--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world wants to like America. The…" description: "\"The world wants to like America. The guiding values that Thomas Jefferson articulated so eloquently - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - res..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c73/feisal-abdul-rauf-12036_america_the-world-wants-to-like-america-the-guid_2109815.png" --- # The world wants to like America. The guiding values that… ![“The world wants to like America. The guiding values that Thomas Jefferson articulated so eloquently - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - resonate strongly around the world, transcending countless superficial and cultural differences, not because these are American values, but because…” quote by Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c73/feisal-abdul-rauf-12036_america_the-world-wants-to-like-america-the-guid_2109815.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c73/feisal-abdul-rauf-12036_america_the-world-wants-to-like-america-the-guid_2109815.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c73/feisal-abdul-rauf-12036_america_the-world-wants-to-like-america-the-guid_2109815.png) > “The world wants to like America. The guiding values that Thomas Jefferson articulated so eloquently - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - resonate strongly around the world, transcending countless superficial and cultural differences, not because these are American values, but because they are universal values, embedded in the human heart.” [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American ideals of life, liberty, and happiness are universal human values. **In simple terms:** American ideals are universal. Key Takeaway Promote shared human values. Themes politics human rights global unity Mood hopeful inspirational Type political ethical When to use this quote - international diplomacy - education reform - community building - media messaging Key Concepts natural law common humanity Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster global respect for these values? - What obstacles hinder universal acceptance? A Different Perspective Cultural differences may affect interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [American values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-values/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Cultural differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-differences/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Our ultimate weapon is not our guns but our beliefs ... Ours are not Western values. They are the universal values of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/our-ultimate-weapon-is-not-our-guns-but-our-beliefs-ours-are-not/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I look to Islamic ethics to find something that can provide the basis for shared values with other traditions, and ultimately universal values. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/i-look-to-islamic-ethics-to-find-something-that-can-provide-the-basis/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [I think a lot of the time people assume that their values are universal. And they don't understand which aspects of their values are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-think-a-lot-of-the-time-people-assume-that-their-values-are/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Some values must be universal, like human rights and the equal worth of every human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/some-values-must-be-universal-like-human-rights-and-the-equal-worth/) [Bjorn Ulvaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-rn-ulvaeus/) > [The moral landscape is the framework I use for thinking about questions of morality and human values in universal terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-moral-landscape-is-the-framework-i-use-for-thinking-about/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [No civilisation can claim to have a monopoly on universal values and no one can claim to be always faithful to his own values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/no-civilisation-can-claim-to-have-a-monopoly-on-universal-values-and/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [When you look at human rights, look at gender, and the rights of girls for education in the world - that are crucial issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/when-you-look-at-human-rights-look-at-gender-and-the-rights-of-girls/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [“As the novelist Danilo Kiš put it, nationalism “has no universal values, aesthetic or ethical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/as-the-novelist-danilo-ki-put-it-nationalism-has-no-universal-values/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [There should be competition and exchanges between different countries, but there are certainly certain universal values, and that is freedom and democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/there-should-be-competition-and-exchanges-between-different-countries/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [We can work together for a better world with men and women of goodwill, those who radiate the intrinsic goodness of humankind. To do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/we-can-work-together-for-a-better-world-with-men-and-women-of/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Our aid budget has a crucial role to play in shaping the world according to our universal values of democracy, enterprise and justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/our-aid-budget-has-a-crucial-role-to-play-in-shaping-the-world/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [A country which has a population 99% as their faith in Islam can also be a country which are subscribing to the universal values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-babacan/a-country-which-has-a-population-99-as-their-faith-in-islam-can-also/) [Ali Babacan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-babacan/) > [Human rights represent absolute and universal values. They should be protected by all means we have at our disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-lajcak/human-rights-represent-absolute-and-universal-values-they-should-be/) [Miroslav Lajcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-lajcak/) > [Two years ago I was on the train from Berlin to Frankfurt when I heard that the Nobel Peace Prize had been awarded to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liao-yiwu/two-years-ago-i-was-on-the-train-from-berlin-to-frankfurt-when-i/) [Liao Yiwu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liao-yiwu/) ## More by Feisal Abdul Rauf > [“...Religious wars have never produced the downfall of any religion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/religious-wars-have-never-produced-the-downfall-of-any-religion/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [Staying chaste until marriage, a commandment of my faith, was one of the most difficult challenges of my young life. I had a powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/staying-chaste-until-marriage-a-commandment-of-my-faith-was-one-of/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [Sufis teach that we first must battle and destroy the evil within ourselves by shining upon it the good within, and then we learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/sufis-teach-that-we-first-must-battle-and-destroy-the-evil-within/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [In spite of the polls, the fact is that American Muslims are very happy and they thrive in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/in-spite-of-the-polls-the-fact-is-that-american-muslims-are-very/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [I have never made a threat. I've never made a threat, never expressed a threat, never - I've never - I would never threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/i-have-never-made-a-threat-i-ve-never-made-a-threat-never-expressed-a/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [Any organization or any individual that targets civilians and kills them for political agenda is a terrorist organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/any-organization-or-any-individual-that-targets-civilians-and-kills/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [We are Americans. We - we - we are - we are doctors. We are investment bankers. We are taxi drivers. We are store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/we-are-americans-we-we-we-are-we-are-doctors-we-are-investment/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [One of the misperceptions that exists in the Muslim world, which needs to be fixed, is the perception that Muslims in America are -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/one-of-the-misperceptions-that-exists-in-the-muslim-world-which-needs/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [There are individuals who are working very hard to promote fear and antagonism towards Islam and Muslims in this country. It's fueled, in part,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/there-are-individuals-who-are-working-very-hard-to-promote-fear-and/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [We've got to be fair. You can't say a place that has strip joints is sacred ground. We've got to be just. We've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/we-ve-got-to-be-fair-you-can-t-say-a-place-that-has-strip-joints-is/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [Yusuf Qaradawi is probably the most well-known legal authority in the whole Muslim world today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/yusuf-qaradawi-is-probably-the-most-well-known-legal-authority-in-the/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [The world wants to like America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/the-world-wants-to-like-america/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [I as a Muslim want you, as a Christian, to really be a perfect Christian. I want my Jewish friends to be perfect Jews,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/i-as-a-muslim-want-you-as-a-christian-to-really-be-a-perfect/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [I am a supporter of the state of Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/i-am-a-supporter-of-the-state-of-israel/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [Fanaticism and terrorism have no place in Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/fanaticism-and-terrorism-have-no-place-in-islam/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) [Explore all 56 Feisal Abdul Rauf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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