Why Truth Is The First Casualty in War - Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

In this powerful episode of the Jaffari Community Centre podcast, Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi delivers a profound critique of the geopolitical narrative surrounding the Middle East, particularly focusing on the U.S.-Iran conflict. He argues that truth is the first casualty in war, as media and political discourse systematically distort facts to justify military actions. Drawing from Quranic verses—especially from Surah Al-Anfal—Maulana emphasizes that Islamic teachings advocate for strength not for aggression, but for self-defense and deterrence. He highlights Iran’s repeated attempts at diplomacy, only to be betrayed by U.S. and Israeli attacks, questioning the sincerity of current diplomatic overtures. The speaker condemns the selective outrage of Western and Arab governments, noting that while they condemn Iran’s retaliatory strikes, they remain silent on the initial aggression. He contrasts this with the balanced stance of Oman’s foreign minister, who calls the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran an unlawful war. Maulana also critiques religious institutions like Al-Azhar for failing to address root causes, instead focusing on consequences, and warns against the resurgence of sectarian and racial divisions reminiscent of the Iran-Iraq War. Ultimately, he calls for justice, reason, and moral courage in global discourse, urging Muslims to uphold truth even under pressure.