Massive 82% of British believe wars in Middle East have a link with religion in new YouGov poll

The vast majority of the British public believes religion has contributed to the wars in the Middle East, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to coincide with the Jalsa Salana.

The Jalsa Salana, which is the UK’s largest Muslim convention, is taking place on 26, 27 and 28 July. The event is expected to attract more than 40,000 people from 100 countries who will convene on a 200-acre farm in Hampshire.

The convention challenges the notion that Islam is a cause of wars and conflicts by demonstrating the peaceful teachings of Islam in practice and highlighting the fundamental role religion plays in promoting peace.

The poll found that a whopping 82% of the general public believed religion or religious belief contributed to the wars in the Middle East. The result was consistent across the political spectrum, including Remain (84%) and Leave (88%) voters. The lowest result was amongst 18-24 year-olds (69%).

At the 58th Jalsa Salana, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will preside over three days of religious dialogue and discussion.

Rejecting the notion of religion being the cause of conflicts in the world, the Caliph has said: 

“The reality is that the wars taking place today are not fought for religious reasons but are being fought for geo-political purposes and for the sake of obtaining wealth and power.

“In today’s world, critics are quick to blame religion, and particularly Islam, for the problems of the world. Yet, many people who are suffering from inner torment and unrest are those who live a purely secular existence and so their problems cannot be blamed on Islam or any other religion. As a religious leader, I firmly believe that instead of being the cause of today’s problems, religion is the answer.”

The Jalsa Salana will serve as a platform for spiritual renewal and the promotion of peace. It will include the Bait (pledge of allegiance) – a powerful ceremony where attendees will link hands in a gesture of unity, signifying their desire to elevate their spiritual standards and to fulfil the rights of all humanity.

The YouGov poll also found:

• Only around a quarter (28%) of the British public think that Muslim immigrants have a positive impact on the UK.
• Only 6% of the general public believe actions of Western leaders are decreasing the risk of a new world war.
• Only 33% of the British public felt media coverage of the Israel-Gaza War was fair, almost twice as many people (62%) felt the same about media coverage of the Russia-Ukraine War.

Congratulations to every Ahmadi Muslim on the success of Jalsa Salana in London. In these challenging times, when 82% of Brits think wars in the Middle East are linked to religion, it’s crucial for us to address and dispel this myth.@JalsaConnect pic.twitter.com/6G8T2jtO3z

— Muzaffar Ahmad Noori Bajwa (@MANooriBajwa) July 27, 2024

All polling figures unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,533 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 17th – 18th July 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).