This entry examines the intellectual evolution of Sayyed Qutb, his contributions to political discourse, and his economic approaches. Qutb is widely regarded as one of the most influential Islamist thinkers of modern times. In his works, he developed a system of thought that criticized the impact of secular modernity on Islamic societies and aimed to rebuild the social, political, and economic aspects of Islamic civilization. Born into a middle-income family in Egypt, Qutb’s early focus on literary and social issues garnered him significant attention, particularly for his critique of Western thought and capitalism. In 1948, he traveled to the United States to study the American education system, which only served to reinforce his preexisting negative views of Western civilization. Upon his return, he began writing works defending the Islamic understanding of governance. The foundational concepts of Qutb’s political thought included “sovereignty” (hākimiyyah), “days of ignorance” (jāhiliyyah), and “holy war” (jihad). These concepts are systematically elaborated in his works, such as Fi Zilāl al- Qur’ān and Maʿālim fī al-Tarīq. His affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood ensured the influence of his ideas on the political and social levels. Qutb’s understanding of Islamic governance was not limited to the political system; economic issues also played an important role in this framework. Criticizing capitalism and communism as materialistic and unjust systems, Qutb defined the Islamic economic model as a system centered on social justice. According to him, Islam’s economic order acknowledges private property while emphasizing the equitable distribution of wealth within society. By emphasizing the concept of “social justice,” he criticized the concentration of wealth by a specific class and argued that Islam’s economic order does not adopt either capitalist individualism or communist collectivism. According to Qutb, the Islamic economy can be achieved through the prohibition of interest (ribā), the systematization of zakat as a factor that ensures social balance, and the state’s regulations to maintain economic balance. In this context, he saw Islam’s economic model as a “historical and moral imperative” and argued that economic justice could be achieved through the reconstruction of the social order within the framework of Islamic principles. However, his ideological perspective did not sit well with the Abd al-Nasser administration, which arrested him in 1954 and executed him in 1966.

Sayyed Qutb

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发表日期：

2025年

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Murat Ustaoğlu

摘要

This entry examines the intellectual evolution of Sayyed Qutb, his contributions to political discourse, and his economic approaches. Qutb is widely regarded as one of the most influential Islamist thinkers of modern times. In his works, he developed a system of thought that criticized the impact of secular modernity on Islamic societies and aimed to rebuild the social, political, and economic aspects of Islamic civilization. Born into a middle-income family in Egypt, Qutb’s early focus on literary and social issues garnered him significant attention, particularly for his critique of Western thought and capitalism. In 1948, he traveled to the United States to study the American education system, which only served to reinforce his preexisting negative views of Western civilization. Upon his return, he began writing works defending the Islamic understanding of governance. The foundational concepts of Qutb’s political thought included “sovereignty” (hākimiyyah), “days of ignorance” (jāhiliyyah), and “holy war” (jihad). These concepts are systematically elaborated in his works, such as Fi Zilāl al- Qur’ān and Maʿālim fī al-Tarīq. His affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood ensured the influence of his ideas on the political and social levels. Qutb’s understanding of Islamic governance was not limited to the political system; economic issues also played an important role in this framework. Criticizing capitalism and communism as materialistic and unjust systems, Qutb defined the Islamic economic model as a system centered on social justice. According to him, Islam’s economic order acknowledges private property while emphasizing the equitable distribution of wealth within society. By emphasizing the concept of “social justice,” he criticized the concentration of wealth by a specific class and argued that Islam’s economic order does not adopt either capitalist individualism or communist collectivism. According to Qutb, the Islamic economy can be achieved through the prohibition of interest (ribā), the systematization of zakat as a factor that ensures social balance, and the state’s regulations to maintain economic balance. In this context, he saw Islam’s economic model as a “historical and moral imperative” and argued that economic justice could be achieved through the reconstruction of the social order within the framework of Islamic principles. However, his ideological perspective did not sit well with the Abd al-Nasser administration, which arrested him in 1954 and executed him in 1966.