More than three quarters of Muslims in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia favour traditional sharia to be 'the official law of the land' in all Islamic countries, but are divided on the issue of its application, a recent survey has revealed.
The survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life suggests that sharia is the framework of ultimate reality and ethical guidance that is derived from the Qur'an, which the Muslims believe should be the law applied in their private spheres such as for settling divorce issues and property disputes, News 24 reports.
The Washington-based Pew Forum said that there were less supports for severe punishments such as cutting off the hands of thieves or executing people who convert from Islam to another faith, although over three-quarters of Muslims in South Asia say these punishments are justified.
According to the report, a majority of Muslims in 39 countries favour the freedom of religion, even while supporting sharia. 97 percent of Bangladeshis and 96% of Pakistanis in South Asia and 77 percent in Egypt strongly supported the view that religion should be free.
The report further said that Christian minorities in Muslim countries feel they are not allowed to practice their religion freely and are subjected to physical attacks and discrimination.
Around half of the Muslim community expressed concerns during the survey about religious extremism and have widely rejected violence carried out in the name of religion, particularly in Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, Lebanon, Tunisia, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Suicide bombing has been mostly rejected, although it won 40 percent support in the Palestinian territories, 39 percent in Afghanistan, 29 percent in Egypt and 26 percent in Bangladesh.
Most Muslims also said that they do not feel the tension between their religion and modern life. While 54 percent in Iraq, 55% in Egypt and 29 percent in Pakistan agree for a democratic life pattern, 81% in Lebanon, 75% in Tunisia and 70% in Bangladesh prefer a democratic regime.
However, an overwhelming majority viewed prostitution, homosexuality, suicide, alcohol consumption and sex outside of marriage as immoral but there are sharp differences on issues such as polygamy. (ANI)
