Press Room

North American Press

Pious, loyal and unhappy. The Economist (7 May 2009).

"Dalia Mogahed, Gallup's chief researcher on Muslim affairs and member of a panel that advises President Barack Obama, thinks integration in Europe will prove difficult only if non-Muslims expect adherents of Islam to share the ethical positions of the rest of European society, instead of, as now, holding views more characteristic of the American Bible Belt."

Study: Poverty fueling Muslim tension with West. The Associated Press, David Stringer (7 May 2009).

"Attacks by Islamic extremists on the United States and European capitals such as Madrid and London have sparked debate on whether a failure of Muslims to integrate into Western society has fueled extremism... But a study of around 30,000 people in 27 countries by the Gallup polling company claims non-Muslims -- including the public and lawmakers -- have misunderstood the attitudes of most Muslims in the West, stifling attempts to promote understanding."

What we don't know about Muslims: a lot. The Capital Times, Phil Haslanger (23 April 2009).

"So what surprising things might these numbers derived from extensive polling work in many nations tell us? And why does it matter?... What they tell us is that both Americans and residents of predominantly Muslim nations have important gaps in their understanding of each other. It matters because closing the gaps could go quite a ways to shaping a less confrontational world."

EGYPT: Cautiously celebrating Obama's new Muslim advisor. Los Angeles Times, Noha El-Hennawy (21 April 2009).

"Egyptians cautiously rejoiced at the recent appointment of a veiled Egyptian American Muslim woman as an advisor to President Obama. Dalia Mogahed, senior analyst and executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, was appointed earlier this month to Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships."

Dalia Mogahed on Inside Islam. Inside Islam: Dialogues and Debates, Kaitlin Foley (14 April 2009).

"Senior analyst and executive director for the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies Dalia Mogahed is on campus for Islam Awareness Week, presented in part by the Lubar Institute of the Study of Abrahamic Religions. Dalia is also involved in the Muslim West Facts Project, the largest survey of religious attitudes of Muslims world-wide."

Obama's on-target message to Muslims. The Christian Science Monitor, Editorial Board (7 April 2009).

"And bridge building does begin with words and attitudes. Since inauguration day, Mr. Obama has been consistent in his message. 'To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,' he said on that bright, cold January day at the foot of the Capitol... He repeated this phrase multiple times in Turkey. It is what Muslims most want from the United States and the West -- or at least the 'respect' part is, according to Gallup's multiyear study, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, released a year ago."

Obama Extends a Hand of Friendship to Islam. The Huffington Post, Kamran Pasha (6 April 2009).

"And as I listened to his speech, I heard one word repeated countless times. Respect. It is a word that Muslims have craved to hear from American leaders. A recent Gallup poll of the Islamic world (published in Who Speaks for Islam by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed) showed that the greatest sorrow in the Muslim world toward America is a lack of respect for Islam. Indeed, when Americans were polled as to what they respected about Islam, the majority did not know, or simply said 'nothing.'"

Religion Briefing. The Washington Post (7 March 2009).

"The 137-page report, 'Muslim Americans: A National Portrait,' reveals similarities and differences between Muslims and other Americans from the perspectives of race, age, gender, political viewpoints and economic standing."

Quick, What's The Most Diverse Religious Group in America? The Huffington Post, John Ridley (6 March 2009).

"Comprehensive is pretty much the word. Not distinguishing between native and foreign-born Muslims, the center conducted more than 300,000 national household interviews over the past year to try to coalesce the most accurate picture yet of what it means to be Muslim in America. Among the findings, as alluded to, Muslims are the most diverse religion in America in terms of ethnicity."

Survey: U.S. Muslim women liberated. The Washington Times, Julia Duin (3 March 2009).

"American Muslims include some of the world's most liberated Islamic women and the largest percentage of young people of any religious community in the country, according to a new report issued Monday by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies."

US Muslims: young, diverse, striving. The Christian Science Monitor, Jane Lampman (3 March2009).

