Summary
The Holy Qur’an clearly states that the message of Islam has been sent for all of humanity. It further states that Islam is the perfection of all religious teachings as it completely understands human nature. As human nature does not change, this religion cannot at any point in history be considered irrelevant. In addition, its teachings of peace, justice, equality, moderation, freedom of belief and its guidance in every matter relevant to humanity demonstrate that it is indeed a universal religion.
Table of Content
Yes, Islam fits the definition and characteristics of a universalizing religion.
Teachings that are universal mean that they can be applied to anyone at any time and place. Islam’s teachings do just that – they apply to all of humanity, no matter your background, race, or location.
The teachings of Islam range from worship to detailing how one should treat their neighbours. The breadth and depth of Islamic teachings are all-encompassing.
A universalizing religion is a religion with teachings that apply to everyone regardless of any differentiating factors such as nationality, race, ethnicity, culture, time period (in history) etc (Khan, 1973; Rahman, 1996).
In order to achieve this, the teachings must include guidance on spiritual and moral matters; teachings that provide for the needs of followers in every circumstance in each time period in history. This can only be done if the religious teachings are completely in sync with human nature. This is because human nature does not change with the passage of time, advancements in knowledge, changes in culture, etc (Rahman 1996).
Islam teaches many values that promote a mindset of harmony and peace in society (M.T. Ahmad, 2007; Khan, 1973). The following teachings help to make it a true universalizing religion :
As mentioned above, the teachings of the Holy Qur’an promote values that are universal. These values have drawn hearts towards Islam from its very inception. While specific teachings have been highlighted above, some relevant Qur’anic verses include:
34:29 – And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, for all mankind, but most men know not.
16:45 – We sent our Messengers with clear Signs and Scriptures, And We have sent down to thee the Reminder that thou mayest explain to mankind that which has been sent down to them, and that they may reflect.
5:4 – … This day have I perfected your religion for you, and have completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as religion …
7:159 – Say, ‘O mankind! truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allah to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no God but He. He gives life, and He causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Prophet, the Immaculate one, who believes in Allah and His words; and follow him that you may be rightly guided.’
2:137 – Say ye: ‘We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob and his children, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to all other Prophets from their Lord. We make no difference between any of them; and to Him we submit ourselves.’
32:25 – There is not a people but a Warner has gone among them.
2:257 – There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
17:16 – He who follows the right way follows it only for the good of his own soul: and he who goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another. We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.
49:14 – O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and subtribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.
5:9 – O ye who believe! be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is aware of what you do.
14:2 – …This is a Book which We have revealed to thee that thou mayest bring mankind out of every kind of darkness into light, by the command of their Lord, to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy
18:55 – And, surely, We have explained in various ways in this Qur’an, for the good of mankind, all kinds of similitudes, but of all things man is most contentious.
This is a short list of some of the verses of the Holy Qur’an related to universal values. In reality, there are many more verses that relate to this broad topic. A deeper study of the Holy Qur’an must be undertaken to gain an understanding of all of the relevant verses.
The teachings of the Holy Qur’an embrace universal values and seek to uphold and protect them. These teachings have drawn the hearts of many sincere people. Muhammad (sa) embodied every letter of the Holy Qur’an. He practically demonstrated its teachings within his character and this resulted in many people joining Islam.
Muhammad (sa) was particularly known for his truthfulness and trustworthiness well before his prophethood (M.B. Ahmad, 1920/2018a). His treatment of his friends, the poor and needy was also well known. He was known to be very careful in discharging trusts in business. His wife, Khadija, sent a marriage proposal to him on the basis of his noble and outstanding character (M.B. Ahmad, 1920/2018a).
During the early years of his prophethood, Muhammad (sa) journeyed to the town of Taif to preach the message of Islam. The people of Taif turned him and his companion away, all the while pelting them with stones that left them injured and bloody. This mistreatment was so severe that an angel descended and informed Muhammad (sa) that if he were to say so the town would be destroyed. It had become deserving of punishment in the sight of God. Despite his injuries, Muhammad (sa) prayed for their forgiveness, hoping one day God would enable some from among them to accept the message of Islam and worship the One God (M.B. Ahmad, 1920/2018a). This is just one of many such incidents, highlighting his noble character.
The charter of Medina is yet another example of how Prophet Muhammad (sa) demonstrated the effectiveness of Islamic teachings. He created peace and security in a multi-faith society. It guaranteed freedom of religion in Medina for all groups. It also ensured the protection of each group’s property, wealth and lives. At the same time, it made it every group’s responsibility to protect Medina in the event of an attack. Additionally, it placed responsibility on the Muslims and Jews to protect one another in the case of an attack on either group (M.B. Ahmad, 1931/2018b). All of these clauses are very similar in format to those agreements that bind nations together today whether it be in the European Union, NATO or the United Nations.
