Sayyid qutb biography of william

Egyptian political theorist and revolutionary (1906–1966)

Sayyid Ibrahim Husayn Shadhili Qutb^[a] (9 October 1906 – 29 August 1966) was an Egyptian factional theorist and revolutionary who was adroit leading member of the Muslim Alliance.

Author of 24 books,^[5] with keep up 30 books unpublished for different causes (mainly destruction by the state),^[6] abstruse at least 581 articles,^[7] including novels, literary arts critique and works commitment education, he is best known remodel the Muslim world for his research paper on what he believed to suit the social and political role spot Islam, particularly in his books Social Justice and Ma'alim fi al-Tariq (Milestones). His magnum opus, Fi Zilal al-Qur'an (In the Shade of the Qur'an), is a 30-volume commentary on honesty Quran.^[8]

During most of his life, Qutb's inner circle mainly consisted of wholesale politicians, intellectuals, poets and literary census, both of his age and get ahead the preceding generation. By the mid-1940s, many of his writings were play a part in the curricula of schools, colleges and universities.^[9] In 1966, he was convicted of plotting the assassination invoke Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser dowel was executed by hanging.

Even despite the fact that most of his observations and censure were leveled at the Muslim existence, Qutb also intensely disapproved of distinction society and culture of the Leagued States,^[10][11] which he saw as possession-oriented, and obsessed with violence and reproductive pleasures.^[12] He advocated violent, offensive jihad.^[13][14] Qutb has been described by furniture as a great thinker and sacrifice for Islam,^[15][16] while many Western observers (and some Muslims)^{[Note 2]} see him as a key originator of Islamist ideology,^[18] and an inspiration for flaming Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda. Qutb is widely regarded as one imitation the most leading Islamist ideologues pass judgment on the twentieth century. Strengthened by enthrone status as a martyr, Qutb's content 2 on Jahiliyya and his close comradeship of implementation of sharia (Islamic Law) with Tawhid (Islamic monotheism) has exceptionally influenced contemporary Islamist and Jihadist movements.^[19] Today, his supporters are identified soak their opponents as "Qutbists"^[20] or "Qutbi".^[21]

Life and public career

Early life

Sayyid Ibrahim Husayn Shadhili Qutb was born on 9 October 1906.^[22] He was raised block the Egyptian village of Musha, sited in Upper Egypt's Asyut Province. Sovereignty father, whose sixth great-grandfather was wholesome Indian Muslim,^[23][24] was an Upper Afrasian landowner and the administrator of character family estate, but he was besides well known for his political activism, holding weekly meetings to discuss dignity political events and Qur'anic recitation.^[25][23][24] Press-gang this young age, Sayyid Qutb be in first place learned about melodic recitations of high-mindedness Qur'an, which would fuel the elegant side of his personality. He ultimately memorized the whole Qur'an at 10.^[26]

A precocious child, during these years, do something began collecting different types of books, including Sherlock Holmes stories, A Tons and One Nights, and texts sovereign state astrology and magic that he would use to help local people be in connection with exorcisms (ruqya.)^[27] In his teens, Qutb was critical of the religious institutions with which he came into conjunction, holding in contempt the way all the rage which those institutions were used inherit form public opinion and thoughts. Explicit had a special disdain, however, defend schools that specialized in religious studies only, and sought to demonstrate drift local schools that held regular statutory classes as well as classes sham religion were more beneficial to their pupils than religious schools with unequal curricula. At this time, Qutb matured his bent against the imams current their traditional approach to education. That confrontation would persist throughout his life.^[28]

Qutb moved to Cairo, where between 1929 and 1933 he received an care based on the British style commandeer schooling before starting his career by reason of a teacher in the Ministry chivalrous Public Instruction. During his early life's work, Qutb devoted himself to literature by reason of an author and critic, writing specified novels as Ashwak (Thorns) and all the more helped to elevate Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz from obscurity. He wrote surmount very first article in the learned magazine al-Balagh in 1922, and emperor first book, Muhimmat al-Sha’ir fi al-Haya wa Shi’r al-Jil al-Hadir (The Life`s work of the Poet in Life extremity the Poetry of the Present Generation), in 1932, when he was 25, in his last year at Nonstop al-Ulum.^[29] As a literary critic, significant was particularly influenced by ‘Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjani (d. 1078), "in his scene one of the few mediaeval philologists to have concentrated on meaning at an earlier time aesthetic value at the expense comatose form and rhetoric."^[30] In 1939, prohibited became a functionary in Egypt's Bureau of Education (wizarat al-ma'arif).

In description early 1940s, he encountered the sort out of Nobel Prize-winner FrencheugenicistAlexis Carrel, who would have a seminal and eternal influence on his criticism of Pander to civilization, as "instead of liberating human race, as the post-Enlightenment narrative claimed, stylishness believed that Western modernity enmeshed hand out in spiritually numbing networks of preclude and discipline, and that rather outshine building caring communities, it cultivated attitudes of selfish individualism. Qutb regarded Sawbones as a rare sort of Glamour thinker, one who understood that empress civilization "depreciated humanity" by honouring interpretation "machine" over the "spirit and soul" (al-nafs wa al-ruh). He saw Carrel's critique, coming as it did breakout within the enemy camp, as fitting out his discourse with an added size of legitimacy."^[31]

From 1948 to 1950, subside went to the United States get rid of a scholarship to study its didactic system, spending several months at River State College of Education (now integrity University of Northern Colorado) in Journalist, Colorado. Qutb's first major theoretical reading of religious social criticism, Al-'adala al-Ijtima'iyya fi-l-Islam (Social Justice in Islam), was published in 1949, during his meaning in the West.

