Four months after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, 14 percent believed mainstream Islam encourages violence; today it's 34 percent. Similarly, 43 percent now think Islam does not teach respect for the beliefs of non-Muslims — up sharply from 22 percent.

One thing that has not changed is unfamiliarity with Islam. Nearly two-thirds of Americans feel they don't have a "good basic understanding" of the religion, essentially the same as it was in October 2001.

Significantly, people who feel they do understand Islam are much more likely to view it positively.

Among Americans who feel they do understand the religion, 59 percent call it peaceful and 46 percent think it teaches respect for the beliefs of others. By contrast, the two-thirds who express basic unfamiliarity with the religion are 19 points less likely to call it peaceful, and half as apt to say it respects other beliefs.

Knowledge of Islam Varies Americans' Views
Respondents	Peaceful Religion	Respects Other Beliefs
All	46%	31
Familiar with Islam	59	46
Unfamiliar with Islam	40	25

Reflecting the public's unfamiliarity with Islam, substantial numbers — between a fifth and a quarter — have no opinion on whether it teaches respect for others, or is peaceful.

Favorable

In another measure, Americans divide evenly in their overall appraisal of Islam. Thirty-nine percent have a generally favorable opinion of the religion, 38 percent generally unfavorable (and again, a substantial 23 percent have no opinion). That's a 14-point rise in unfavorable views from their low point in January 2002.

Again, familiarity makes a difference: People who feel they have a good basic understanding of Islam are 15 points more apt to view it favorably, 50 percent to 35 percent.

What is your general opinion of Islam?
Date	Favorable	Unfavorable	No Opinion
Sept. 7, 2003	39%	38	23
Oct. 15, 2002	42	33	26
Jan. 6, 2002	41	24	35
Oct. 9, 2001	47	39	13

Younger and better-educated people also are more apt to have favorable views of Islam, as are city dwellers and suburbanites (as opposed to small-town and rural residents). And in the biggest division, 58 percent of people who profess no religion regard Islam favorably, compared with only 18 percent of white evangelical Protestants.

There are differences in other views as well.

Republicans and Protestants are more apt to think Islam does not teach respect for other religions; Democrats, Catholics and people of other faiths (or none), less so. Democrats, better-educated Americans, city dwellers and suburbanites are less apt to accept the notion that Islam endorses violence; evangelicals, more so.

Does mainstream Islam promote violence against non-Muslims?
Date	Encourages Violence	Peaceful Religion	No Opinion
Sept. 7, 2003	34%	46	20
Oct. 15, 2002	23	53	25
Jan. 6, 2002	14	57	29

Lastly, this poll included a test: On the questions about violence and respecting the beliefs of others, half the respondents were asked about "mainstream Islam," the other half just about "Islam."

Slightly fewer people said "Islam," as opposed to "mainstream Islam," teaches respect for other beliefs. There was no difference in views on whether it's a peaceful religion.

Does mainstream Islam teach respect for non-Muslim beliefs?
Date	Yes	No	No Opinion
Sept. 7, 2003	31%	43	26
Oct. 15, 2002	37	35	28
Jan. 6, 2002	41	22	38

Does Islam teach respect for non-Muslim beliefs?
Date	Yes	No	No Opinion
Sept. 7, 2003	25%	44	30

Methodology

This ABCNEWS poll was conducted by telephone Sept. 4-7 among a random national sample of 1,004 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation were done by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.

See the full questions and results.

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