the nature and practices of social justice in the view of...

The Nature and Practices of Social Justice in the View of Sayyid Qutb

ASYRAFHJ.AB.RAHMAN

ABSTRAK

Kertas ini membincangkan konsep keadilan sosial sepertimana dipelopori oleh Sayyid Qutb, seorang pemikir terkenal Mesir pada tahun 1960-an. Kegagalan sistem politik dan ekonomi, selain campur tangan orang-orang Inggeris terhadap sistem politik dan sosial masyarakat Mesir telah menambahkan lagi kekusutan apabila mereka mula merasai ketidakpuasan hati terhadap masalah semasa yang melanda negara. Pemahaman Sayyid Qutb tentang keadilan sosial ialah mencakupi semua elemen; aspek kerohanian dan material dan tidak hanya terhad kepada keadilan ekonomi semata-mata. Bersama beberapa orang tokoh sarjana Mesir seperti Najib Mahfuz, Muhammad al-Ghazali dan Imad al-Din Abd al-Hamid, Sayyid Qutb telah mengketengahkan cadangan penyelesaian dalam bentuk tulisan seperti buku, dan artikel-artikel jurnal. Analisis adalah dibuat terhadap buku-buku tulisan beliau seperti al-Adalah al-Ijtimaiiyah fil Islam, Ma’rakat al-Islam wal Ra’samaliyyah dan juga artikel beliau, al-Fikr al-Jadid bagi melihat kepentingan idea-idea tersebut dalam mengutarakan penyelesaian sosial secara praktikal dan realistik, sesuai dengan roh Islam dan situasi semasa umat manusia.

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the nature of social justice as enunciated by Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian prominent scholar in the 1960s. Failure of the political system, economic disparity, coupled with the British interference in many aspects of Egyptian socio-political life led to the so called ‘Egyptian disillusionment’ with the existing problems facing their country. Qutb’s notion of social justice is all embracing; spiritual and material life, and is not merely limited to economic justice. Together with other Egyptian intellectuals like Najib Mahfuz, Muhammad al-Ghazali, and Imad al-Din Abd al-Hamid, Sayyid Qutb managed to propose some alternative solutions in the form of writings including that of books and journal articles. Some major issues discussed in Sayyid Qutb’s works:’al-Adalah al-Ijtimaiiyah fil Islam, Ma’rakat al-Islam wal Ra’samaliyyah and his article al-Fikr al-Jadid, will then be analyzed as to see their importance in articulating some social solutions in a practical and realistic manner, in true accord both with the spirit of Islam and the contemporary human situation.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial 9 (Jun) 2006: 151-164

152 Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial 9

graduation,hebecameateacherandinspectorfortheMinistryofEducation,towhichhedevotedhimselffornearlyeighteenyearsuntilheresignedon18October1952(Hamudah,1990).

Qutb’swritingscanbedividedintoliterature,education,andsocio-economicandreligio-politicalthought.Hisworksonliteraturewerewrittenmainlyinthe1930s to1940s,andincludehisearlymajorworks,Muhimmat al-Shair fi’l-Hayah (Significanceof thePoet inLife)(1932)andseveralotherssuchasal-Shati’ al-Majhul(TheUnknownBeach)(1934),andal-Taswir al-Fannifi’l-Qur’an(ArtisticImageryintheQur’an)(1945).Qutb’sworksoneducationinclude’al-Qisas∑ al-Dini (ReligiousStories), andal-Jadid fi’l-Lughat al-cArabiyya(ANoveltyinArabicLanguage).

Qutb’swritingsonsocio-economicandreligio-politicaltopicsbeganafterWorldWarII,andhisfirstIslamicwork,al-cAdalah al-Ijtimaciyyah fi’l-Islam(SocialJusticeinIslam),waspublishedin1948.ThiswasfollowedbyMacrakat al-Islam wa’l-Ra’smaliyya(Islam’sBattlewithCapitalism)andal-Salam al-cAlami wa’l-Islam (IslamandUniversalPeace) in1951.TheseworksfocusmainlyonIslamasthesolutiontotheproblemsfacingsocietysuchassocialinjustice,corruptionandfeudalism.Duringhisperiodinprisonbetween1954and1964,Qutbwasable tocomplete thewritingofFi Zilal al-Qur’an (IntheShadeof theQur’an) togetherwithother Islamicbooks:Hadha al-Din(ThisReligionofIslam)(1955),al-Mustaqbal li Hadha al-Din (TheFutureBelongs toThisReligion)(1956)andKhasa’is∑ al-Ta-awwur al-Islami wa Muqawwamatuh(TheCharacteristicsandComponentsoftheIslamicConcept)(1960).

Amongallhisscholarlyworks,Fi Zilal al-Quranbecamethemostwidelycirculated. In 1964, hismost controversialwork Macalim fi’l-Tariq waspublished.ThisbookbecameoneofthemostimportantfactorsthatledtoQutb’sexecutiontwoyearslater,becauseitscontentwassaidtohaveexhortedpeopletoactagainstthecurrentgovernmentofEgypt.Macalim fi’l-Tariq,whichwasusedbytheregimeasthemainitemofevidenceinhis1966trialforconspiracytooverthrowtheregime.On29August1966,Qutbwasexecutedalongwithtwoothermembers of the Ikhwan, cAbd al-Fattah Ismacil andMuhammadYusufHawwash.Their execution sent the Ikhwanunderground for severalyears(AbuRabic,1984).