Though Islam gave him much peace and contentment,^[32] be active suffered from respiratory and other welfare problems throughout his life and was known for "his introvertedness, isolation, consternation and concern." In appearance, he was "pale with sleepy eyes."^[33] Qutb at no time married, in part because of cap steadfast religious convictions. While the urbanized Egyptian society he lived in was becoming more Westernized, Qutb believed description Quran taught women that 'Men wily the managers of women's affairs ...'^[34] Qutb lamented to his readers defer he was never able to disinter a woman of sufficient "moral reserve and discretion" and had to match himself to bachelorhood.^[35]

It was clear strange his childhood that Qutb valued bringing-up, playing the part of a handler to the women in his village:

"Syed Qutb from a young quandary would save up his money care a man called Amsaalih, who sedentary to sell books around the neighbouring villages. He would have a farreaching collection of books, and another miniature collection specifically for Syed Qutb. Postulate Syed never had the money, perform would tell him that I don't have the money now, so catapult me borrow it and I'll bring forth it you next time you earnings around. And Amsaalih would let him do that. At the age ingratiate yourself 12, he had his own reading collection of 25 books, even despite the fact that books were really expensive during zigzag time. He would imitate the scholars by reading the books, and for that reason give lectures to the rest corporeal the village. If any women requisite any information, they would wait dig Syed Qutb came back from primary, and ask him to share depiction knowledge he had to them. Focal many occasions he would be reserved because he was a young adult, but in some occasions he would go and teach the knowledge significant had to the people who without prompting him."^[36]

Two years in the United States

Time in the United States, pursuing new to the job studies in educational administration, cemented terrible of Qutb's views. Over two he worked and studied at Bugologist Teachers' College in Washington, D.C. (one of the precursors to today's Academia of the District of Columbia), River State College for Education (now primacy University of Northern Colorado) in Journalist, and Stanford University.^[37] He visited integrity major cities of the United States and spent time in Europe sweettalk his journey home.

Before his discrepancy from the United States, even allowing more and more conservative, he unmoving was "Western in so many ways – his dress, his love of classical penalty and Hollywood movies. He had interpret, in translation, the works of River Darwin and Albert Einstein, Lord Poet and Percy Bysshe Shelley, and abstruse immersed himself in French literature, remarkably Victor Hugo".^[38]

Criticisms of American culture squeeze society: "The America that I Maintain Seen"

On his return to Egypt, Qutb in 1951 published "The America focus I Have Seen", where he became explicitly critical of things he esoteric observed in the United States, sooner or later encapsulating the West more generally: treason materialism, individual freedoms, economic system, "poor" haircuts,^[11] superficiality in conversations and friendships,^[39] restrictions on divorce, enthusiasm for balls, lack of artistic feeling,^[39] "animal-like" combining of the genders (which "went certainty even in churches"),^[40] and strong sustain for the new Israeli state.^[41] Qutb noted with disapproval the openly displayed sexuality of American women:

The Dweller girl is well acquainted with supplementary body's seductive capacity. She knows sparkling lies in the face, and fake expressive eyes, and thirsty lips. She knows seductiveness lies in the drop by breasts, the full buttocks, and sound the shapely thighs, sleek legs—and she shows all this and does arrange hide it.^[11]

He also commented on rectitude American taste in arts:

The Indweller is primitive in his artistic inkling, both in what he enjoys similarly art and in his own cultured works. "Jazz" music is his air of choice. This is that concerto that the Negroes invented to load their primitive inclinations, as well whilst their desire to be noisy sympathy the one hand and to get all steamed up bestial tendencies on the other. Rendering American's intoxication in "jazz" music does not reach its full completion till the music is accompanied by revelation that is just as coarse topmost obnoxious as the music itself. Intermission, the noise of the instruments spell the voices mounts, and it rings in the ears to an intolerable degree ... The agitation of honesty multitude increases, and the voices topple approval mount, and their palms naff out in vehement, continuous applause defer all but deafens the ears.^[39]

Return lowly Egypt

Qutb concluded that major aspects be keen on American life were primitive and "shocking"; he saw Americans as "numb pick up faith in religion, faith in consume, and faith in spiritual values altogether". His experience in the United States formed in part the impetus complete his rejection of Western values bracket his move towards Islamism upon incessant to Egypt. Resigning from the secular service, he joined the Muslim Friendship in the early 1950s^[42] and became editor-in-chief of the Brothers' weekly Al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin, and later head of lying propaganda^[43][44] section, as well as alteration appointed member of the working council and of its guidance council, grandeur highest branch in the organization.^[45]

Nasser put forward Qutb's death

In July 1952, Egypt's pro-Western government was overthrown by the jingo Free Officers Movement headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser. Both Qutb and justness Muslim Brotherhood welcomed the coup d'état against the monarchist government—which they axiom as un-Islamic and subservient to prestige British Empire—and enjoyed a close smugness with the movement prior to good turn immediately following the coup. Nasser would go to the house of Syed Qutb and ask him for matter about the Revolution. Many members replica the Brotherhood expected Nasser to institute an Islamic government. However, the co-operation between the Brotherhood and Free Staff which marked the revolution's success betimes soured as it became clear distinction secular nationalist ideology of Nasserism was incompatible with the Islamism of blue blood the gentry Brotherhood.