"A 'national portrait' of Muslim Americans, released Monday by Gallup, depicts the youngest and most racially diverse religious community in the country as striving for a secure place in American society and an active role in public life... The report describes a group that has achieved successes and shares much in common with other Americans, yet struggles for a sense of belonging in a country where some citizens harbor post-9/11 suspicions about the Islamic faith."

Muslim American prosperity is tinged with alienation, survey finds. Los Angeles Times, Sarah Gantz (3 March 2009).

"A study of Muslim Americans released Monday presents a portrait of an often misunderstood community -- one that is integrated socio-economically but culturally alienated; that succeeds in the workforce but struggles to find contentment... The numbers suggest economic and career success among Muslim Americans -- they have a higher employment rate than the national average and are among the nation's most educated religious groups. Yet only 41% described themselves as 'thriving.'"

Poll Finds U.S. Muslims Thriving, but Not Content. New York Times, Laurie Goodstein (2 March 2009).

"But American Muslims are not one homogeneous group, the study makes clear. Asian-American Muslims (from countries like India and Pakistan) have more income and education and are more likely to be thriving than other American Muslims. In fact, their quality of life indicators are higher than for most other Americans, except for American Jews... 'We discovered how diverse Muslim Americans are,' said Dalia Mogahed, executive director and senior analyst of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, which financed the poll. 'Ethnically, politically and economically, they are in every way a cross-section of the nation. They are the only religious community without a majority race.'"

Study paints rare portrait of Muslim-Americans. The Associated Press, Mike Mokrzycki (2 March 2009).

"Muslims in America have a much more positive outlook on life than their counterparts in most predominantly Muslim countries and some other Western societies, according to a poll released Monday... The Gallup Organization study found Muslim-Americans to be racially and ideologically diverse, extremely religious, and younger and more highly educated than the typical American."

US Lawmaker Calls for Improved US Ties with Muslim World. Voice of America, Deborah Tate (27 February 2009).

"Mogahed says many Muslims admire what they say are universal values practiced so well in the west, including good governance and self-determination, as well as human rights. But she says they are skeptical as to the United States' true intentions in promoting these values in their region... 'Ironically, it stems from the perception that we do not live the values that they so admire about us in our treatment of them -- rule of law, self-determination, and human rights. Many believe that the U.S. is denying Muslims these rights by supporting dictatorships, direct occupation of Muslim lands, and what is seen as passive support for Israeli violence,' she said."

In Review: Who Speaks for Islam? Yes Magazine, Jamal Rahman (Winter 2009).

"The book offers both warning and hope. It cautions that diagnosing terrorism as a symptom and Islam as the problem only confirms extremists' beliefs, alienates the moderate majority of Muslims, and reinforces perceptions that the 'War on Terror' is an attack on Islam... On a hopeful note, the book affirms that Islam does not motivate violence, and that many problems can be solved by political negotiation and greater mutual respect. For instance, Americans who know at least one Muslim are likely to view Islam positively. And Muslims say it is their responsibility to help stop terrorism."

Land: Rel. Liberty can aid foreign policy. Baptist Press (30 December 2008).

"Other panelists at the Dec. 9 discussion were Marc Gopin, a George Mason University professor and Jewish rabbi, and Ahmed Younis, senior analyst at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. Joseph Montville, diplomat in residence at the Center for Global Peace at American University, moderated the discussion. All the panelists stressed the possible benefit of religion in international relations."

Who Speaks for Islam and Christianity? Voice of America, Judith Latham (23 December 2008).

"Esposito says while non-Muslims sometimes view Islam as a single, unified force described by events like the dramatic attacks of 9-11, the Muslim world is actually extraordinarily diverse in terms of languages, cultures, political structures, and attitudes toward peace, democracy, and women's rights. However, many Muslims have genuine differences with the United States - especially on foreign policy, which Esposito says is one of the major causes of anti-Americanism in the Muslim world."

