WASHINGTON (ABP)—One of the most comprehensive studies of its kind suggests Muslims in the United States are far better assimilated into the nation's culture—and far less likely to espouse extremist beliefs—than their counterparts in Europe.
However, the Pew Research Center survey also found some subgroups of America's Islamic community—specifically, younger Muslims and African-American Muslims—are somewhat more likely than the group as a whole to be open to extremism.
African-American Muslims also were far more likely to feel alienated from the culture and suspicious of the government.
And a majority of all American Muslims surveyed believe it has become harder to be a Muslim in the United States since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Overall, the study of more than 1,000 Muslims living in the United States found that 78 percent of adult Muslims think suicide bombings are “never justified” in defense of Islam—a far higher percentage than among European Muslims.
Nearly two-thirds of Muslim Americans believe there is no conflict between being a devout Muslim and living in a modern society.
While only 13 percent of all American Muslims believe suicide bombings could be occasionally justified in defense of Islam, that figure was 25 percent among those under 30.
In addition, native-born African-American Muslims are far more likely than the general Muslim population to have a favorable view of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network.
American Muslims are more likely than the population as a whole to believe that most Americans can be successful if they work hard enough, but African-American Muslims are much less likely to agree with that proposition.
American Muslims' tolerance of suicide bombers is much lower than corresponding figures for European Muslims, according to Pew surveys conducted last year. In the United Kingdom and Spain, about one-fourth of all Muslims said suicide bombings could be justified, while a third of French Muslims agreed.
Regarding the U.S.-led “war on terrorism,” 55 percent of the American Muslims interviewed believe the battle is not “a sincere effort to reduce international terrorism,” while only 26 percent believe it is.
But overall, the survey suggests Muslims are integrating into society as rapidly as did previous waves of immigrants.