The inspiring passage posted:

“O you who believe! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives. Whether they are rich or poor, Allah is well able to look after them. Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth. If you twist or turn away, Allah is aware of what you do.” (Surat an-Nisa’: 135)

My response:

I always enjoy this passage on two grounds: 1) common law seems to recognize that close relations or obligated relations may not tell the truth or, just as importantly, listen fairly, so in courts, prospective witnesses and jury members may be examined for attitudinal or relationship bias in advance of trial: the upshot is it may be a little more ideal than realistic and ideal; 2) Muhammad recognized both the problem posed and power associated with dishonest or disingenuous speech. “Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth” slips power to the speaker, for it could have been stated, “Follow your own desires but do not deviate from the truth. Be always honest.”

The one variable to which all of the warfare and suffering we are witnessing from within the Muslim-majority states of the world troubled by violence or political unrest and scandal distills to one word: integrity.

How the use of language and the value of integrity differs from one geopolitical space to another is a large topic but one generally pitting acquisitiveness, fear, greed, and loyalty against a perhaps privileged altruistic idealism.

Am I suggesting that all that dying and suffering in Syria (and similar elsewheres) is about integrity?

Yes.

Unfair dealing would seem to characterize both opposed systems, the brutal dictatorship of Bashar Assad and the breathtaking brutality of the equally autocratic and full of itself al-Nusra and associates (elsewhere dictators in power vs. dictators challenging power).

Neither have good to offer and both approach battle mounted on lies and misdirection.

It is no wonder that the conflict in Syria (and those elsewhere) has generated a heart wrenching flight within the state and without, for no one not engaged in the purpose of battle has any life interest in it either apart from plain corporeal survival.

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