POMED Notes: New Directions for the U.S. and Muslim World. The POMED Wire (15 December 2008).

"Stephen Grand outlined the Doha Compact, which calls for the adoption of a new style of American foreign policy that addresses in partnership the conflicts that divide us. Saad Eddin Ibrahim said the U.S. should deemphasize the importance of elections in democracy promotion and focus on advancing the rule of law, free media, education, and economic development. Ahmed Younis said the lack of domestic political freedom and economic opportunity leads to the negative perception of the U.S. He said it is not hegemonic to articulate and advance those U.S. values that Muslim populations most respect and admire."

Arab Youth Between Hope and Disillusionment: Toward a New U.S. Strategy in the Middle East. Watan (2 December 2008).

"Introducing the statistics discovered by the Gallup Poll, Ahmed Younis established the base from which the discussion would derive its focus. Conducted by the Gallup Center World Studies, the poll utilized face-to-face interviews with at least 350 individuals, aged 15 or older, from Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen from June 2006 to September 2007. The poll questioned only Arab residents of the countries, and it is worth noting that the statistics for Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates included citizens of those nations as well as non-citizens. Additional data was taken from interviews with 302 adults in the United States in August 2007 and interviews with at least 240 people in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom in December 2006."

Queen Rania of Jordan: "We shouldn't judge people through the prism of our own stereotypes." Inside Islam: Dialogues and Debates, Kaitlin Foley (2 December 2008).

"The tendency to judge cuts both ways and Queen Rania references this point citing a recent Gallup poll that indicate a tendency in the Arab world to judge the West unfairly as well. The Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and the Muslim West Facts Project, two initiatives of the Gallup Center, offer some interesting reports on the subject of East/West relations and religion."

Worldwide research results challenge myths about Muslims. US Center For Citizen Diplomacy (December 2008).

"A national series of forums cosponsored by The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, Gallup, Inc. and the World Affairs Councils of America will discuss the findings of a new poll published in a book, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think. The forums will discuss Gallup's largest study of Muslim populations worldwide that included interviews with 50,000 people from 35 countries. The survey results challenge current Western myths about Muslims."

The Obama Presidency: An Internationalist President. GBM News (23 November 2008).

"Data from the Gallup World Poll (see Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, by Dalia Mogahed and myself), the most comprehensive and systematic poll of the Muslim world-representing the voices of 90% of the world's Muslims in more that 35 countries stretching from North Africa to Southeast Asia-provides critical insights into the components for a new direction in American foreign policy and relations with the Muslim world. Majorities of Muslims, like Westerners, are deeply concerned about religious extremism and terrorism, not surprising since the majority of attacks and victims have been in the Muslim world."

American Muslims relieved, hopeful at Obama's election. USA Today, Nicole Neroulias (7 November 2008).

"But Jews, Muslims, and America's other minorities seem to have found a unifying figure in Obama, [Ahmed Younis, analyst with the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies] said. His presidency could be 'a magic spear in the heart of clash of civilizations theory,' especially considering his own experiences struggling with prejudice and different cultural viewpoints."

Muslims drawn to Obama: Embracing message, rejecting smears. Chicago Tribune, Manya A. Brachear (7 November 2008).

"Ahmed Younis of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies pointed out that the white, male majority did not vote for the winner. Instead, Obama was elected by a coalition of Americans as diverse as the nation itself but who share a set of common ideals."

Among Young Muslims, Mixed Emotions on Obama. The New York Times, Paul Vitello (6 November 2008).

"The Gallup Center for Muslim Studies... recently found overwhelming support for Mr. Obama among the country's estimated 2 million Muslim voters; and scholars... [have] described the sense of resignation many Muslims felt at how the pejorative use of the word 'Muslim' went unchallenged during most of the campaign."

Smears against Obama energized Muslim voters: experts. Reuters, Michael Conlon (6 November 2008).

