Believe it or not, the public perception of Islam is somewhat different from what its scripture portrays.

Many Muslims think that Islam exclusively for Muslims, and there is no room for non-Muslims. Most of the non-Muslims, especially those with perceived prejudice against Islam, think Islam is against the interest of non-Muslims.

They also think that Allah is only for Muslims, and Prophet Muhammad (s) is a messenger exclusively for Muslims.

Both non-Muslims and most of the Muslims don’t see or focus on the core teachings of Islam to find out what it has prescribed for non-Muslims in its scripture for correcting the prevailing wrong perception.

Naturally, question arises if Islam is against non-Muslims and religious harmony. Here are some texts from the Islamic scriptures to address the issue and review the wrong and misleading perception and pretention.

Allah has declared in the Qur’an that He has dignified or honoured (karramna) children of Adam (a) (Quran 17:70). Allah has created every human (insan) as His representative (khalifah) on earth. He has blessed every human with best stature (taqweem) and look (suwara) along with invoking soul to bring them in life.

So, honoring humanity (children of Adam) is an important part of Islamic scripture, and an obligation for Muslims.

Allah is the Lord of universes (rabbul alamin), and clearly, He is not any exclusive Lord of Muslims (or Muttaqin or Muhsinin). No one has any right to squeeze the dominion of Allah limited only to any special group of people who call themselves Muslims.

Allah is the creator and sustainer of everything in and beyond the universe and He is Lord of all of them, not just for human race. The Lordship of Allah is universal, beyond humanity or Muslim, and any attempt to limit it is a violation of His teaching and diminishing His dominion and authority.

Last and final messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (s) is the mercy (rahmatullil alamin) to everything in and beyond the universe (21:107). He  is not merciful only to his followers, the Muslims. He is a guide and role model for humanity. His mercy is no way limited to Muslims.

When Prophet Muhammad (s) declared the Charter of Medina,  addressed the whole population of the city of Median as his Ummah, not just followers of his religion.

The justice system in Islam is free from any religious or cultural bias. The justice is absolute and equally applicable and accessible to everyone regardless of religion or race or gender or nationality.

Prophet Muhammad (s) said that if any Muslim harms/wrongs any non-Muslim, he will stand before Allah  for the non-Muslim. Is there a second example that a leader will stand for justice against his followers?

The Qur’an emphasises on the essence of witnessing for the truth even if it goes against himself or his parents or his relatives. This the absolute form of witness for the truth.

No follower of Islam could conceal or twist facts in the process of judgment to save him or her or their loved ones, including people of their own faith or family, from the legal consequences.

Is there any other system of live prevailing in the contemporary world that is so clear about standing for witnessing the truth.

When Allah asks for general charity, except for poor due (zakatul maal), He does not limit to any group of people or even exclusively to the Muslims. The Qur’an instructs for charity for people in general emphasising for the poor, need, orphan, wayfarer, people in debt, hungry etc.

In a narration, Prophet Muhammad (s) said that Allah forgave all sins of a prostitute for offering a drink to a thirsty dog. Needless to say, that helping human of any nation, religion or race would not be less rewarding than helping a dog.

In connection with the rights of the neighbours, Prophet Muhammad (s)  emphasised the most. He said that you are not a Muslim if you have stomach full of food while your neighbour in hungry. He did not limit this right to Muslims alone.

Prophet Muhammad (s) also said that the right of neighbour was so much emphasised by the Arch Angel Grabiel that he that Allah may give right of inheritance to the neighbours.

Such is the general inclusive view of Islam on humanity when it comes to receiving support and help from Muslims.

A nomad (bedouin) nonbeliever started passing urine inside the Mosque of Prophet Muhammad (s) in Medina. The companions wanted to stop him. The Prophet (s)  told them not to interrupt but allow him to finish his need.

Then, The Prophet asked the companions to wash the urinated spot with a bucket of water and called this non-Muslim and told politely that this house is a place of worship and there is another place for passing urine and let him go unhurt and without any harsh words (Hadith: Muslim, 285).