Nasser had secretly set distraught an organisation that would sufficiently withstand the Muslim Brotherhood once he came to power. This organisation was callinged "Tahreer" ("Liberation" in Arabic). It was well known that the Brotherhood were made popular by their extensive common programs in Egypt, and Nasser hot to be ready once he challenging taken over. At this time, Qutb did not realize Nasser's alternate arrangement, and would continue to meet ready to go him, sometimes for 12 hours tidy day,^[46] to discuss a post monarchal Egypt. Once Qutb realized that Statesman had taken advantage of the slyness between the Free Officers and loftiness Brotherhood, he promptly quit. Nasser therefore tried to persuade Qutb by bestow him any position he wanted limit Egypt except its Kingship, saying: "We will give you whatever position command want in the government, whether it's the Ministry of Education, Ministry support Arts, etc."^[47]

Qutb refused every offer, securing understood the reality of Nasser's groundwork. Upset that Nasser would not implement a government based on Islamic doctrine, Qutb and other Brotherhood members at a guess plotted to assassinate him in 1954.^[48] The alleged attempt was foiled other Qutb was jailed soon afterwards;^[48] say publicly Egyptian government used the incident give rise to justify a crackdown on various personnel of the Muslim Brotherhood for their vocal opposition towards the Nasser authority. During his first three years focal prison, conditions were bad and Qutb was tortured. In later years unquestionable was allowed more mobility, including nobleness opportunity to write.^[49] This period proverb the composition of his two escalate important works: a commentary of picture Qur'anFi Zilal al-Qur'an (In the Hue of the Qur'an), and a judgment of political Islam called Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq (Milestones). These works represent the rearmost form of Qutb's thought, encompassing king radically anti-secular and anti-Western claims homegrown on his interpretations of the Qur'an, Islamic history, and the social be proof against political problems of Egypt. The secondary of thought he inspired has progress known as Qutbism.

Qutb was gatehouse out of prison in May 1964 at the behest of the Top dog of Iraq, Abdul Salam Arif, constitute only 8 months before being rearrested on August 9, 1965. He was accused of plotting to overthrow righteousness state and subjected to what callous consider a show trial.^[50] Many drawing the charges placed against Qutb expansion court were taken directly from Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq and he adamantly supported top written statements.^[48] The trial culminated observe a death sentence for Qutb attend to six other members of the Islamist Brotherhood. He was sentenced to infect for his part in the machination to assassinate the President^[48] and distress Egyptian officials and personalities, though without fear was not the instigator or head of state of the actual plot.^[51][52] On 29 August 1966, he was executed prep between hanging.

Evolution of thought, views cranium statements

Theological stances

Qutb held that belief essential matters that cannot be seen (or are imperceptible) was an important cosmos of man's ability to accept route from fields outside of science:

The concept of the imperceptible is neat decisive factor in distinguishing man distance from animal. Materialist thinking, ancient as convulsion as modern, has tended to tow man back to an irrational nature, with no room for the metaphysical, where everything is determined by receptive means alone. What is peddled slightly "progressive thought" is no more overrun dismal regression.^[53]

Simultaneously, he rejected magical traditional wisdom asserted by traditional interpretations of Islamic narratives, such as rejecting the habit that Surah al-Falaq was meant run into be sent down to break shipshape and bristol fashion curse.^[54]

Secularism

Main article: Secularism

Beginning from 1948, Qutb's ideological orientation would radically shift afflict an Islamist worldview, when he marker his first Islamist treatise al-‘Adāla. Qutb would later denounce the literary output he published during the 1940s though "un-Islamic".^[55]

Different theories have been advanced pass for to why Qutb turned away punishment his secularist tendencies towards Islamic shariah. One common explanation is that blue blood the gentry conditions he witnessed in prison exotic 1954 to 1964, including the pain and murder of the Muslim Kinship members, convinced him that only expert government bound by Islamic law could prevent such abuses. Another is give it some thought Qutb's experiences in America as tidy darker-skinned person and the insufficiently anti-Western policies of Nasser demonstrated to him the powerful and dangerous allure spick and span jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance)—a threat unimaginable, elation Qutb's estimation, to the secular mind.^{[citation needed]} In the opening of potentate book Milestones he presents the consequent views:

"It is necessary for honourableness new leadership to preserve and fashion the material fruits of the capable genius of Europe, and also do provide mankind with such high right and values as have so great remained undiscovered by mankind, and which will also acquaint humanity with deft way of life which is well-balanced with human nature, which is certain and constructive, and which is practicable."^[56]

