A Folk Who Have No Sense

And aside from a lack of method in Washington and other Western capitals, there is a lack of common sense which is also prevailing in these Western capitals. This lack of common sense can do more damage than a lack of method, and that is exactly what is taking place at the moment. The lack of common sense is best illustrated when it comes to the strategy vis-à-vis Ukraine. The call for “more weapons” on the part of certain histrionic television personalities is not the solution to end the war in Ukraine. There is no military solution at hand for Ukraine when it comes to its conflict with Russia. Moreover, this situation is not new for some of us, given that we have seen this movie before. Some of us have seen presidents who perpetuate an unjustified war in order to line their own pockets. And given that some of us have seen this movie before, we can both anticipate the likely outcome of this conflict and understand what needs to be done in order to bring the conflict to an end.

Also, what we may lose sight of given our lack of common sense is that the conquest of Ukraine is not the objective of Russia. The objective of Russia is to get Ukraine to abide by its end of the agreement with Russia, with that agreement being the “Minsk Agreements” of 2014 and 2015. And as long as Kyiv does not uphold its end of the agreement, it is hard to determine how long Kyiv can lie its way through this conflict and this situation in general. Sinful cowardice, Havana Syndrome, and the cancellation of the truth are all symptoms of lack of common sense in Washington. 

One can lose virtually anything, but if one were to lose common sense – which is the case now in Washington – then all is lost. As the Bible states: “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.” 

Hence, everything comes down to common sense, yet common sense is exactly what is lacking in Washington in this day and age. In turn, the lack of common sense has caused a kind of acrimony and division in Washington which is unprecedented in the history of the United States. Lack of common sense, given that it causes disunity and division in a system, is thus the main source of weakness in the system. As the Quran states: “They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified villages or behind walls. Their adversity among themselves is very great. You think of them as a unified whole whereas their hearts are diverse. That is because they are a folk who have no sense.” 

As a result, we have gone into a level of analysis that is one level deeper than the level of doctrine and method, namely, basic cognition and common sense. One could end this particular discourse by asking where common sense even comes from or how it is cultivated. It is a question which is definitely worth asking, but it is a question which has no clear-cut answer. If common sense cannot be bought – and as we are seeing at the moment, common sense cannot be bought – then the origins and source of common sense and wisdom must be outside of our mainstream and ordinary points or sources of reference and recourse for answers and guidance.