What would you say upon hearing that 43 percent of young American voters view Sharia law positively? Many might worry about immigration rates outpacing assimilation. However, these figures represent a broader trend among U.S. youth.
A recent survey reveals that 21% of likely U.S. voters hold at least a somewhat positive opinion of Sharia—a system of Islamic religious principles and law—while 57% view it negatively. Among younger demographics, support is notably higher: 43% of voters aged 18 to 24 and 39% of those 25 to 29 express favorable views compared to just 16% of those aged 40 and older.
Historical polling indicates that a majority of American Muslims (51%) believe they should be governed under Sharia law rather than U.S. civil law. Despite widespread opposition—83% of all likely voters oppose allowing Sharia to become the legal code for any town, city, or state—even if a majority of residents support it—27% of those under 30 would support community-level adoption under specific circumstances, dwarfed by the mere 2% of those aged 40 and older.
Anojan Sivarasa, a Sri Lankan working in Saudi Arabia, was sentenced to five years in prison for a Facebook post critical of Muhammad. Prosecutors sought to try him under Sharia law, leading to an additional “enhancement” on his sentence.
Similarly, Asia Bibi, a Christian from Pakistan, faced death sentences after a dispute over water consumption with Muslim neighbors escalated into accusations of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad. After nearly nine years in prison and solitary confinement, she was finally released.
In Pakistan alone, at least 17 individuals were sentenced to death for blasphemy under Sharia law in 2019. Sharia law also mandates practices such as female genital mutilation, child marriage as young as eight years old, and compulsory hijab wearing.
The growing support among American youth for Sharia law has been linked to a lack of understanding about constitutional protections. This trend is observed internationally: In France, students have recently engaged in acts of vandalism, supported by young people who express growing support for Sharia law. Refugee admissions from 45 majority-Muslim countries stood at 21,096 in December 2024—a figure that plummeted to 808 under President Trump’s administration.