"False rumors that Barack Obama was secretly a Muslim or had ties to Islamic extremism angered Muslim-Americans, who overwhelming supported him in Tuesday's presidential election, experts said on Thursday."

Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think. The Christian Century, Brian D. McLaren (7 October 2008).

"If Americans who aim to follow the way of Jesus are indeed interested in removing the planks from our own outlook before surgically removing the splinters from the perspectives of others, Who Speaks for Islam? provides a mirror to help us compare our crude stereotypes and rough-cut assumptions with a much more nuanced and surprising reality."

Diverse Voices: Taking the Initiative to Better Muslim Characters. TV Week, Dinah Eng (14 September 2008).

"Dalia Mogahed, author of 'Who Speaks for Islam?' as well as senior analyst and executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, said research shows people around the world feel that they know Americans through our television programs, just as American beliefs often are shaped by what they see on TV."

Des Moines Audience Defends Muslim Author. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, Michael Gillespie (August 2008).

"Dalia Mogahed, co-author of Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, spoke to a remarkably receptive standing-room-only audience at the Des Moines Public Library's Central Library on May 27, at the invitation of the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy."

Word on the Street: What Osama bin Laden and George W. Bush get wrong about Muslims. Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, Fawaz Gerges (Summer 2008).

"After September 11, 2001 two questions dominated America's public debate: Why do Muslims hate us so much? And where are the Muslim moderates?"

The Islam you don't hear about. USA Today, Stephen Prothero (23 June 2008).

"The Muslims I encountered scoff at any notion of a 'clash of civilizations' between Islam and the West. Any clash of civilizations that exists, they tell me, is between fundamentalists of all faiths and their liberal and moderate opponents."

Could polls point the way to peace? Toronto Star, Andrew Chung (15 June 2008).

"Gallup's data suggests that extremists are not the uneducated, madrassa-indoctrinated lot Westerners might think they are."

What do a billion Muslims really think? The Christian Science Monitor, Jane Lampman (16 May 2008).

"Since the momentous events of Sept. 11, 2001, countless news stories, TV commentaries, and books have speculated on the causes of terrorism, the attitudes of Muslims, and a purported clash of civilizations between Islamic societies and the West. What has not been available is any reliable measure of the viewpoints of ordinary Muslims... That is no longer the case."

What do Muslims around the world believe? The Boston Globe, Charles A. Radin (14 May 2008).

"Esposito's explanation of the difference between sharia and Islamic law is illuminating and potentially useful to would-be bridge builders from other religions."

Who Speaks for Islam? offers insights for Westerners. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Karen Long (16 March 2008).

"The breadth of Who Speaks for Islam? is its finest quality. The voices of a Kenyan student, an Algerian activist, a beauty contestant in Afghanistan and a Jakartan shopkeeper are here."

What Muslims think: New book examines what the more than 1 billion Muslims think about gender, race and terrorism. U.S. News and World Report, Alex Kingsbury (14 March 2008).

"Muslims give us a long list of things they admire about the West, yet when asked what we can do to improve things, they want us to respect them and stop looking down on them. Our public diplomacy needs to move from selling America to affirming other cultures for what they are."

Book review. ForeWord Magazine, David Priess (March/April 2008).

"The discussion of the data focuses on topics of wide interest to Western governments and publics alike: political beliefs, radicalization, religious views, and cultural matters (such as the role of women in society)."

European Press

Just what do they dislike, and why? The Economist (17 April 2008).

"If you can prove that 'they hate us whatever we do,' all efforts to assuage Islamic sentiment are futile. But the opposite case can also be made. It is into this minefield that Gallup... has entered."

Muslimenes sanne askikt [Muslim's true face]. Ny Tid (11 April 2008).

"The book is about the silent majority of Muslims who you do not hear very much about in today's media."

The fight that demands something other than a war. The Financial Times, Philip Stevens (10 April 2008).

"For one thing, the study finds, Muslims do not see the west as a single entity let alone a single enemy."

