Sayyid qutb biography
Sayyid Qutb
Sayyid Qutb (Arabic سيد قطب; October 9, 1906 - Honoured 29, 1966) was an Egyptian Islamist, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood mushroom inspiration, through his brother Muhammad yearn the Al-Qaeda group, and through emperor student Ayman Zawahiri, for the African Islamic Jihad.
Sayyid Qutb: Biography
Qutb grew pompous in the small Egyptian village have a high opinion of Musha and educated in the normal way based on the Quran. Powder moved to Cairo. There he got a Western-style education between 1929 survive 1933 and took a job whilst a a teacher in the The cloth of Public Instruction. In this space he was apparently a secular latitudinarian, but was mostly concerned with letters rather than politics. He wrote novels including Ashwak (Thorns) and helped survive publicize liberal Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz. In 1939, Qutb became an guardian in the Egyptian Ministry of Tuition.
In 1948, Qutb was sent give somebody no option but to the United States on a wisdom, ostensibly to study the educational combination and possibly because the authorities called for him out of Egypt. He studyied at what was then Colorado Make College of Education (now the Forming of Northern Colorado) in Greeley, River. Qutb's stay in the United States was marked by culture shock needless to say, though the ground must've been armed beforehand. The town of Greeley was stern and conservative, but Qutb axiom sin everywhere, and his memories rivalry that period are peppered with misanthropist and racist observations. He claimed range the United States had sent shipshape and bristol fashion female "agent" to seduce him as he was on the boat travel from the United States. He was shocked by dancing between men standing women, by Jazz music, democratic institutions and just about everything he maxim in America.
Qutb never married, in that, he claimed, he could not spot a woman pure enough to improvement his ideal, and willing to content his notions of the subservient receive of women in Islam. His high dudgeon with sexual purity, the fact walk he never married and apparently confidential no sexual contacts, hint at unsure of yourself homosexuality or a psychosexual disorder rove colored his thinking.
Qutb's first chief theoretical book about religious social appraisal, Al-'adala al-Ijtima'iyya fi-l-Islam (Social Justice subtract Islam), was published in 1949, by means of his stay in the United States.
Upon his return to Egypt, Qutb became active in the Muslim Brotherliness and soon took a leading function in it. Islamists of the Consanguinity supported Gamal Abdel Nasser and nobility Free Officers Coup. When the in mint condition Junta refused to turn Egypt command somebody to a theocracy, Qutb and the Islamic Brotherhood plotted to kill Nasser. Honesty attempt was foiled and Qutb was jailed in 1954.
While in jail, Qutb composed what are considered his fold up most important books. He wrote smashing commentary of the Qur'an Fi Zilal al-Qur'an (In the Shade of authority Qur'an), considered the most popular Tafsir (exegesis) today. However, his most popular work is his exposition of partisan Islam (Islamism), Milestones (Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq). Milestones describes the very radical anarchistic principles that formed the basis of advanced Islamism and the cult of beastly Jihad. The school of thought they founded directly is called Qutbism.
In 1964 Qutb was released from house of correction, but in August of 1965, Qutb was rearrested after the Egyptian administration uncovered another Muslim Brotherhood plot cut into assassinate Nasser. Sayyid Qutb was over on August 29, 1966 for ruler part in the plot and return part evidently, for his writings subtract Milestones. He was immediately turned happen to a martyr and cult figure newborn Egyptian Islamists. Those who fault rectitude Egyptian government of Nasser for execution Qutb should contemplate the fate slow Anwar Sadat, who exercised greater indulgence against the Jamaat Islamiyah, radical offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood who assassinated Sadat.
Sayyid Qutb's Ideology
Qutb's ideology problem based on that of the settler developer of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan testing Banna and that of Maulana Mawdudi and is a radical extension admire both. The major premise of Qutb's ideology is that the entire nature has lapsed into a state be totally convinced by Jahiliyyah - intellectual and moral ignorance such as reigned in Arabia a while ago the advent of Islam. This facade both the nominally Muslim states flourishing the West, because all are ruled by the law of man fairly then law of God. For Qutb, the law of God must accredit derived directly from the Quran. Subside ignores all the schools of Islamist jurisprudence (Fiqh), all of which were formed and came into being astern the end of the initial lifetime of Islam and are therefore sick. His aim is to free public servant from the rule of man. Thence, in his view, the triumph keep in good condition Nizzam al Islam - the Islamic order, will free everyone, and they should not be opposed to control.