This is the Sunnah of the Prophet who is mercy for the universe (rahmatullil alamin).

The Qur’an ordains to be kind, caring and humble to parents. This applies to the parents even if they are not Muslims. It instructs Muslims not to go close to any wrongdoings (e.g. adultery) let alone committing it. The Qur’an (45:55) says that verily the prayers (salah) prohibit immorality and wrongdoings.

After migrating from Makkah to Medinah, the Prophet Muhammad (s) adopted what is known as the Charter of Medinah. This Charter was a written agreement between the Muslims and non-Muslim living in the city. In this historical document, prophet Muhammad declared all residents of the city as Ummah (nation) including Jews, Christians, Muslims, pagans etc.

The book of Allah is guidance not only for Muslims but also for non-Muslims. Allah  states (Quran 2:185) that the Qur’an is a guidance for mankind (hudallin naas).

There are lots of verses of the Qur’an that address humanity at large appealing to all human beings. No wonder, the Qur’an is widely considered a guidance for all of mankind, offering a comprehensive system of beliefs, practices, and moral principles for navigating life.

Islamic teachings are centred around the public welfare of people. This welfare is for the life on this earth and beyond. The values at the heart of Islam are about the same as that of the other revealed religions. These include mercy, kindness, respect, honest, responsible, compassion, truthfulness, humility,

When Ibrahim (a) “My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits – whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day.” [Allah] said. “And whoever disbelieves.” (Quran 2:126).

So, the providence of Allah is not limited to or conditional on believing Him or not. The worldly favours of Allah in this life are for all human being – believing and non-believing.

The Opening Chapter of the Qur’an mentions two very distinctive attributes – Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim.  The leading scholars agree that Ar-Rahman emphasizes Allah’s boundless, general mercy towards all creation in this world, regardless of their belief or actions. Ar-Rahim, on the other hand, highlights Allah’s specific and exclusive mercy towards believers, particularly in the Hereafter.

In many places in the Qur’an, Allah addresses  the humanity at large to worship the One who has created them. As an example, (Quran 2:21) “O humanity! Worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, so that you may become mindful of Him” . In (Quran 82:6), Allah questions, “O man! What is it that lures thee away from thy bountiful Sustainer?”

In another place, the Qur’an places all human being at the same level in terms of its creation. In (Quran 4:1), It further explains, “O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity.”

And again, “O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another.  Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware” (Quran 49:13).

Referring to be disbelievers as brothers, the Qur’an reveals, “And unto [the tribe of] Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih.  He said, ‘O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” (7:73).

And unto [the tribe of] `Ad [We sent] their brother Hud. He said, ‘O my people! Worship God alone.’ (Quran 7:65).

The prophets are introduced as ‘their brothers’ even though they were non-believers. So, a person can be a brother in humanity (as above), or a bother in faith or a brother in blood. It is in the first sense the non-believers are brothers in humanity to the prophets and Muslims.

One of the core teachings of Islam is to find commonness among people to be close to work for the common good, rather than promoting differences to divide people along various divisive lines.

The Qur’an clarifies, “And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner – unless it be such of them as are bent on evildoing  and say: “We believe in that which has been be­stowed from on high upon us, as well as that which has been bestowed upon you: or our God and your God is one and the same, and it is unto Him that We [all] surrender ourselves.”  (Quran 29:46).

The Qur’an says, ‘And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned.’ (Quran 22:40).

This is a verse that teaches to protect the places of worship for people of all faiths, a core teaching of Islam. The verse 65 of Surah Hajj (Quran 22: 65) states, ‘Indeed Allah SWT, is Kind and Merciful to people’.

The Lordship of Allah and mercy of Prophet Muhammad (s) are for everything in and beyond the planet/universes, and the Qur’an is for the benefit of the humanity at large, not exclusive for the Muslims.