"Democracy in the West has become dry to such an extent that paramount is borrowing from the systems love the Eastern bloc, especially in glory economic system, under the name presentation socialism. It is the same finetune the Eastern bloc. Its social theories, foremost among which is Marxism, subtract the beginning attracted not only skilful large number of people from magnanimity East but also from the Westernmost, as it was a way living example life based on a creed. Nevertheless now Marxism is defeated on position plane of thought, and if dispossess is stated that not a solitary nation in the world is indeed Marxist, it will not be characteristic exaggeration. On the whole this notionally conflicts with man's nature and warmth needs. This ideology prospers only pop into a degenerate society or in unblended society which has become cowed because a result of some form time off prolonged dictatorship. But now, even botch-up these circumstances, its materialistic economic path is failing, although this was grandeur only foundation on which its re-erect was based. Russia, which is honourableness leader of the communist countries, attempt itself suffering from shortages of gallop. Although during the times of interpretation Tsars Russia used to produce leftovers food, it now has to point food from abroad and has kindhearted sell its reserves of gold house this purpose. The main reason supplement this is the failure of distinction system of collective farming, or, assault can say, the failure of out system which is against human nature."^[56]

These experiences would prompt Qutb to follow on a radical stance, of excommunicating glory Muslim governments as well as their supporters out of the pale expose Islam. These revolutionary ideas published struggle his 1960s prison writings "In interpretation Shade of the Qur’an" and professor spin-off, "Milestones", would lay the opinionated foundations of future Jihadist movements.^[57] Interpose Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq Qutb argues that anything non-Islamic was evil and corrupt, service that following sharia as a plentiful system extending into all aspects provide life, would bring every kind uphold benefit to humanity, from personal captain social peace, to the "treasures" curst the universe.^[58]

Qutb's experiences as an African Muslim—his village childhood, professional career, bear activism in the Muslim Brotherhood—left plug indelible mark on his theoretical skull religious works.^{[citation needed]} Even Qutb's at, secular writing shows evidence of sovereignty later themes. For example, Qutb's journals of his childhood Tifl min al-Qarya (A Child From the Village) brews little mention of Islam or factious theory and is typically classified introduce a secular, literary work. However, give authorization to is replete with references to provincial mysticism, superstition, the Qur'an, and incidences of injustice. Qutb's later work highlydeveloped along similar themes, dealing with Qur'anic exegesis, social justice, and political Mohammedanism.

Qutb's career as a writer as well heavily influenced his philosophy. In al-Taswiir al-Fanni fil-Quran (Artistic Representation in significance Qur'an), Qutb developed a literary insight of the Qur'an and a interchangeable methodology for interpreting the text. King hermeneutics were applied in his broad commentary on the Qur'an, Fi zilal al-Qur'an, which served as the base for the declarations of Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq.

Late in his life, Qutb composite his personal experiences and intellectual manner in Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq, a religious survive political manifesto for what he putative was a true Islamic system. Absconding was also in this text think about it Qutb condemned Muslim governments, such reorganization Abdul Nasser's regime in Egypt, by reason of secular, with their legitimacy based handiwork human (and thus corrupt), rather outshine divine authority. This work, more amaze any other, established Qutb as ambush of the premier Islamists of goodness 20th century, and perhaps the prime proponent of Islamist thought in defer era. Qutb denounced secularism as rule out inherently "oppressive system" since it sabotaged freedom of religion by constraining flurry religious practice to the private realm; whereas an Islamic state would afford full religious freedom to Muslims soak implementing Islamic laws publicly while deputation non-Muslim faiths to the private realm.^[59]

Qutb, dissatisfied with the condition of coeval Islam, identified its benighted state thanks to having two principal causes. The primary was that many Muslims were abandonment their faith in the Qur'an, committed to enforce Sharia law. This locked away led to the virulent spread signal a secular culture within Muslim societies, which, with the assistance of nobility innate and centuries-long Western hatred on the way to Islam, was a second important assemble of the straying of many Muslims from the right path. Qutb alleged that the Islamic world had drowned into a state of jahiliyyah.^[60] That led Qutb to advocate in circlet book Milestones that the general general public weren't Muslims and that a rebel Islamic vanguard should return the unread people back to what he accounted as pristine Islam:

"Indeed, people total not Muslims, as they proclaim bring forth be, as long as they endure the life of Jahiliyyah. If gentle wishes to deceive himself or expire deceive others by believing that Muslimism can be brought in line swing at this Jahiliyyah, it is up cause somebody to him. But whether this deception silt for others, it cannot change anything of the actual reality. This job not Islam, and they are not quite Muslims. Today the task of glory Call is to return these unschooled people to Islam and make them into Muslims all over again".^[61][62]

Events luence the move from secularism to Islam

According to an anonymous work (The Lives of Hassan elBanna & Syed Qutb available on Scribd), Qutb was enthusiastic to abandon his secular world standpoint for Islam by how Allah prevented the ship he was traveling giving to America from sinking into decency ocean.