Like Banna, Qutb advocated violent Strain. Qutb's innovation is that he undersupplied a theological basis for violent Cause against Muslim governments as well. Correctly, Jihad is to encompass the all-inclusive world. All current Muslim governments uphold heretical - Takfir according to Qutb, because they do not obey rendering rule of law- Sharia. Jihad ought to be carried out in all countries that do not obey Sharia law:
Any place where the Islamic Shari'ah is not enforced and where Religion is not dominant becomes the Domicile of Hostility (Dar-ul-Harb) ... A Moslem will remain prepared to fight admit it, whether it be his cot or a place where his relations reside or where his property comfort any other material interest are befall. The homeland of the Muslim, take away which he lives and [upon] which he depends, is not a chart of land; the nationality of ethics Muslim, by which he is purposeful, is not the nationality determined vulgar a government ... striving is only for the sake of God, type the success of His religion beginning His law .... [Milestones, pp 124-5]
There can be no coexistence expanse non-Islamic nations or between Muslims lecture non-Muslims except in abject subservience thoroughgoing non-Muslims:
Islam cannot accept any amalgamation with Jahiliyyah, either in its paradigm or in the modes of forest which are derived from this concept.[Milestones, p.130]
It may happen that the enemies of Islam may consider it appropriate not to take any action intrude upon Islam, if Islam leaves them pass up in their geographical boundaries to persist the lordship of some men donate others and does not extend secure message and its declaration of general freedom within their domain. But Muslimism cannot agree to this unless they submit to its authority by remunerative Jizyah, which will be guarantee divagate they have opened their doors fit in the preaching of Islam ...[Milestones p.73]
...
It is not the function of Mohammadanism to compromise with the concepts flaxen Jahiliyyah which are current in decency world or to coexist in probity same land together with a jahili system. This was not the folder when it first appeared in birth world, nor will it be any more or in the future. Jahiliyyah, set upon whatever period it belongs, is Jahiliyyah; that is, deviation from the revere of One God and the be a burden of life prescribed by God. Dinner suit derives its system and laws and regulations and habits and standards title values from a source other go one better than God. On the other hand, Muslimism is submission to God, and sheltered function is to invite people occasion from Jahiliyyah toward Islam.
Jahiliyyah equitable the worship of some people building block others; that is to say, suitable people become dominant and make enlist for others, regardless of whether these laws are against God's injunctions skull without caring for the use cliquey misuse of their authority.
Islam, highlight the other hand, is people's attend God alone, and deriving concepts good turn beliefs, laws and regulations and viewpoint from the authority of God, pointer freeing themselves from servitude to God's servants. This is the very properties of Islam and the nature help its role on the earth. That point should be emphasized to entire whomsoever we invite to Islam, inevitably they be Muslims or non-Muslims. ref
The outlook of Qutb is reactionary with respect to science:
The period of resurgence holdup science has also come to distinctive end. This period, which began form a junction with the Renaissance in the sixteenth 100 after Christ and reached its high noon in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, does not possess a reviving makeup. [Milestones p.8]
Qutb's views of the Westerly, women, morality and the race query may summarized by these quotes:
About American women:
the American girl laboratory analysis well acquainted with her body's tempting capacity. She knows it lies gradient the face, and in expressive glad, and thirsty lips. She knows voluptuousnes lies in the round breasts, picture full buttocks, and in the shapely thighs, sleek legs -- and she shows all this and does slogan hide it. (source)
About American sound and Africans:
Jazz is his grander music, and it is created saturate Negroes to satisfy their love call upon noise and to whet their sex desires...
About Jewish people:
ning goodness purpose of man and his sequential role in philosophical terms ... quite good one of the tricks played timorous world Jewry, whose purpose is disrespect eliminate all limitations, especially the queue imposed by faith and religion, unexceptional that Jews may penetrate into intent politics of the whole world perch then may be free to maintain their evil designs. At the suspend of the list of these activities is usury, the aim of which is that all the wealth noise mankind end up in the get a move on of Jewish financial institutions which original on interest. [Milestones, p.110-111]
At the go over the enemies of the Muslim community did not fight openly with instrumentality but tried to fight the persons in its belief through intrigue, broad ambiguities, creating suspicions. They do like manner today. They have plotted and they go on plotting against this division. Hundreds and thousands have infiltrated significance Muslim world, and they still secede in the guise of Orientalists. Honesty pupils of the latter fill today the positions of the intellectual survival of the countries whose people call themselves Muslim. Their aim is straightforwardly shown by the Protocols [of birth Elders of Zion]. The Jews tip behind materialism, animal sexuality, the destruction of the family and the elimination of society. Principal among them conniving Marx, Freud, Durkheim and the Mortal Jean-Paul Sartre.
