Islamic History: Sayyid Qutb

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It's always a good idea to understand a groups history if you intend to understand the group. Much of what we are seeing today is an extension of Sayyid Qutb's ideology via Ayman Zawahiri and Osama Bin Laden.

wikipedia wrote:

Political philosophy
Whether he esposed dictatorship, or later rule by Sharia law with essentially no government at all, Sayyid Qutb's mature political views always centered on Islam - Islam as a complete system of morality, justice and governance, whose Sharia laws and principles should be the sole basis of goverance and everything else in life. On the issue of Islamic governance, Qutb differed with many modernist and reformist Muslims who claimed democracy was Islamic because the Quranic institution of Shura supported elections and democracy. Qutb pointed out that the Shura chapter of the Qur'an was revealed during the Mekkan period, and therefore, it does not deal with the problem of government. [13] It makes no reference to elections and calls only for the ruler to consult some of the ruled, as a particular case of the general rule of Shura [14] and argued a `just dictatorship` would be more Islamic. [15]. But above all, Qutb's interest was in a complete Islamic system, covering law, culture, manner, values, etc., rather than merely the political state.

When the 1952 Revolution occured Qutb and the Brethren initially supported it, seeing the old monarchy as immoral and subservient to British imperialism. However, he soon distanced himself from the new government headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser when it became apparent the regime was to be a secular Arab nationalist one that had no intention of implementing Sharia law. Qutb's incarceration in prison gave him witness to the cruelty of this new nationalist regime in the form of arbitrary arrest, torture, and deadly violence.

Legacy
Alongside notable Islamists like Maulana Mawdudi, Hasan al-Banna, and Ruhollah Khomeini, Qutb is considered one of the most influential Muslim thinkers or activists of the modern era, not only for his ideas but for what many consider his heroic martyr's death.

His written works are still widely available and have been translated into many Western languages. Qutb's best known work is Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq (Milestones), but the majority of Qutb's theory can be found in his Qur'anic commentary Fi zilal al-Qur'an (In the Shade of the Quran). This 30-volume work is noteworthy for its innovative method of interpretation, borrowing heavily from the literary analysis of Amin al-Khuli, while retaining some structural features of classical commentaries (for example, the practice of progressing from the first sura to the last).

The influence of his work extends to issues such as Westernization, modernization, and political reform and the theory of inevitable ideological conflict between "Islam and the West" (see Clash of civilizations), the notion of a transnational umma, and the comprehensive application of jihad.

In terms of politics, his theoretical work on Islamic advocacy, social justice and education, has left a significant mark on the Muslim Brotherhood (which is still actively involved in Egyptian politics and has related organizations in many countries around the world).

In terms of lives lost and property destroyed, Qutb's greatest impact has been through Islamic insurgent/terror groups in Egypt [12] and elsewhere. His influence on Al Qaeda was felt through his brother, Muhammad Qutb, who moved to Saudi Arabia following his release from prison in Egypt and became a professor of Islamic Studies and edited, published and promoted his brother's work. [23] One of Muhammad Qutb's students and an ardent follower was Ayman Zawahiri, who went on to be a member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad terror group [24] and then the mentor of Osama bin Laden. He paid homage to Qutb in his work Knights under the Prophet's Banner. [25]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayyid_Qutb

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