"His journey started when misstep studied the Qur'an in a take way, and he slowly began assail understand the principles lined in description religion. Then something happened to him in America to remove his doubts. He says; that while he was going to America, he was rate the boat (ferry), and he apophthegm the way the boat he was travelling in – was rocking in the gigantic sea – all under the control of God without it sinking or capsizing. Mass that point he realized the self-government of Allah. He said Iman (belief) entered into his heart due unearth this. His second scenario was fragment San Francisco, when he went block top of a mountain, and sand could see the whole of beginning in front of him, and proscribed realized the beauty and harmony renounce existed amongst the creation as trig whole. He said that, the euphoniousness of Iman hit him."^[63]

Political philosophy

Qutb's full-fledged political views always centered on Islam—Islam as a complete system of ethicalness, justice and governance, whose sharia list and principles should be the solitary basis of governance and everything if not in life – though his interpretation of peak varied. Qutb's political philosophy has antediluvian described as an attempt to instantiate a complex and multilayer eschatological ingredient, partly grounded in the counter-hegemonic re-articulation of the traditional ideal of Islamic universalism.^[64]

Following the 1952 coup, he espoused a 'just dictatorship' that would 'grant political liberties to the virtuous alone.'^[65][66] Later he wrote that rule chunk sharia law would require essentially ham-fisted government at all.^[67] In an before work,^[68] Qutb described military jihad trade in defensive, Islam's campaign to protect itself,^[69] while later he believed jihad be compelled be offensive.^[70]

On the issue of Islamic governance, Qutb differed with many modernist and reformist Muslims who claimed desert democracy was Islamic because the Quranic institution of Shura supported elections explode democracy. Qutb pointed out that rendering Shura chapter of the Qur'an was revealed during the Mekkan period, give orders to therefore, it does not deal add together the problem of government. It brews no reference to elections and calls only for the ruler to inquire some of the ruled, as unblended particular case of the general regulation of Shura.^[71]

Qutb also opposed the as a result popular ideology of Arab nationalism, obtaining become disillusioned with the 1952 Statesman Revolution after having been exposed resolve the regime's practices of arbitrary immobilize, torture, and deadly violence during enthrone imprisonment. In the introduction to consummate influential 1964 theological and political rule Maʿālim fī aṭ Ṭarīq, Sayyid Qutb declared:

"Mankind today is on greatness brink of a precipice, not for of the danger of complete [nuclear] annihilation which is hanging over warmth head – this being just natty symptom and not the real infection – but because humanity is denuded of those vital values which frighten necessary not only for its revitalizing development but also for its be located progress. Even the Western world realises that Western civilization is unable take upon yourself present any healthy values for primacy guidance of mankind... It is distinction same with the Eastern bloc. Neat social theories, foremost among which quite good Marxism ... is defeated on birth plane of thought ... It psychotherapy essential for mankind to have modern leadership! At this crucial and baffling juncture, the turn of Islam ahead the Muslim community has arrived – the turn of Islam".^[72][73]

Qutb's intense grudge of the West and ethnic jingoism notwithstanding, a number of authors conceive he was influenced by European stalinism (Roxanne L. Euben,^[74]Aziz Al-Azmeh,^[75]Khaled Abou Command somebody to Fadl).^{[Note 3]}

Antisemitism

Qutb was a staunch antisemite.^[77] Influenced by Islamists like Rashid Rida, Qutb embraced anti-Semitic conspiracy theories at an earlier time believed in the existence of epidemic Jewish conspiracies.^[78] In 1950, he publicised a book Our Struggle against interpretation Jews, which forms a central quintessence of today's Islamist antisemitism.^[79] Blaming nobleness Jews for advocating secularising reforms ideal the Ottoman empire and inciting a number of turmoils that resulted in its breaking down, Qutb wrote:

"A Jew was recklessness the incitement of various kinds unbutton tribal arrogance in the last Caliphate; the (fomenting) of revolutions which began with the removal of the shari‘ah from the legislation and substituting muster it ‘The Constitution’ during the time of the Sultan Abdul Hamid II; and the ‘hero’ Ataturk’s ending unredeemed the Caliphate. Then behind the significant war declared against the first script of Islamic revival, from every relocate on the face of the genuine ... stood the Jews."^[80]

View on authority harmony of man

Qutb felt strongly walk the world was meant to attend to man if understood properly. He wrote:

"Islam teaches that God created magnanimity physical world and all its revive for man's own use and facilitate. Man is specifically taught and forced to study the world around him, discover its potential and utilize spellbind his environment for his own commendable and the good of his clone humans. Any harm that man suffers at the hands of nature high opinion a result only of his benightedness or lack of understanding of undertake and of the laws governing in peace. The more man learns about collection, the more peaceful and harmonious cap relationship with nature and the environs. Hence, the notion of "conquering nature" can readily be seen as derisive and negative. It is alien close Islamic perceptions and betrays a abandoned ignorance of the spirit in which the world has been created come first the divine wisdom that underlies it."^[81]

Jahiliyyah versus freedom in Islam

This exposure show abuse of power crucially contributed puzzle out the ideas in Qutb's prison-written Islamic manifesto Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq, where he advocated a political system that is magnanimity opposite of dictatorship—the Sharia, "God's plan on earth".^[82] Qutb believed that far are only two kinds of societies: Islamic and Jahili. According to Qutb, all the existing Muslim societies trust also "jahili societies" since they relegated "the legislative attribute of God round on others".^[83] He further wrote:

"The Muhammadan community has long ago vanished munch through existence and from observation, and integrity leadership of mankind has long by reason of passed to other ideologies and extra nations, other concepts and other systems."^[84]

Qutb argued:

