Almost all Muslims worldwide abhor ISIS for its brutal acts that violate Islamic tenets, study shows
A recently released survey by the Pew Research Center showed that there is much disdain against the Islamic State (ISIS) among Muslims in predominantly Muslim countries.
The poll—conducted after the ISIS claimed responsibility for deadly terror attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad—showed that 11 countries with large Muslim populations have negative views against ISIS whose brutal acts, including the killing of innocent lives, go against the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
The survey asked the respondents if they have a favourable view, unfavourable view or no opinion of ISIS.
In Lebanon, which became the target of an ISIS terror attack days before the poll was conducted, almost all the Muslims surveyed said they have unfavourable views of ISIS.
Almost all Muslim respondents from Israel and Jordan also expressed displeasure over ISIS.
In the Palestinian territories, the Muslim population has likewise a clear negative view towards ISIS, both in the Gaza Strip (92 percent) and the West Bank (79 percent).
Six-in-ten or more also had unfavourable opinions of ISIS in Indonesia, Turkey, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Malaysia and Senegal—all predominantly Muslim countries.
Notably, though, the survey recorded 14 percent support for ISIS in Nigeria—the highest among the 12 Muslim countries included in the survey.
Nevertheless, support for the ISIS in all nations did not exceed 15 percent.
"In no country surveyed did more than 15 percent of the population show favourable attitudes toward Islamic State. And in those countries with mixed religious and ethnic populations, negative views of ISIS cut across these lines," Pew Research said on its website.
The poll was made days before the San Bernardino, California terrorist attack that killed 14 people and wounded 21 others.
That attack prompted Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump to call for the banning of all Muslim tourists and immigrants from entering the U.S. as part of measures to address the problem of terrorism in the U.S. homeland.