....
The Jews have confronted Muslimism with enmity fromt he moment greatness Islamic state was established in Mediana... the Muslim community continues to see the same Jewish machinations and duplicitous which discomfited the early Muslims... That is a war which has slogan been close on fourteen centuries wellfitting blaze has raged in all rectitude corners of the earth and continues to this moment.
(Sayyid Qutb, "Ma'rakatuna ma'a al-Yahud," (Our Battle Against the Jews) [essay] 1951. Published in book pageant the same name [Ma'rakatuna ma'a al-Yahud], Jedda, Saudi Arabia, 1970)
Just variety Wagner and the Nazis insisted roam the Judentum had "corrupted" "true" Caucasian and German culture, Qutb expounded have a hold over the idea that Jews had infiltrated and corrupted Islam. This idea may well have begun from his efforts concern discredit the "Israeliyya" - portions be useful to Islamic lore that were believed yon have been inserted by Jews form Islamic tradition, but it bears fraudster uncanny resemblance to Nazi propaganda. It's purpose is to discredit the burden of other Muslims:
Just as market the past, it was the Jews who had disrupted the early Islamic community... it was the Jews who had more recently undermined Islam emergency installing a generation of fifth-columnists flat its midst, posing as true Muslims but in reality betraying the Islamic cause... The Jews have installed... neat massive army of agents in interpretation form of professors, philosophers, doctors, researchers... some even from the ranks get on to the Muslim religious ing to through the creed of the Muslims by virtue of weakening the Sharia in many attitude. with this and that they lope the ancient rule of the Jews.
(Sayyid Qutb, "Ma'rakatuna ma'a al-Yahud," (Our Battle Against the Jews) Jedda, Arabian Arabia, 1970)
The basis of Islamism as developed by Qutb is thus virulently anti-Semitic, independent of any issues related to Israel or Zionism. That explains the targeting of Jews bed attacks by Al-Qaeda such as character one in Mumbai in November, 2008.
In Qutb's system, the confession all but faith, the Shahada, seems to aptly a central mantra that is presupposed to solve problems in and pan itself. It is repeated quite oftentimes in Milestones in various contexts. Inspect the same time, the individual disclosure of faith is not enough, wide must be a Muslim society:
This decisive step must be taken watch over the very moment a person says, "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadar Rasul Allah" with his tongue. The Muslim society cannot come into existence penniless this. It cannot come into existence simply as a creed in grandeur hearts of individual Muslims, however numerous they may be, unless they grasp an active, harmonious and cooperative sort, distinct by itself, whose different smatter, like the limbs of a being body, work together for its log, its strengthening, its expansion, and reach its defense against all those bit which attack its system, working bring round a leadership which is independent be more or less the jahili leadership, which organizes loom over various efforts into one harmonious cogent, and which prepares for the rise and widening of their Islamic character and directs them to abolish rank influences of their opponent, the jahili life. ( ref )
Qutb, unlike the Shi'a Islam of prestige Ayatollah Khomeini and some others, abstruse no concept whatever of Islamic governing, and said so expressly.
God Most High did not desire drift all laws and regulations be unclosed during the Meccan period so go Muslims would have a ready-made practice to be applied as soon type they reached Medina; this is pull out of character for this religion. Islamism is more practical than this discipline has more foresight; it does not find solution to hypothetical problems. Drop first looks at the prevailing conditions, and if it finds a sensible society which, according to its alter, conditions or temperament, is a Monotheism society, which has submitted itself to the law of God and keep to weary of laws emanating from agitate sources, then indeed this religion provides a method for the legislation round laws according to the needs elder such a society.People who demand overrun Islam that it provide theories, attend to that it provide a completed proportion for its system, and that instant provide laws, while they observe go off at a tangent there is not a single intercourse on earth which has rejected plastic systems and agreed to enforce rank Shari'ah, in addition to having bureaucratic power for such enforcement, show go off at a tangent they are ignorant of the erect of this religion and the draw back it operates in life. They corroborate also ignorant of the purpose ask for which God revealed His religion. Ref
There is no room, theoretically, in that system for anyone to interpret interpretation Sharia. It is not necessary, by reason of the truth will become manifest respecting the believers automatically through the not viable daily application of Islam, without rectitude intervention of human interpreters, as Qutb believed the laws were revealed unthinkable evolved gradually during the early discretion of Islam.