The Holy Qur’an has played a large role in the spread of the religion. From the early years of revelation, the verses indicated that Islam was to be a religion for the entire world, not just for the Arabs alone or any other nation. Some of these verses have been provided below :
34:29 – And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, for all mankind, but most men know not.
7:159 – Say, ‘O mankind! truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allah to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no God but He. He gives life, and He causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Prophet, the Immaculate one, who believes in Allah and His words; and follow him that you may be rightly guided.’
The actual teachings contained within the Holy Qur’an are communicated in a simple and clear manner. It also provides the reasoning behind the teachings. For example, the commandment for women to veil themselves is given for their protection, however, men have also been commanded to lower their gaze in the presence of women.
24:31 – Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.
33:60 – O Prophet! tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers that they should draw close to them portions of their loose outer coverings. That is nearer that they may thus be distinguished and not molested. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.
The Holy Qur’an contains rationality and wisdom. Its teachings provide guidance on all matters humanity may find itself in.
The religion of Islam spread quickly for several reasons.
‘God has not sent you that He should then give you up. Be not afraid because you are kind and considerate to your relations, help the poor and the forlorn and bear their burdens. You are restoring the virtues that had disappeared from our country. You treat guests with honour and help those who are in distress.’ (M.M. Ahmad, 2006)
In the 40 years before his prophethood, Prophet Muhammad (sa) had displayed a noble, truthful and kind character. So much so, that he was known in all of Arabia as the truthful and the trustworthy. People would approach him to settle their conflicts or to have their rights secured (Ahmad, 2018).
Ultimately, it was examples of his generosity, compassion and immense love for humanity that led many to accept Islam and later embody these same virtues in their own characters. The change that Islam brought in the characters of others was another miraculous sign. This transformation resulted in more hearts being pulled towards this elixir. (M.G. Ahmad, 1891/2008)
One of the greatest strengths of Islam is that the text of the Holy Qur’an has remained unchanged (Muneer, 2004). The teachings of the religion learned through the Holy Qur’an, are the same as those practised by the Holy Prophet (sa). These teachings have remained relevant without changes for the span of well over 1,500 years.
In contract, the teachings of Christianity have had to be adapted to fit modern values and sentimentalities. For example, many churches now allow women to be ordained as priests. Yet, this idea is not in the original teachings of the faith. The Bible says the following :
1 Corinthians 14:33-35 – For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
1 Timothy 2:11-14 – A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
The above verses show that according to the Bible, women can not be in a position of authority over men in church. For centuries, priests only consisted of men. The priest was seen to represent Jesus and thus God Himself and so could not be a woman (Atkinson, 1992). Adding to this, Christianity places the blame for sin squarely on the shoulders of women, and states that everyone is born sinful. These views are often questioned today.
Comparing this to Islam, the Holy Qur’an repeatedly demonstrates the equality between men and women by specifically mentioning that both will have an equal share of the rewards or punishments they earn. For example :
33:36 – Surely, men who submit themselves to God and women who submit themselves to Him, and believing men and believing women, and obedient men and obedient women and truthful men and truthful women, and men steadfast in their faith and steadfast women, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their chastity and women who guard their chastity, and men who remember Allah much and women who remember Him — Allah has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a great reward.
Many similar verses can be found in the Holy Qur’an demonstrating that men and women are treated as equals. The Holy Qur’an further states that each individual is only responsible for their own actions, they will not be made to bear the sins of others:
17:16 – He who follows the right way follows it only for the good of his own soul: and he who goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another. We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.
In Islam, women do not bear the burden of sin, instead each soul is held to account for its own actions. Both men and women are commanded to increase their knowledge and look to what they send forward. We can look to the example of Hadhrat Ayesha (ra), the wife of Prophet Muhammad (sa), regarding whom he had said that half of the religion could be learnt from her. She would share her religious knowledge with both men and women, and many Muslim men turned to her to seek religious guidance (Ahmad, 2015).
Islam has granted women freedom through clearly outlined rights, such as the right to inheritance, divorce and an independent income source. It gives women a station of honour and dignity. For example, the Holy Prophet (sa) said that paradise could be found at the feet of mothers (Sunan an-Nasa’i,Book 25, Hadith 20).
Another area where the universality of Islam can be compared with Christianity is in the realm of science. Christianity’s conflict with science is well known around the world. Fierce opposition has been made to scientific findings when they have opposed the Biblical understanding of the world. Perhaps the most famous example of this conflict is Galelio who was forced to recant his scientific discovery of the Earth revolving around the Sun (M.T. Ahmad, 2006). It took many years for the church to reverse its decision but actions like this led to many Christian scholars renouncing their faith and embracing atheism (M.T. Ahmad, 2006).
