The percentage of Muslims saying that suicide bombing is justified in defense of Islam has declined dramatically in five of eight countries where trends are available, according to a new report by the Pew Global Attitudes Project. In Lebanon, for example, just 34% of Muslims say suicide bombings in the defense of Islam are often or sometimes justified; in 2002, 74% expressed this view. However, Palestinians stand out for their broad acceptance of suicide bombing. Seven-in-ten Palestinians say this tactic is at least sometimes justified.

Read the report

(Data on suicide bombing is located under the heading, "Dwindling Muslim Support for Terrorism")

Friday, July 27: Briefing on Pew Muslim-American Survey

Luis Lugo of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, Scott Keeter of the Pew Research Center and Farid Senzai of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding will give a briefing on the Pew Research Center's Muslim-American survey on Friday, July 27, at 10 a.m. in the Dirksen Senate office building, room 406, in Washington, D.C. Questions to be addressed include:

• How assimilated and integrated are Muslims in America?
  
• How do they perceive their identity and their faith compared to similar groups across Europe?
  
• What can we learn about Islamic extremism, identity and integration from U.S. Muslims? 

For more information, call (202) 224-7560 or email Geneve_Mantri@lugar.senate.gov. 

In May of this year, the Pew Forum co-sponsored the first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans. The executive summary of the report is now available in Arabic.

Read the summary (PDF)

Muslim American Survey Featured in Washington Post, Newsweek

"On Faith," a joint venture of the Washington Post and Newsweek, is hosting "Muslims Speak Out," a week of discussion on "What Islam Really Says About Violence, Human Rights and Other Religions."

To help provide a research-based foundation for the discussion, the Pew Forum provided concise analyses of Pew Research Center public opinion surveys in the U.S. and abroad.

Read:

• Americans and Islam Six Years after 9/11
• Muslim Views of Terror and Violence
• Muslim Views of Human Rights
• Muslim Views of Interfaith Relations

The Pew Research Center's Muslim American survey was also prominently featured in a Newsweek cover story, "American Dreamers."

Read the Newsweek article

See the graphic, "The American Face of Islam"

July 25 - Slate
The Lives of Muslim Polygamists
A handful of Muslim-American men have multiple wives, in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law, but they won't be calling for the legalization of polygamy as some Protestant and ex-Mormon polygamists have done.

July 25 - The Boston Globe
Thompson Gains Among Social Conservatives
Some of the nation's most influential social conservatives say their movement is quickly coalescing around Fred Thompson for the Republican presidential nomination.

July 24 - The Christian Science Monitor
Economy Trumps Religion in Turkey
A landslide victory for Turkey's Islam-rooted ruling party shows that voters are more worried about economic instability than the threat of more Islam in government.

July 23 - TIME
A Church Haven for Illegal Aliens
A faith-based sanctuary movement is providing "prophetic hospitality" for undocumented immigrants.

July 23 - Chicago Tribune
Evangelicals, Muslims Start Rare Dialogue
An emerging generation of evangelical leaders is reaching out to its counterpart in the Muslim-American community.

July 22 - The New York Times
God '08: Whose, and How Much, Will Voters Accept?
Would voters elect a president who believes in the Book of Mormon? What about one who venerates Muhammad or Buddha?

July 22 - The Dallas Morning News
Opening Hearts and Homes
Christian conservative groups in Texas are at the forefront of a nationwide push to encourage evangelicals to adopt children from around the world.

July 22 - Chicago Tribune
Democrats' Abortion Quandary
Democratic Party leaders are weighing a more nuanced line on abortion, an issue that divides the country.

July 20 - Reuters
U.S. Islamic Charities Feel Post-9/11 Heat
Islamic charities in the U.S. complain they are being unfairly scrutinized as part of a broader backlash against Muslims since the Sept. 11 attacks.

July 19 - Newsweek
The Vitter Effect
Michael Cromartie - a Pew Forum senior advisor - discusses how a conservative Christian senator's fall from grace has played out in the evangelical community and what it might mean politically.