The polls, carried out in 2005 and 2006 by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies in New York, surveyed more than 10,000 Muslims, making them the largest surveys of Muslims to date.

Along with an earlier Gallup poll carried out in nine other countries in 2001, the surveys reflect the views of about 90% of the world's Muslims.

A further 1,500 Muslims living in London, Paris and Berlin are involved in a separate poll to be released in April.

The Gallup surveys showed soaring levels of anti-U.S. sentiments in the Muslim world, which surged dramatically after the September 11 attacks in the United States.

According to the findings, 79% of Muslims in Saudi Arabia hold unfavorable views of the United States. In Jordan, the number of people who had anti-U.S. feelings was estimated at 65%, Morocco 49%, Iran 52% (down from 63% in 2001), and Pakistan 65% (down from 69% in 2001).

The findings come at a time of growing mistrust between the Western and Islamic worlds. A recent survey in the United States showed that 39% of Americans felt prejudice towards Muslims.

The Gallup poll also found that, in terms of spiritual values and the emphasis on family and future, Americans have more in common with Muslims than they do with their Western counterparts in Europe.

It also showed that a large number of Muslims support the Western ideal of the democratic government.

Despite claims by anti-Islamic critics, religion was found to have little impact on Muslims' antipathy towards Western culture.

Many Muslims also condemned the West's promiscuity and moral decay. What they admired most was liberty, the West's democratic system, technology and freedom of speech.

Although the majority of Muslims surveyed supported the Islamic law, Sharia, only a small number wanted religious leaders to be making laws.

Most Muslim women also believed that Sharia should be the source of their country's laws, but they strongly believed in equal rights for women, according to the survey.

Researchers said these findings confuses Western experts who struggle to understand how Muslim women embrace the Niqab, full-face veil, Sharia and equal rights at the same time.

Güncelleme Tarihi: 20 Eylül 2018, 18:16