Sayyid Qutb (1906–1966) has long been known among Muslim scholars and in broader academic circles as an educator, a literary critic, a poet, a social reformer, and most importantly, as a radical Islamist whose influence has been widespread, both through his writings and through his status as a martyr. Since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, he has gained considerable notoriety as journalists and many scholars have singled him out as the progenitor of the theology of violence and terrorism being played out globally; specifically, he has been called “the intellectual father of modern Islamist terrorism” and even the “terrible ideologist,” who “inspired the wave of Sunni terror that is sweeping the world.” While it is generally recognized that Qutb is one of the main intellectual and spiritual fathers of most of the radical Muslim movements that have appeared since his time, I have been hesitant to give him too much “credit” for the activities of groups such as al-Qaeda. I will attempt here to explore the relationship between Qutb and current-day militant groups and determine where his influence lies and where it does not.
Purchase: Seasons Vol. 4, No. 1 | Autumn 2007