Looking to Islam, there has never been a conflict between the Holy Qur’an and science. In fact, the opposite has been true. Islam strongly encourages all Muslim men, women and children to pursue knowledge (M.M. Ahmad, 2020). The Islamic Golden age is a strong example of the practical effect of these teachings. Muslims made remarkable advances in fields such as astronomy, medicine, chemistry, and math (M.M. Ahmad, 2020) and all of the advancements corroborated the teaching of the Holy Qur’an.
Another major difference between Christianity and Islam is that the message of Christianity was limited in scope to the lost sheep of Israel (Atkinson, 1992). This has been referenced clearly in the Bible :
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, ‘Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’.
Matthew 15:24 – But he answered and said, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house Israel’.
In contrast to these verses of the Bible, the Holy Qur’an clearly states that its teachings have been sent for all of humanity:
34:29 – And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, for all mankind, but most men know not.
7:159 – Say, ‘O mankind! truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allah to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no God but He. He gives life, and He causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Prophet, the Immaculate one, who believes in Allah and His words; and follow him that you may be rightly guided.’
These few examples demonstrate that the original teachings of the Bible were not universal and timeless. They were clearly for a specific time period and a specific group of people. In contrast, the teachings of the Holy Qur’an are clearly for all of humanity, for all times to come.
Yes, there are many universal values that can be found within the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. These cover moral values, social values, economic values, etc. The teachings address both individual and societal needs. Some of the universal values found in Islam are:
16:91 – Verily, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency, and manifest evil, and wrongful transgression. He admonished you that you may take heed.
9:119 – O ye who believe! fear Allah and be with the truthful.
4:37 – And worship Allah and associate naught with Him, and show kindness to parents, and to kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and to the neighbour that is a kinsman and the neighbour that is a stranger, and the companion by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom your right hands possess.
2:257 – There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
16:126 – Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way; and He knows those who are rightly guided.
109:7 – ‘For you your religion, and for me my religion.’
49:14 – O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware.
49:10 – And if two parties of believers fight each other, make peace between them; then if after that one of them transgresses against the other, fight the party that transgresses until it returns to the command of Allah. Then if it returns, make peace between them with equity, and act justly. Verily, Allah loves the just.
7:32 – O children of Adam, look to your adornment at every time and place of worship, and eat and drink but exceed not the bounds; surely, He does not love those who exceed the bounds.
2:216 – They ask thee what they shall spend. Say: Whatever of good and abundant wealth you spend should be for parents and near relatives and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatever good you do, surely Allah knows it well.
Yes, the Holy Qur’an and Hadith (traditions of the Holy Prophet (sa)) deal with a multitude of issues spanning all aspects of life.
These issues include matters related to the individual such as:
Family matters are also covered, including:
These topics are all mentioned in detail in Islamic teachings.
Societal and international matters such as economics, trade and treaties, behaviour during war, mediation between countries, rights of women, slavery, discrimination, prejudice etc are also mentioned. (M.T. Ahmad, 2007, Nawawi, 1996; Rahman, 1996; Khan, 1973). There are also guidelines provided for governments in discharging their responsibilities towards citizens and vice versa, the responsibility of citizens towards their governments (Nawawi, 1996; M.T. Ahmad, 2007).
Yes, Islam encourages Muslims to promote efforts towards creating peace and justice in the world. The head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is an excellent example of what this looks like in practice in today’s world.
Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) has spoken with world and religious leaders from around the world to help create unity amongst varying groups (Omotayo, 2024). For many years he has drawn the attention of world leaders towards establishing equity and justice in their dealings with other countries, especially if there is a disparity in the wealth of the countries (Ahmad, 2019).
Regarding the recent conflicts around the world, he has urged the world to abide by justice, setting aside vested interests for the sake of upholding peace and security. He further warned countries that escalation of current tensions could lead the whole world towards war. He has emphasized that every country has a responsibility to work with international organizations to prevent an escalation, coming together to mediate between warring nations and doing so with absolute justice (Omotayo, 2024). He has additionally guided the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community members to remain occupied in prayers while urging Muslim nations to act with wisdom during this time (Ahmad, 2025).
Conclusion
The Holy Qur’an makes a clear statement that it has been sent for all of humanity, for all times. In addition to this statement, the respect shown by the Holy Qur’an to the past prophets and the Divine origins of past religions shows how Islam flourishes as a universal teaching.
A sincere study of the teachings of Islam and the character of Prophet Muhammad (sa) demonstrates that in every scenario imaginable, the teachings of Islam fit human nature perfectly, making it a truly timeless religion.
Values such as unity, peace, freedom of religion, mutual cooperation and respect demonstrate that Islamic teachings are still as relevant to humanity today as the day they were revealed.
References (APA Style)
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