Four years after 9/11, American Muslims still find themselves as agents of suspicion and cause for fear, according to a recent study.

The study, conducted by Cornell University and the ILR Survey Research Institute, found that 44 percent of 715 Americans polled nationally favor some sort of restriction on American Muslims’ civil liberties.

Key factors influencing respondents to favor restrictions were degree of religiousness and the amount of time a person spent watching television news.

Sixty-five percent of self-described highly religious people identified the Islamic religion as a catalyst for violence, while 42 percent of less religious respondents said the same.

The survey suggested television news was also a significant factor in creating fear. Those who said they paid more attention to television news were more likely to favor civil liberties restrictions than those who did not rely on television news outlets.

This is understandable considering whenever a person turns on the television, they see Muslims fighting Americans, and the country is in a war mentality, said Erik Nisbet, senior research associate with the ILR Survey Research Institute.

The study has not concluded, so full analysis of the data is not yet possible, but many of the Muslims interviewed said media and the ignorance it breeds is the cause of misunderstanding Islam.

Few people have an idea of what is happening beyond America’s borders, said Omar Mishal, co-president of the Muslim Student Association.

Media is often the cause for misunderstanding because many people do not research their opinions and allow popular media to be their source of information, Mishal said.

Sa’ad Quadri, a junior english major, said he was reminded of World War II when Japanese Americans were quarantined in internment camps to ensure the safety of all, a move the government eventually made monetary reparations for.

Quadri said ignorance about a particular group has been a cause in both cases.

“Nowhere does Islam advocate unnecessary violence,” Quadri said. “To kill any noncombatant is not permissible.”

He said jihad, a common buzzword in the media, has been taken out of context.

He said the word literally translated is, “To pick up the sword in order to disable the hand of the oppressing,” and some Muslims have taken this as a justification to attack.

Mishal pointed out that jihad has two meanings, the second being the conscious effort to resist evil desires that will prevent a person from keeping a balanced, healthy soul.

Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida do not represent Islam for Muslims but for others they do, Mishal said.

In the Middle East, many feel capitalist countries like the United States are exploiting people and resources, and Islam is the only force that can counter capitalism’s spread, said Muhammed Shirazi, an international relations and pre-law major.

In case of the 9/11 attacks, some believe the hijackers had legitimate anger but not a right to act on that anger, Quadri said.

Initially, Quadri was angry about the attacks, but that anger was replaced by fear when he was nearly killed by a man who tried to crush him against a wall with his car.

Regardless of what happened in the past, there is currently a measurable rift between Americans and Muslims, both home and abroad.

“This country was established on freedom for all,” Quadri said. If freedom for all is restricted, a new America might have to be established.