Sayyid Qutb expression and development on Islam
Sayyid Qutb’s Vision
Sayyid Qutb has been one of the most notarized writers of Islamic fundamentalism this century. He has inspired many of the radical Islamic movements of the 1970s and 80s in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and his ideas of an Islamic society have been used again and again. Qutb has also influenced numerous generations of Egyptian and Arab intellectuals who seek to understand Islam as an ideology first and foremost, and as an ideology that leads to changes in the social order. Qutb wrote most of his influential political works in the 50s and 60s, while he was frustrated with Third World state of Egypt, and Qutb sought to reinvent Egypt within the context of Islam. He considered Islam ¿ political Islam especially ¿ to be the only alternative to the ñills of contemporary Muslim societies.î(1) Although QutbÍs writings incorporate many topics, including educational reform, philosophy and more, his most notable writings were those about Jahiliyyah, and his fear that Egypt was falling into the grips of a Western spirituality. Qutb felt that Islam was in danger of spiritual imperialism from the West and he sought first and foremost to preserve it. Qutb believed wholeheartedly in the supreme nature of Islam, and he felt that he needed to use radical political tactics to achieve his ends. He used his power and influence with the Muslim Brotherhood to promote his agenda. I argue that Qutb was above all a realistic political theorist (rather than a theologian or a philosopher), who would stop at nothing to see his vision realized.
Qutb felt, first and foremost, that the Islamic way of life was the only way of life, and that the problems of modern Egypt stemmed from secular practices: ñIslam is a complete social system which is different in its nature and conception of life and its means of application from any Western or applied system in the world of today. Surely, Islam has not participated in creating the existing problems in todayÍs societies.
Sayyid Qutb has been one of the most notarized writers of Islamic fundamentalism this century. He has inspired many of the radical Islamic movements of the 1970s and 80s in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and his ideas of an Islamic society have been used again and again. Qutb has also influenced numerous generations of Egyptian and Arab intellectuals who seek to understand Islam as an ideology first and foremost, and as an ideology that leads to changes in the social order. Qutb wrote most of his influential political works in the 50s and 60s, while he was frustrated with Third World state of Egypt, and Qutb sought to reinvent Egypt within the context of Islam. He considered Islam ¿ political Islam especially ¿ to be the only alternative to the ñills of contemporary Muslim societies.î(1) Although QutbÍs writings incorporate many topics, including educational reform, philosophy and more, his most notable writings were those about Jahiliyyah, and his fear that Egypt was falling into the grips of a Western spirituality. Qutb felt that Islam was in danger of spiritual imperialism from the West and he sought first and foremost to preserve it. Qutb believed wholeheartedly in the supreme nature of Islam, and he felt that he needed to use radical political tactics to achieve his ends. He used his power and influence with the Muslim Brotherhood to promote his agenda. I argue that Qutb was above all a realistic political theorist (rather than a theologian or a philosopher), who would stop at nothing to see his vision realized.
Qutb felt, first and foremost, that the Islamic way of life was the only way of life, and that the problems of modern Egypt stemmed from secular practices: ñIslam is a complete social system which is different in its nature and conception of life and its means of application from any Western or applied system in the world of today. Surely, Islam has not participated in creating the existing problems in todayÍs societies.