What do people think about Muslims?

The views of Americans and other Western populations regarding Muslims and Islam are complex and varied, reflecting a mix of positive, negative, and divided opinions. Here are some key findings:

Public Perceptions of Muslims

• Americans generally hold mixed views of Muslims. While there has been an increase in warmer feelings toward Muslims in recent years, Muslims are still rated more negatively than most other religious groups. In a 2017 Pew Research Center survey, Americans gave Muslims an average rating of 48 degrees on a feeling thermometer, which is lower than the ratings for Jews, Catholics, mainline Protestants, evangelical Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons23.
• There is a significant partisan divide in views of Muslims. Democrats tend to have more favorable views of Muslims (67%) compared to Republicans (41%) and Independents (43%)4.

Perceptions of Islam

• Americans differentiate between their views of Muslim people and the Muslim religion. They tend to view Muslim people more favorably than the religion of Islam itself. For example, 53% of Americans express favorable views of Muslims, but only 33% have a favorable perception of Islam45.
• A substantial minority of Americans associate Islam with violence; 26% of Americans believe Islam is essentially a violent religion, while 53% believe it is a peaceful religion. This perception varies by age and political affiliation, with older Americans and conservatives more likely to hold negative views5.

Discrimination and Media Coverage

• Many Americans believe Muslims face significant discrimination. In 2017, 69% of Americans said Muslims face a lot of discrimination in the U.S., which is higher than the perceived discrimination against other minority groups such as blacks, gays and lesbians, and Hispanics1.
• Half of U.S. adults think media coverage of Muslims is unfair, and only 36% believe the general public is friendly toward Muslim Americans1.

Internal vs. External Perceptions

• Muslim Americans themselves report experiencing discrimination and feeling that they are not seen as part of mainstream American society. Despite this, many Muslim Americans are proud to be Americans, believe in the American dream, and have a high level of social integration, with many having non-Muslim friends23.

Global Comparisons

• Views of Muslims vary significantly across different European countries. In some countries like Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Greece, majorities view Muslims unfavorably, while in countries like France, Germany, and the UK, negative attitudes are less common2.

Impact of Familiarity

• Familiarity with Muslims or Islam can lead to more positive attitudes. Americans who know a Muslim, even in passing, tend to have more favorable views of Muslims and Islam3.

In summary, while there are signs of improving attitudes toward Muslims in the U.S., significant challenges and divisions remain, particularly in how Islam is perceived and the extent of discrimination faced by Muslim Americans.