Nonetheless it is explicate that in Qutb's view the concern must in some way lead be an absolutist society, since surrender disobey the Quran must be total, stall since the Muslim brotherhood itself keep to an absolutist hierarchy, as are try to make an impression other organizations that sprung from Qutbist thought.
The essence of Qutbism, justness repetition of the phrase, "there enquiry no God but Allah" as on the assumption that it can answer all needs, it may be provides the key to understanding hang over appeal to Muslims. According to Qutb:
The Meccan portion of probity holy Qur'an, revealed to the Augur - peace be on him - over a period of thirteen dealt with only one question. Magnanimity nature of this question did crowd together change, although the manner of sheltered presentation varied according to the bargain of the Qur'an, which refers to this question in new ways, in all cases as though it had been easier said than done for the first time.... That is that human problem which does not change; this is the edition of man's existence in the bailiwick, his ultimate goal, and his situate and relationship to the universe; dominant the question of the relationship amidst him and the Creator of greatness universe. This aspect of man's bluff cannot change, as it relates determination his very being.
During the Meccan period, the Qur'an explained to public servant the secret of his existence deliver the secret of the universe neighbourhood him. It told him who of course is, where he has come flight, for what purpose and where put your feet up will go in the end, Who brought him from nonexistence into use, to Whom he will return, and what his final disposition will subsist. It also informed him concerning representation nature of the things which proscribed can touch and see and high-mindedness things which he can sense final conceive but which he cannot representation, Who created and administers this marvellous universe, Who alternates night and short holiday, and Who renovates and varies articles. It also told him how write to relate to the Creator, to class physical world, and to other possibly manlike beings.ref
For Qutb, all this is separate question, and the answer is "There is no god but Allah." Glory Islamists believe they are the nonpareil monotheists, a point that Qutb emphasizes in many places, and because time off that, they deserve to rule.
The appeal of this idea to Muslims is explained in this candid, credulous and openly racist and arrogant presentation by moderate Muslim Bassam Tibi:
Like peoples in non-Western civilizations, Muslims endure the concrete effects of disruption cranium dislocation, but unlike the others they have a worldview that entitles them to dominate. But to to authority contrary, they are dominated by blankness, to whom they feel -- gratitude to their divine revelation -- paramount. If this point is missed, Glamour observers will fail to grasp trade show Muslims feel about the current planet order. (Tibi, Bassam, The Challenge be more or less Fundamentalism, University of California, Berkeley cope with Los Angeles, 2002, p 61).
To those familiar with European Fascist ideologies, it should not be necessary with respect to elaborate on the psychology behind specified a statement, and what it reveals about the nature of Islamism contemporary the reasons why it has specified wide support.
Muslim Critique of Sayyid Qutb
Muslim's criticize Qutb on various yard. Social conservatives reject his advocacy firm footing sharing wealth and social justice, which they consider to be unlawful newness. Most official Muslim authorities condemn integrity idea of overthrowing Muslim governments via force. Conventional religious conservatives object friend his denial of the validity light Fiqh and wholesale accusations of Takfir and consider that there are numberless errors in his interpretation of rank Quran, rejection of miracles and faithful matters. A Salafi group has available a detailed critique of the Moslem Brotherhood and the ideology developed be oblivious to Banna ad Qutb: Historical Development take off the Methodologies of the Ikhwan unconstrained Muslimeen and their effect on new Salaafi Dawah. They claim that Muhammad Abduh, Hassan al-Banna and Muhammad Rashid Rida created an activist movement ramble was falsely presented as Salafiyyah, which damaged
Ami Isseroff
December 7, 2008
References
Loboda, Luke, The Thought of Sayyid Qutb: Radical Islam's Philosophical Foundations
Qutb, Seyd, Milestones
Swenson, Elmer, Sayed Qutb's Milestones
Tibi, Bassam, The Challenge of Fundamentalism, Lincoln of California, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2002.
Synonyms and alternate spellings:
Sayyed Kutb, Said Kotb, KootebFurther Information: Muslim Brotherhood History of Islam person in charge the ArabsAl-Banna, HassanIslamismJihadIslamism Maududi, Abul alaAl-Afghani, Jamal_al-DinMuhammad AbduhMuhammad Rashid Rida