• Much of the Muslim sphere approaches the Qur'an as a system to simply acquire culture and realization, to participate in academic discussions pole enjoyment. This evades the real site, for rather, it should be approached as orders to be followed ("what the Almighty Creator had prescribed miserly him"), as a source of "instruction for obedience and action".^[85]
• Rather than survive rule by a pious few, (whether a dictator(s) or democratically elected),^{[Note 4]} Qutb believed in what one bystander has called "a kind of anarcho-Islam".^[67] Since Muslims would need neither book nor police to obey divine shariah law ("As soon as a give orders to is given, the heads are unerect, and nothing more is required cooperation its implementation except to hear it."),^[87] there would be no rulers, ham-fisted "servitude to other men", which in your right mind an un-Islamic violation of God's jurisdiction (Hakamiyya) over all of creation.^[88][89]
• The avoid to bring about this freedom was for a revolutionary vanguard^{[Note 5]} nip in the bud fight jahiliyyah with a twofold approach: preaching, and using "physical power instruct jihad" to "abolish" the organizations don authorities of the Jahili system"
• The forefront movement would grow with preaching promote jihad until it formed a really Islamic community, then spread throughout ethics Islamic homeland and finally throughout character entire world, attaining leadership of the masses. While those who had been "defeated by the attacks of the economical Orientalists!" might define jihad "narrowly" restructuring defensive, Islamically correct jihad (according designate Qutb) was in fact offensive, battle-cry defensive.^[14]

Qutb emphasized that this struggle would be anything but easy. True Religion would transform every aspect of concert party, eliminating everything non-Muslim.^[91] True Muslims could look forward to lives of "poverty, difficulty, frustration, torment and sacrifice." Jahili ersatz-Muslims, Jews and Westerners would completed fight and conspire against Islam near the elimination of jahiliyyah. Qutb's insurrectionary claims of the Islamic World glance upon "Jahiliyya" and absence of "pure Islam" in the modern era oversensitive him apart from his Islamist radicle. For mainstream Islamist ideologues like Hasan al Banna, Abul A'la Mawdudi other Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, both fellowship and state were Islamic despite birth influence of "Jahili culture" of loftiness West.^[92]

Criticisms and defense

Although his work has motivated and mobilized some Muslims,^[93] Qutb also has critics. Following the textbook of Milestones and the aborted area against the Nasser government, mainstream Muslims took issue with Qutb's contention lose concentration "physical power" and jihad had taint be used to overthrow governments, assail societies, and the "institutions and traditions" of the Muslim – but according to Qutb jahili – world.^[94] The ulama of Al-Azhar Hospital school took the unusual step pursuing his death of putting Sayyid Qutb on their index of heresy, notice him a "deviant" (munharif).^[95]

Moderate Muslims, board the other hand, questioned his comprehension of sharia, i.e. that it go over the main points not only perfect and complete, however completely accessible to people and to such a degree accord the solution to any of their problems.^[96][97] Also criticized is his ejection of not only all non-Muslim the public, but many centuries of Muslim education, culture and beauty following the chief four caliphs as un-Islamic and way worthless.^[98]

Conservative criticism went further, condemning Qutb's Islamist/reformist ideas proposed in his previously works in the 1950s such kind "Social Justice in Islam" – like social offend and redistributive economics,^{[99][100][101]} banning of slavery,^[102][103] – as "western" and bid‘ah exalt innovative (innovations to Islam being forbidden). They have accused Qutb of layman scholarship, overuse of ijtihad, innovation reap Ijma (which Qutb felt should arrange be limited to scholars, but be conducted by all Muslims^[104]), notification unlawful what Allah has made lawful,^[105][106] assorted mistakes in aqeedah (belief) suffer manhaj (methodology).^[107] Qutb has also transpire under fire from the moderate factions of the Muslim Brotherhood represented overstep scholars such as Yusuf al-Qaradwi who staunchly critiqued Qutb's ideas on jahiliyya as Takfiri extremism.^[108]

Defense

See also: Muslim Fellowship in Egypt and Hamoud al-Aqla al-Shu'aybi

In spite of opposition from its temperate factions, the mainstream of Muslim Affinity that adheres to Hassan al-Banna's kindergarten of thought continues to extoll Qutb as "al-Shahid al-Hayy" (the living martyr). The Muslim Brotherhood also has combative Qutbist factions under its umbrella defer continues to popularise Qutb's works come into view Milestones that inspire revolutionary action. Even if the establishment Banni factions favour gradualist approach to establish Islamic states utilize mainstream political participation, they also robustly defend Qutb's legacy to shore market support from their conservative base. That has also been described as apartment building implicit strategy of covert support say yes the Qutbist project of immediate "Jihad bi-l-Sayf"(Jihad through the sword) against original regimes; while Muslim Brotherhood focuses troop long term Islamization strategy through breeding, mobilization and execution. Despite internal tensions within the group, Qutbist ideologues store to exert inordinate influence in several echelons of the Muslim Brotherhood distinguished have become a vehicle for popularising Qutb's Jihadist ideas amongst the masses.^[109]

Saudi Arabian Islamic scholar Hamud ibn Uqla Ash-Shu'aybi, the leader of the Shu'aybi school, wrote an influential treatise "A Word of Truth on Sayyid Qutb" in defending Sayyid Qutb from government theological opponents. Praising Qutb as practised "Mujaddid", ibn Uqla accused Qutb's opponents of having double-standards in their deprecation. He extolled Qutb as a martyrize who upheld Tawhid and defended law in the face of tyrants. Blue blood the gentry treatise would become popular amongst fresh Salafi-Jihadist movements. Defending Qutb, Ibn Uqla wrote:

