Poll: Islam Is Unfamiliar, But Not Violent

Jan. 24 -- Most Americans reject the suggestion that mainstream Islam encourages violence, but unfamiliarity with the religion runs high, and just four in 10 adults express confidence that it teaches respect for other faiths.

Unfamiliarity seems to direct negative views: Americans who feel they're familiar with the basic tenets of Islam are much more likely than others to call it peaceful, to say it teaches respect for non-Muslims and to view it favorably overall.

But that familiarity is in short supply. Only 31 percent in this ABCNEWS/Beliefnet poll say they have a good basic understanding of the teachings and beliefs of Islam, a number that's essentially unchanged from a few months ago.

Given this weak knowledge of the religion, Islam receives a decidedly mixed overall evaluation in U.S. public opinion. Among the survey's findings:

Just 41 percent of Americans express a favorable opinion of the religion, down a bit since October, with more people undecided.

The same number, 41 percent, think mainstream Islam teaches respect for the beliefs of non-Muslims. Just 22 percent think it does not teach tolerance, but 38 percent are unsure.

Fifty-seven percent see it as a peaceful religion — a majority, but not an overwhelming one on such a fundamental question. Fairly few, 14 percent, think mainstream Islam encourages violence against non-Muslims, while 29 percent are unsure.

Thirty-eight percent think Islam has more violent extremists than other religions, and an additional 17 percent are unsure whether this is the case. (Forty-one percent say it has about the same number, while 5 percent think it has fewer.)

As noted, knowledge strongly influences many of these views. People who feel familiar with Islam are 18 points more likely to view it favorably, 26 points more likely to say it respects other faiths and 18 points more apt to call it peaceful. (People who are unfamiliar with Islam, on the other hand, are 19 points less likely to express an opinion of it at all.)