Research explores what 1.3 billion Muslims think. Reuters, Luke Baker (7 April 2008).

"When the authors looked at where opinions of the West were lowest in the Muslim world, it tended to correlate with where conflicts were going on -- nations bordering Iraq or Israel and the Palestinian territories were more negative in their views."

Analysis: Study of Muslim beliefs should be lesson for policy makers. The Earth Times (27 February 2008).

"US President George W Bush has often said that radicals in the Islamic world who commit terrorist attacks are motivated by hatred for freedom and democracy, but a new poll suggests exactly the opposite may be true."

Major survey challenges Western perceptions of Islam. AFP (26 February 2008).

"The survey, conducted by the Gallup polling agency over six years and three continents, seeks to dispel the belief held by some in the West that Islam itself is the driving force of radicalism. It shows that the overwhelming majority of Muslims condemned the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001 and other subsequent terrorist attacks."

Islam-West rift widens, poll says. BBC News (21 January 2008).

"Most people in Muslim countries and the West believe divisions between them are worsening, a Gallup poll for the World Economic Forum suggests. The poll also suggested that most Europeans thought more interaction with Islam would be a threat -- though most Americans disagreed."

Muslims, West see divisions deepening: survey. Reuters (21 January 2008).

"While two thirds of people in Muslim countries said Muslims respect the West, almost the same number felt the West did not respect them. Many Western respondents said they did not believe either side respected the other."

Middle Eastern Press

Obama's Muslim Adviser. Islam Online, Muhammed Qasim, (28 April 2009).

"Dalia Mogahed, a hijab-clad American Muslim, has made history being the first Muslim woman appointed to a position in President Barack Obama's administration... She sets on a newly-formed interfaith advisory board the administration hopes will improve relations with Muslims in the US and across the globe."

Beyaz Saray'a danisman olman gercekten ironik. Zaman, Mustufa Sungur (28 April 2009).

"'Baskanlik Din Danisma Komitesi'ne Müslüman üye olarak Dalia Mogahed'in seçildigi haberi Beyaz Saray'dan açiklandiginda çogu Amerikali onun adini ilk kez duydu. Mogahed'in genç ve basörtülü olmasi merak ve hayreti daha da artirdi. Burun kiviranlar kadar sevinçle karsilayanlar da vardi."

US Muslim woman appointed adviser to Obama. Hindustan Times, (27 April 2009).

"Dalia Mogahed, an Egyptian-born American, on Sunday addressed the senate staff and think tanks in her first meeting after her appointment. The meeting was organised by the Congressional Muslims Staffers Association... Mogahed, who heads the Gallup American Centre for Muslim Studies, a non-governmental research centre, became the first Muslim veiled woman to be appointed in the White House, Geo TV said."

Egyptian-born US Muslim to advise White House. Al Arabiya News Channel, Marwa Awad (21 April 2009).

"The first Muslim scarf-wearing woman appointed to a position in President Barack Obama's administration met with lawmakers Monday and discussed her role on an interfaith advisory board the new administration hopes will broaden dialogue and understanding."

America's Diverse, Thriving, Striving Muslims. Islam Online, Muhammed Qasim (3 March2009).

"The 'Muslim Americans: a National Portrait' study was based on data from 319,000 interviewed conducted across the United States last year... It describes Muslims as a community that shares much in common with the wider American community than often depicted."

Who speaks for Islam: Part V. Gulf News (3 October 2008).

"While Gallup data indicate that faith is not the distinguishing factor primarily responsible for extremism, Islam does remain a significant source of religious, historical, national, and cultural identity. Thus, Islam remains in the spotlight."

Who speaks for Islam: Part IV. Gulf News (25 September 2008).

"Because anti-women views are often believed to result from religious sentiment, important questions that must be asked are: Does religiosity among Muslim men correlate with less egalitarian views toward women? Is there merit to the arguments of those who say that women's lagging status in much of the Muslim world is attributable to Islamic principles?"

