Hans Joachim Morgenthau (1904–1980) was a German-American political scientist. He is regarded as the father of twentieth-century international relations theory. In his landmark book Politics Among Nations (1948), he argued that international politics is driven by a struggle for power and national interest rather than morality or ideology.

His two quotes provide a microscopic and a telescopic view of the reality of international power politics and the role hubris plays in it.

In his seminal book titled In Defence of National Interest, he writes: “States are tempted to equate their foreign policies with universal morality. This happens not by ignorance or misjudgement, but by hubris and pride.”

Then, in his essay titled The Moral Dilemma of Political Action, he pens: “Political actors are always tempted—not by ignorance or misjudgement, but by hubris and pride as taught by the Greek tragedians and biblical prophets—to overlook the possibilities of their power and forget prudence and morality.”

History is replete with examples of empires making unwise decisions based on hubris, pride, and a utopian moral image of themselves. They indulge in wars that appear to be the easiest of undertakings at the outset, only to end in devastating setbacks or even elimination from the chessboard of great power politics.

It was 17th Ramazan, 13th March 624 CE. It had been two years since the Prophet (PBUH) had migrated to Madina. The Quraysh were oozing with pride. Although they could have mustered many more to their force, they were sure that they would eliminate the Muslims, who they thought were ill-prepared, small in number, and did not have enough armaments to fight.

On this day, according to Islamic sources, 313 Muslims faced over 1,000 Quraysh. The Quraysh suffered a crushing........

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