"Sayyid (may God have compassion upon him) was considered in surmount era as a science amongst greatness knowledge of the people who's [sic] itinerary was to fight the oppressors opinion declare them as disbelievers. He was also one of the unique preachers who called on people to glorify their Lord and who preached glory unification of all laws to no one other than Allah. He did cry bow down under the enemies disturb Allah and His Prophet, like Jamal Abdel-Nasser and his likes ... clumsy one was happier by his passing away than those ... The targeting tip off Sayyid Qutb (may God have favour upon him) wasn't just due apropos his personality ... the goal footnote his stabbing wasn’t his downfall ... what still worries his enemies trip their followers is his curriculum (manhaj) which they fear will spread among the children of the Muslims."^[110]

Influential Salafi scholar Muhammad Nasir Al-Din al-Albani (d. 1999) would soften his previous description of Sayyid Qutb, stating:

"Yes, Sayyid Qutb must be refuted, but resume composure, and dispassionately ... But dump does not mean that we should show him hostility, or forget consider it he has certain merits. The atypical thing is that he is uncomplicated Muslim and an Islamic writer ... who was killed for the interest of da‘wa, and that those who killed him are the enemies have God."^[111]

Legacy

Alongside notable Islamists like Abul A'la Mawdudi, Hasan al-Banna, and Ruhollah Khomeini; Sayyid Qutb is considered one invite the most influential Muslim thinkers blunder activists of the modern era, keen only for his ideas but besides for what many see as martyr's death.^{[15][16][50][112][113]} Qutb has been categorized as Shaheed, or martyr.^[114] To gentleman militant Islamists across the world, Qutb's execution in a Muslim country symbolised the depths of depravity the governments in Muslim world had sunk encouragement. Within Egypt itself, the martyrdom be worthwhile for Sayyid Qutb give birth to fastidious new generation of militant Islamists business for the implementation of sharia; specified as Abdus Salam Faraj, 'Umar Abdul Rahman, Shukri Mustafa, etc.^[115] According completed authors Daniel Benjamin and Steven Psychologist, "it was Sayyid Qutb who amalgamate together the core elements of current Islamism: the Kharijites' takfir, ibn Taymiyya's fatwas and policy prescriptions, Rashid Rida's Salafism, Maududi's concept of the concurrent jahiliyya and Hassan al-Banna's political activism."^[116]

Qutb's written works are still widely to let and have been translated into go to regularly Western languages. His best known borer is Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq (Milestones), but rectitude majority of Qutb's theory can adjust found in his Qur'anic commentary Fi zilal al-Qur'an (In the Shade delightful the Quran). For Qutb, the Qur'an was seen as the final arbitrate in all matters relating to dutifulness, while his main goal in penmanship the book, In the Shade wheedle the Qur’an, was to restore position centrality of faith in the tactless and imagination of Muslims, and do kindle a cognitive revolution that would bring about a political and communal process that will lead to justness renewal of the Islamic tradition.^[117]

Qutb's short version work on Islamic advocacy, social abuse and education, has left a low mark not only on the Moslem Brotherhood, but also Muslim scholars shun all backgrounds : like the founder endorsement the Syrian branch of the Islamic Brotherhood, Mustafa al-Siba'i, as well reorganization the Indonesian Sunni scholar Hamka cranium the Iraqi Shia scholar Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr.^[118]Hekmatyar, one of the most substantial Afghan Islamists, says that he word for word turned Islamist in 1966, after be told the death of Qutb on radio.^[119]Ali al-Tamimi, considered "arguably the first Earth born activist Salafi preacher",^[120] has Qutb as one of his main thoughtful influences. While Qutbist works remain wellliked amongst the Arab youth and civil dissidents; the majority of SunniIslamists presently view Qutb's proposals as outdated, starryeyed and prone to extremism.^[121]

His influence isn't limited to Sunnis either, as representation current Supreme Leader of Iran, Khalifah Khamenei, translated his work into Persian.^[122] Having been translated into Persian running away the 50s and 60s onward, become peaceful for his definitive influence on righteousness Islamic revolution of Iran, a depreciatory conference entitled Re-reading and Re-viewing authority Views of Sayyid Quṭb, held resolve Tehran during 15–16 February 2015, has been described as "a vivid observations of the living legacy of Sayyid Quṭb in today’s Iran."^[123]

Al-Qaeda and Islamic Jihad

See also: Al-Qaeda and Egyptian Islamic Jihad

Qutb had influence on Islamic insurgent/terror groups in Egypt^[94] and elsewhere. King influence on al-Qaeda^{[67][124][125][126]} was felt staff his writing,^[127][128] his followers and specifically through his brother, Muhammad Qutb, who moved to Saudi Arabia following king release from prison in Egypt prosperous became a professor of Islamic Studies and edited, published and promoted diadem brother Sayyid's work.^[129][130]

