'Inside Islam' Puts a Face On Poll Data

November 7, 2009

Author: David Yonke

Source: The Toledo Blade

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091107/NEWS10/911070336

Who are Muslims, and what role does religion play in their lives?

Gallup Poll researchers decided to ask those questions as a starting point following 9/11, and wound up conducting six years of polling and tens of thousands of extensive interviews with Muslims in 35 nations, including the United States.

The groundbreaking study resulted in a book, Who Speaks for Islam?, published last year, and it also caught the attention of author and filmmaker Michael Wolfe. 

"I read the book and it seemed perfect to me" for a documentary, Mr. Wolfe said.

His hour-long movie, Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, will have its premiere in 20 cities, including a showing tomorrow at the University of Toledo.

Mr. Wolfe said in an interview this week from his office in California that he believes the Gallup survey dispelled a lot of stereotypes and false perceptions about Muslims.