Sydney, Australia - FOUR in 10 Australians believe Islam is a threat to our way of life, a national poll has found.
And most people say the religion treats women as inferior and encourages violence.
But a Muslim leader yesterday said most Australians were ignorant about Islam.
Australians' attitudes toward Muslims is revealed in a McNair Gallup Poll, commissioned by the Sunday Herald Sun.
The poll of 502 people discovered:
ONE in three people are more fearful of Muslims since 9/11.
SEVENTY-ONE per cent say women in Islam are treated as inferior.
FIFTY-SIX per cent believe Muslims are unfairly discriminated against and two in three people believe Muslims should be allowed to wear religious dress in schools and workplaces.
ONLY a quarter of people say they understand Islam well.
The research summary states: "The results show a complex mix of feelings about Muslims in Australia."
People aged between 18 and 29 are more likely to hold sympathetic views about Muslims, the research found.
Queenslanders and people in the over-56 age group felt most threatened by Islam, while Victorians and people in the 40 to 54 years age group felt they had the best understanding of the religion, according to the poll.
Treasurer Peter Costello said all Australians had the right to practise their own religions and cultural traditions as long as they abided by the rule of law.
"We're a country that believes in freedom of religion and you've got a right to practise your religion in this country whatever it is -- Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim -- as long as you respect the rights of others to do the same," he said.
Melbourne Islamic cleric Sheik Fehmi Naji El-Imam expressed anger at the poll results, which showed widespread fear of the religion.
"It is not fair at all," the sheik, who is general secretary of the Board of Imams of Victoria, said.
"They don't know what they are talking about -- they should know Muslims first before they pass opinions."