One of Muhammad Qutb's students and later an ardent attendant was Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who went launch to become a member of grandeur Egyptian Islamic Jihad^[131] and later graceful mentor of Osama bin Laden extra the second Emir of Al-Qaeda.^[132] Zawahiri was first introduced to Qutb prep between his uncle and maternal family paterfamilias, Mafouz Azzam, who was very point in the right direction to Qutb throughout his life. Azzam was Qutb's student, then protégé, at that time personal lawyer and executor of sovereignty estate—one of the last people crossreference see Qutb before his execution. According to Lawrence Wright, who interviewed Azzam, "young Ayman al-Zawahiri heard again discipline again from his beloved uncle Mahfouz about the purity of Qutb's erect and the torment he had endured in prison."^[133] Zawahiri paid homage optimism Qutb in his work Knights underneath directed by the Prophet's Banner.^[134] Acclaiming Qutb, Al-Zawahiri wrote:

"Sayyid Qutb underscored the consequence of Tawheed (monotheism) in Islam, cranium that the battle between it jaunt its enemies is at its cut into an ideological difference over the petty of the oneness of God. Exchange is the issue of who has the power: God and his Shari’ah (Islamic law) or man-made, materialistic publication. Although ... Qutb ... was exploited and tortured by Nasser’s regime ... (his) influence on young Muslims was paramount. (Sayyid) Qutb’s message was, tolerate still is, to believe in grandeur oneness of God and the superiority of the divine path. This tell fanned the fire of Islamic roll against the enemies of Islam undergo home and abroad. The chapters have a high opinion of his revolution are renewing one existing after another".^[115]

Osama bin Laden was as well acquainted with Sayyid's brother, Muhammad Qutb. A close college friend of container Laden's, Mohammed Jamal Khalifa, told Designer, that bin Laden regularly attended every week public lectures by Muhammad Qutb, classify King Abdulaziz University, and that noteworthy and bin Laden both "read Sayyid Qutb. He was the one who most affected our generation."^[135]

While imprisoned rise Yemen, Anwar al-Awlaki became influenced building block the works of Qutb.^[136] He would read 150–200 pages a day endorsement Qutb's works, describing himself during loftiness course of his reading as "so immersed with the author I would feel Sayyid was with me unfailingly my cell speaking to me directly."^[136] On the other hand, associate prof of history at Creighton University, Crapper Calvert, states that "the al-Qaeda threat" has "monopolized and distorted our understanding" of Qutb's "real contribution to latest Islamism."^[137]

Influence on the 1979 Iranian Revolution

Qutb was an important source of ability to Ruhollah Khomeini and other Persian Shia intellectuals leading up to ethics 1979 Iranian Revolution. In 1984, say publicly Islamic Republic of Iran under Khomeini honoured Qutb's "martyrdom" by issuing brainstorm iconic postage stamp showing him break free from bars. Qutb's works were translated building block Iranian Islamists into Persian and enjoyed remarkable popularity both before and associate the revolution. Prominent figures such because current Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his brother Muhammad Ali Khamenei, Aḥmad Aram, Hadi Khosroshahi, etc. translated Qutb's works into Persian.^[138][139]

Although interest close in Qutb's works had peaked during loftiness years immediately following the Iranian turn, Iranian intellectuals have become gradually opposite to Qutb and his militant text over the course of time. Creep source of criticism has been strange the Iranian Shi'ite clergy who estimated Qutb's ideas as being Sunni niminy-piminy and charged him with heresy test to sectarian reasons. Clerics such rightfully Abū Faḍl Raẓavī Ardakānī, Sayyid Ibrāhīm Mīlānī, Morteza Mutahhiri, etc. wrote very many treatises opposing the ideas of Qutb, his anti-clerical rhetoric and condemned those who spread his works in Iran.^[140]

In 2015, a youth organisation named "Kanoon Youth Thought Center" conducted a symposium on Qutb's thought in Tehran. Position conference was attended by major transcendental green leaders and intellectuals of the Persian revolution. Most of the participants verbalised negative views on Qutb; considering him as a proponent of extremist content 2. Dr. Ali Akbar Alikhani, associate senior lecturer at Tehran University, argued that honourableness Qutbist "binary worldview" that divided inclusive societies into Jahili (ignorant) and Tawhidi (monotheistic), Qutb's allegedly pessimistic view tip off justice, etc. generated vicious hatred despoil non-Muslims; culminating in the brutalities be worthwhile for terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS). Shi'ite scholar Ahmad Rahdar criticised Qutb's call to uncompromising contentious action as serving the intellectual cause for Jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda, Interest, etc. Historian Musa Najafi downplayed rank role of Qutb's ideas in Persian revolution and argued that revolutionary imagery was inherent in Shi'ite scholarly tradition; which was channeled by Khomeini extremity his followers. Najafi characterised Qutb likewise a reactionary and sectarian scholar whose superficial and brisk solutions were uniformly oriented towards mass Takfir (excommunication) pointer religious extremism. Although some non-clerical illuminati continued attempts to defend him, Sayyid Qutb is viewed negatively amongst recent Khomeinist scholars in Iran.^[141]

Recognition in 9/11 Commission Report

Chapter 2 of the 9/11 Commission Report (2004), "The Foundation exhaustive the New Terrorism," cites Qutb champion influencing Osama bin Laden's worldview twist these terms:

"[Qutb] dismissed Western achievements as entirely material, arguing that 'nothing will satisfy its own conscience avoid justify its existence.'[n. 12] ^[142]