want sharia law to be implemented in their countries but are split on how it should be applied, a Pew Research Center study has found. A comprehensive study titled ‘The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society’ conducted between 2008 and 2012 focused on 38,000 people in 39 countries and territories drawn from a global Muslim community of 2.2 billion people.
A solid majority of Muslims, notably in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, were in favour of sharia, traditional Islamic law, being adopted as the law of the land. The percentage of those in favour of sharia being implemented as their country’s law varied from eight per cent in Azerbaijan to 99 per cent in Afghanistan. The study revealed many Muslims were in favour of applying sharia in the private sphere to settle family or property disputes.
However, A majority of Muslims are also in favour of freedom of religion, even while backing sharia. In Pakistan, for example, 84 per cent of Muslims want sharia enshrined as official law but 75 per cent believe non-Muslims are free to practice their religion. Around half of Muslims in the survey expressed concerns about religious extremism, particularly in Egypt, Iraq and Tunisia. In most countries, a majority of Muslims said a wife must obey her husband, although a majority also said a woman should decide whether or not to wear a veil.
A solid majority of Muslims, notably in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, were in favour of sharia, traditional Islamic law, being adopted as the law of the land. The percentage of those in favour of sharia being implemented as their country’s law varied from eight per cent in Azerbaijan to 99 per cent in Afghanistan. The study revealed many Muslims were in favour of applying sharia in the private sphere to settle family or property disputes.
However, A majority of Muslims are also in favour of freedom of religion, even while backing sharia. In Pakistan, for example, 84 per cent of Muslims want sharia enshrined as official law but 75 per cent believe non-Muslims are free to practice their religion. Around half of Muslims in the survey expressed concerns about religious extremism, particularly in Egypt, Iraq and Tunisia. In most countries, a majority of Muslims said a wife must obey her husband, although a majority also said a woman should decide whether or not to wear a veil.