The nationally representative survey, conducted by Whitestone Insight between the 25th – 27th October 2024 shows that over 64% of Muslims believe their religion is depicted more negatively than others – a rate nearly twice that of other faith groups – Christians at 38% and Hindus at 29%.
Despite this, Muslims reported strong faith-based resilience and a belief in the positive role of religion, with 69% agreeing that faith is a force for good in society.
Furthermore, Muslims were notably supportive of public expressions of faith, with 61% endorsing British politicians listening to faith leaders on social and political issues – a higher rate than other faith groups surveyed.
Additional findings reveal that, while only 20% of Muslims expressed contentment with their portrayal in the media, Hindu and Christian respondents were significantly more satisfied.
Eren Ramadan, Secretary of the Institute, said:
“These statistics reveal a strong desire among British Muslims for fairer representation and more balanced coverage of religion within the UK media.
There’s a clear call here for the media to play a more constructive role in fostering understanding and inclusivity toward all faith groups, especially Islam, within public discourse.”
Whitestone Insight interviewed 2,083 UK adults online between 25th – 27th October 2024. Data was weighted to be representative of all UK adults. Whitestone Insight is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
The data set for the October tracker can be found here.