Who speaks for Islam: Part III. Gulf News (19 September 2008).

"As we cope with savage actions in a world that seems ever more dangerous and out of control, we are inundated with analysis from terrorism experts and pundits who blame the religion of Islam for global terrorism. At the same time, terrorist groups such as Al Qaida beam messages throughout the world that demonise the West as the enemy of Islam and hold it responsible for all the ills of the Muslim world."

Who speaks for Islam: Part II. Gulf News (12 September 2008).

"While Sharia is widely depicted as a rigid and oppressive legal system, Muslim women tend to have a more nuanced view of Sharia, viewing it as compatible with their aspirations for empowerment."

Who speaks for Islam: Part I. Gulf News (5 September 2008).

"While many people commonly speak of Islam and Muslims in broad, all-encompassing terms, there are many interpretations of Islam and many different Muslims."

Dialogue and its impact on peaceful coexistence. Saudi Gazette, James Kidner (21 July 2008).

"What Gallup have done, in their words, is to 'democratize the debate' - they help us to go beyond the bald absolutes of the Media, and discover a more generous, more nuanced, more encouraging world behind the headlines."

Who speaks for Islam? Today's Zaman, Ahmet Kurucan (29 June 2008).

"Above all, it contains answers given by Muslims all over the world. The publication of such answers is a new thing... I believe it is a must for Turkish readers to lay their hands on this book."

Speaking for Islam. The Jakarta Post (3 April 2008).

"The latest poll by the Gallup agency… should become a valuable reference to those hearing different voices showing a violent face of Islam. The researchers at Gallup remind us that it is the voice of a billion Muslims we should listen to."

What Muslims think. Arab News, Aijaz Zaka Syed (15 April 2008).

"The poll and the book offer a much-needed reality check on the relations between the West and Muslim world. Some of the findings are genuinely surprising even for someone like me who has been obsessed with the issue."

Muslim women seek freedom "within their cultural context." GulfNews.com, Barbara Bibbo (12 April 2008).

"The recent findings of a Gallup poll on Muslim public opinion may disappoint both sides and prove how these claims are based on widespread misconceptions on Muslim women's ideas, ambitions and homes for the future."

Report issued on Muslim-West relations. The Arab American News.com (11 April 2008).

"The purpose of the roundtable… was to debate and discuss the issues surrounding Islam and American politics, with a particular focus on the upcoming U.S. presidential elections."

View: It will help understand policy flaws. The Times of India (10 April 2008)

"Surveys like this one help to dispel many misconceptions about the Muslim world. They show that many conflicts arise out of misunderstandings and are actually avoidable. The Gallup survey helps in understanding how fallacies propagated by vested political and other interests on both sides of the Muslim-West divide fuelled distrust and hostility."

Research explores what 1.3 billion Muslims think. Reuters Africa, Luke Baker (10 April 2008)

"In the years since the September 11 attacks on the United States, much has been said about the Muslim world, but little, it is argued, has been gathered on what Muslims truly think of the West. Now Gallup, the global polling group, has conducted research... to come up with what it is calling the first comprehensive survey of Muslim world opinion."

Queen visits Gallup's Centre for Muslim Studies, reviews findings of latest poll. The Jordan Times (4 March 2008).

"Many of Queen Rania's programmes have focused on appreciating various perspectives in the world, finding common ground and bridging the cultural divide between East and West. Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the centre, and Ahmed Younis, a senior analyst at the centre, explained the polling process and shared the highlights of their findings, many of which fly in the face of conventional wisdom."

What Arabs want from the West is respect. The Daily Star - Lebanon, Rami G. Khouri (20 February 2008).

"A fascinating new global poll by the Gallup organization... clearly reaffirmed something that those of us who live in Muslim-majority societies have long recognized as a prevailing reality: Muslims most resent the West's 'disrespect of Islam' and are critical of many American policies, not American values."