On the Subject of Sayyid Qutb

Radical Reform

2009-03-05T14:22:00.000-08:00

I believe this is the single most important text I have read to contextualize Sayyid Qutb all semester. This book gives a succinct description of how different forms of Qur’anic interpretation arose, and how they are accepted or rejected in current scholarly circles. I especially like the point which is made at the beginning that assumptions that the Qur’an comes from one person at one point in time involves two dangerous shortcuts: one to assumer that texts are not read dogmatically, and two utilizing a historical method to analyze the Qur’an and to treat it historically, a method taken from Christianity. This is especially interesting because Qutb engages in both of these activities; he interprets the Qur’an as being historically accurate and in doing so he interprets it in a very dogmatic way. In his book Milestones his dogmatic approach entirely shapes and justifies his reading of the Qur’an. In addition Qutb rejects all Islamic writings after the Qur’an, which he says are tainted in Jahillyah. However, from this article, it is demonstrated that the subsequent expansions on the Qur’an are actually based primarily in facts, and are an attempt to preserve the original word of the Qur’an. From this, one might even make the suggestion that in reality it is Qutb whose interpretation is based in Jahillyah. While traditions such as faqhi are purposed and based solely on architectures meant to preserve Qur’anic ideals, Qutb simply attempts to begin with a blank slate and rebuild Islam upon his own interpretation.
I really enjoyed how this text focused on the individual efforts of some scholars to preserve Qur’anic ideals, and at the same time exposes other scholars as being overly interpretive of the Qur’anic texts. I have a hope to read this entire book, as it has been eye opening in terms of the history of the Qur’an and the subsequent interpretations of its writings.

Milestones Chapter 1

2009-03-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

Sayyid Qutb introduces his book as a revolutionary concept; the revival of a "original Muslim Community" to bring the world out of Jahiliyyah. Qutb takes a hard stance saying that the entire world, including Islamic faith, Islamic philosophy and even modern Islamic sources are components of Jahiliyyah. Qutb asserts that only the Qur'an and the Hadith are valid sources of Islamic knowledge, and subsequent writings not from this original "perfect" Islamic community are tainted by Jahillyah. He goes further to say that this book will be an examination of this orginal community, and he urges all Muslims to return to the ideals of this original community. Qutb's technique is subtle here, but he has effectiively rearranged Islam to be interpretable by only him and those who believe in this book. By stating that all material since the original Islamic community is Jahillyah, Qutb can in one broad sweep eliminate all of the previous commentaries and writings on Islam, and impose his interpretation as the one true interpretation of the Qur'an. In addition, he has expanded the term of Jahillyah to encompass all of society (something I touched on in my previous blogs) which explains how his ideals can be used to justify any renunciation or attack of almost any other social group. One thing which Qutb does not consider, however, in his discussion is that the Qur'an, which he is deeming the only source of Islamic knowledge, maintains a special status for the "people of the book". This is an interesting side note because Qutb does not consider in his broad sweeping claim of Jahillyah that people of the book cannot be characterized in this way according to the Qur'an, and therefore his argument is null in their case. This is important because some of his claims later in the book make direct attacks upon Christianity and Judaism, and yet he has completely ignored in his first argument the fact that they are protected by the Qur'an.

