Muslims and politics. We probably did not need an opinion pollster to tell us this but a new Pew Research Center survey of Muslims around the globe finds that most adherents are deeply committed to their faith and want its teachings to shape not only their personal lives but also their societies and politics.

In all but a handful of the 39 countries surveyed, a majority of Muslims say that Islam is the one true faith leading to eternal life in heaven and that belief in God is necessary to be a moral person. Many think that their religious leaders should have at least some influence over political matters. And many express a desire for sharia — traditional Islamic law — to be recognised as the official law of their country.

The percentage of Muslims who say they want sharia to be “the official law of the land” varies widely, from fewer than one-in-10 in Azerbaijan (8%) to near unanimity in Afghanistan (99%). But solid majorities in most of the countries surveyed across the Middle East and North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and south-east Asia favour the establishment of sharia. Other key findings include:

• At least half of Muslims in most countries surveyed say they are concerned about religious extremist groups in their country, including two-thirds or more of Muslims in Egypt (67%), Tunisia (67%), Iraq (68%), Guinea Bissau (72%) and Indonesia (78%). On balance, more are worried about Islamic extremists than about Christian extremists

• Muslims around the world overwhelmingly view certain behaviours — including prostitution, homos-xuality, suicide, abortion, euthanasia and consumption of alcohol — as immoral. But attitudes toward polygamy, divorce and birth control vary. Polygamy is seen as morally acceptable by just 4% of Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina; about half of Muslims in the Palestinian territories (48%) and Malaysia (49%); and the vast majority in Senegal (86%) and Niger (87%)

• In most countries where a question about so-called “honour” killings was asked, majorities of Muslims say such killings are never justified. In Afghanistan and Iraq, majorities condone extra-judicial executions of women who allegedly have shamed their families by engaging in premarital s-x or adultery

• In half of the countries where the question was asked, majorities of Muslims want religious leaders to have at least “some influence” in political matters, and sizable minorities in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa think religious leaders should have a lot of political influence.

Featuring the dark side. I’ve finally worked out why I find the Melbourne Age so much more depressing that its Sydney counterpart the Herald. Initially I thought I was just having withdrawal symptoms from missing Michelle. Now I realise that it is the fault of the designer of the new-look compact version down south having fallen in love with white reverse type which requires great slabs of black all over the front page.

The best I can say is that the gloomy look  now matches much of the writing.

News and views noted along the way.