Qur'an Sura 2 Verse 30

2009-02-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

Tabari makes some interesting comments on the this verse of the Qur'an. His exposition focuses primarily on the importance of certain words, especially the word khalifa. There are several opinions on what God meant when he said that he would place a khalifa on earth. Some opinions are that the khalifa was Adam, and that God placed him on earth as a test for the Angels. Others claim that this refers to the first caliphe placed on earth, the original bearer of the word of Islam. However, all the opinions do agree to that the khalifa refers to man, and many of them agree that God placed them on earth as a test for either the angels or as a possible trial for the Jinn, however there is no doubt in any of the expositions that khalifa will "cause damage bloodshed". The explanations for this vary, but in general, as stated above, the khalifa is seen as a test for one group or another.
Sayyid Qutb, on the other, takes a wholly different approach to this passage. He states that this passage demonstrates the superiority of mankind, and that the khalifa represents the pinnacle of God achievements. Further he states that this verse demonstrates how all beings must prostrate to man.
This is an interesting passage because Qutb throws out all classic translations of this passage, and rewrites to fit his own personal views. Further more, he is almost delusional in believing that this passage is for the glorification of mankind. All the classical translations and even the passage itself states the khalifa is a test subject more than anything, and that it will cause bloodshed and violence. No where does it states that mankind is God's greatest creation.

Sura 14: Ibrahim

2009-02-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed Qutb's exposition on this Sura because it began to give me an idea of he treats and addresses the West as singularly hostile to Islam. He pulls from the Sura this following line: 'The unbelievers said to their [God's] messengers: "we shall most certainly expel you from our land, unless you return to our [religious] ways".' From this, Qutb makes an interesting observation about jahilyyah. He states that jahilyyah does not refer to any group or particular section of society, rather Qutb says that it is a state of mind, with its main affliction being a belief in a non-God "godhead". Qutb says that when people put their faith in those other than God, they fall into a state of jahilyyah. In this case, he is referring specifically to the Islamic "God" identity, and not any monotheistic ideal of God. This has several interesting implications, especially in reference to America. For instance, the acceptance of God in his various forms in all of the various forms of religion, makes all those who believe these alternative views a part of jahilyyah. Further though, even Muslims living in acceptance or in conjunction with these other groups make them a part of jahilyyah.
The reason this is especially interesting is because of the characteristics that Qutb believes all jahilyah-istic societies possess. He states in his commentary that "it [jahilyyah society] threatens with brute force [against Islam]" which is why Islam will, and must defeat those societies which support these ideals.
To be honest I have been reading Qutb's commentary in the hope, and the belief that I would find opinions such as this from him. However, this in no way means that I was looking for "terrorist" propaganda or anything of that sort. What I mean by finding what I was looking for is that I found the operative definition which Qutb uses for jahilyyah. This definition will serve extremely useful in analyzing his future works, because it explains how he can apply jahilyyah so easily and freely to different situations and groups of people.

John

On the Subject of Predestination and God.

2009-02-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

Sayyid Qutb, in his exposition on the 8th Sura of the Qur'an, that concepts of Evolution and biological development are false because it impossible for these things to be based off chance. He quotes a physicist, Sir James Jeans, saying that man is too haughty in his assumption that the world is only dictated by natural law. Sir James states that humans believe they can predict the outcome of life or occurrences, because they assume that A always leads to C (one beginning, one result). He asserts, however, that A can lead to B,C,D, or E, and this randomness is the reason why we cannot predict the future. Furthermore, Sir James purports that because situations cannot be predicted, and have so many varying outcomes, there cannot but help to be a God of some sort. Qutb uses this as justification for why God must exist, but he expands upon it, claiming that this demonstrates the ignorance of the west, claiming that all scientific knowledge is false because of Sir James' concept. This seems to me a hypocrisy; in several other writings by Qutb, which I have spoken of in my other posts, Qutb has made it apparent that he holds scientific knowledge in high regard. How can he claim to embrace modern medicine while defaming the science behind it? In my opinion, Qutb seems to be radicalizing in this passage simply as a revolt against Western society in general, and falls into language that weakens his position by contradicting beliefs he has discussed earlier.

Sura 8: In the shade of the Qur'an

2009-01-27T18:31:00.000-08:00

I have just finished about half of Sayyid Qutb's exposition on sura 8 of the Qur'an, and felt that I needed to make several quick notes about my reading thus far.
Primarily I found the first half of this exposition interesting because of Qutb's discussion of the assistance of Angels at the battle of Badr. As in a child in the village, Qutb believes that there is a real presence of supernatural beings in this case. For him, the Angels were not a metaphor for God's assistance, they were literally at the battle! In addition, he makes the assertion that whenever the muslim community rallies together to fight against jahillyah, that God will send angels to defend them. This continued belief in superstitious figures is highly interesting, and I will continue to explore it as I finish this exposition on sura 8.

One more quick point which I will expound upon later, Qutb once again makes note of modern science to defend the position of God, this time calling upon the notes of Sir James Jeans, an English physicist to justify why there must be a god. In short, he claims there must be a God because human beings cannot predict the future. More on this subject in the next post.
John

The Afrit and Qutb

2009-01-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

One of the most interesting aspects of A Child from the Village me is Qutb's disscusion of the Afrit (more commonly known in western society as the Jinn, or Genie). He writes of the irrational terror that he and many of the people of his village share in regards to the supernatural. There was a common belief when he was growing up that the accidents and deaths of any of the villagers was caused by the Afrit and that these Jinn haunted specific places in the village. This is interesting not only because it reflects a superstitious community, which will play an important role in Qutb's informal education, but it also reflects a faith in mystical ideals and teachings, and a rejection of more modern ideals (it should be remembered that the time frame of this book is the early 20th century, not the medieval period). This will become a point of conflict for Qutb as he develops.

As he grows older, Qutb realizes, with the guidance of his school master, that the jinn are merely a superstition and have no real impact on the world. Qutb makes an interesting point in regards to a baby who was "possessed by an Afrit"; he states the true reason for the baby going into this fit and eventually dying was that the umbilical cord had been severed with a knife covered in tetanus, and the resulting seizures, discoloration, and death were due to the infection, not a jinn. I find this section particularly interesting because Qutb maintains a slightly critical tone towards those who claimed the baby was possessed; for Qutb, as he writes, it seemed so obvious to him that the baby was suffering a severe infection. This part is interesting because it demonstrates Qutb's knowledge of western medicine, and in my opinion, seems to demonstrate his acceptance of the rational law of medicine over any local superstitions. This acceptance of western ideals or practice is not typically seen from Qutb, in fact most of his writings are to the contrary; a complete and total rejection of all western beliefs based on the concept of jahilliya. However, this book was written before his sharp transition to fundamentalist Islam. It is strange even so to find a defense of western medicine in his book, and I hope to find some evidence, such as his letters from college, that may shed more light on why this aspect of the west was acceptable. Perhaps he did not even view it as western medicine, I have no evidence for this claim as of yet, but I hope to find more information on the subject.

A Child From the Village

2009-01-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

Qutb's first major work, a book which does not reflect his later radical Islamic theory, gives the reader a feeling bewilderment at times due to the nature of beliefs held by the people of the author's village.

I read Qutb's first work with a preconceived notion of what I would find; the indications or childhood experiences that might mark off the point at which Qutb found his calling to become the father of radical Islam. However, the book contains very little of these indicators, and barely touches on the idea of religion at all, except a small exerpt about how the public school was better than the Qur'anic school. What one finds in the book instead is a fairly simplistic, often times disjointed recount of a personal childhood. Qutb focuses on several strange memories from his childhood: a scene in which he and his schoolmaster capture an "ifrit" rabbit, a brief memory of a girl whom he found extremely attractive though he never spoke to her, an account of how his town put out fires. Though these memories are personally significant to the author, the reader is left at times feeling lost in the significance of the stories told.

Other parts of the book however are highly self reflective; Qutb allows us a unique perspective on his relationship with his mother and father. It also gives the reader a sense of how Qutb lived his childhood. Many of his stories show a shy young man, who is content in his books and inspired to learn. As will be discussed in the next post, one of the most interesting aspects of Qutb's life is how he feared the teachers of the Qur'an in his village, but was inspired to memorize the Qur'an, to beat the boys of the kuttab.

Next post on 1/24/2009

John