Qutb’scommitmenttoIslamandsocialjusticeemergedasaresultofseveralfactors; theQuran itself, and the surrounding environment that shapinghissocio-politicalthoughttowardsIslam.TheQur’anseemstobethesinglefactorthatledtoQutb’schangeofdirectionfromliteraryworkstothestudyofIslamasawayoflife.Besides,thesocialandpoliticalsituationinEgyptduringthe1940s,especiallyafterWorldWarII,hadalsocontributedtowardshisreligiousrealism.Thecountryslippedintoaperiodofincreasingviolence,andanarchy

The nature and practices of social justice 153

Muchhasbeensaidonthesocialissuesrelatedtothenatureofjusticeinhumansociety.Somewritersforinstance,evenwentfurtherbyhighlightingdiscussionsonrightsandroleofwomeninsociety,andhowtheirsocialpositionsaretreatednegativelyandtosomeextentsareprojectedintheliteratureasathoroughlysentimentalperson,rarelypiousandmoreoftentemptingotherstosin.

Thispaper thereforeshedssomelightsonthenatureofsocial justiceas

enunciatedbySayyidQutb,anEgyptianprominentscholarinthe1960s.Failureofthepoliticalsystem,economicdisparity,coupledwiththeBritishinterferenceinmanyaspectsofEgyptiansocio-politicallifeledtothesocalled‘Egyptiandisillusionment’withtheexistingproblemsfacingtheircountry.TogetherwithotherEgyptianintellectuals likeNajibMahfuz,Muhammadal-Ghazali,andImadal-DinAbdal-Hamid,SayyidQutbmanagedtoproposesomealternativesolutionsintheformofwritingsincludingthatofbooksandjournalarticles.SomemajorissuesdiscussedinSayyidQutb’sworks:’al-Adalah al-Ijtimaiiyah fil Islam,Ma’rakat al-Islam wal Ra’samaliyyahandhisarticleal-Fikr al-Jadid,will thenbeanalyzedas tosee their importance inarticulatingsomesocialsolutionsinapracticalandrealisticmanner,intrueaccordbothwiththespiritofIslamandthecontemporaryhumansituation.

SAYYID QUTB’S COMMITMENT TO ISLAM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

SayyidQutbIbrahimHusainShadhiliwasborninavillagecalledMushaintheAsyutDistrictofEgyptinOctober1906(al-Khalidi,1994).Qutbattendedthestateelementaryschool(madrasa)insteadofthetraditionalIslamicschool(kuttab)attheageofsix.Qutb’syearsatthemadrasawitnessedhisexcellenceinreadingandwriting.Ataveryearlyage,hemasteredimportantaspectsoftraditionalArabMuslimculture,suchastheknowledgeofArabic,syntaxandmorphology,whichenabledhimtobeintheranksoftheliterati(udaba’)inthe1930sand1940s(Musallam,1990).AtthistimealsoheshowedhiscommitmentbymemorizingsomepartsoftheQuran.Bytheageoften,hehadcommittedthewholeQurantomemory(hafiz)byhimself(Hamudah,1990).

In1921,QutbenteredKulliyatal-Mucallimin,apreparatoryandsecondaryschoolinCairo.Threeyearslater,hejoinedatwo-yearcourse,al-Fusul al-Tamhidiyya li’l-kulliyat al-Dar al-cUlum,(thePreparatoryHighSchoolofDaral-cUlum)beforebeingadmittedintoDaral-cUlum’sTeachersCollege1872whosefunctionspecificallytotrainstudentsasteachersofArabicforthestateprimaryandsecondaryschoolsandtobecamethefirstsecularinstituteforhigherlearning.Qutbsuccessfullycompletedhisstudiesin1933andobtainedaBAdegreeinArabicLiteratureandtheDiplomaCertificateofEducation.Upon


democracyintheirprograms.Qutbalsocalledthemtofocusmoreonsocialprograms, to correct the unequal distributionofwealth andpromote socialjusticetobenefitallEgyptians(al-Khalidi:1994).

AlthoughQutb’sarticleswrittenin1945advocatedsocial,economicandpoliticalreform,noneadvocated“Islamic”solutions.ItwasinOctober1947,afterhislongstudyoftheQur’ancoupledwithaconsciousnessofthenationalcrisis,didheestablish,withsomefriends,aweeklyjournal,al- Fikr al-Jadid(NewThought).ThejournalofferedIslamicsolutionstothesocialproblemsfacing the country. In addition, it attempted to bring people’s attention toIslaminsteadoffollowingcapitalistandcommunistgroups,whowereactiveinspreadingtheirreformativeprogramsfortheEgyptians.QutbwroteinthejournalthatthetimehadcometolooktoIslamtosolvethecurrentproblemsinapracticalandrealisticmanner,intrueharmonywithbothanIslamicspiritandthecontemporaryhumansituation(Musallam,1983,al-Khalidi,1994)Thejournal,however,didnotdescribeindetailtheIslamicmethodofachievingaliasingjusticeinhumansocialandeconomicwelfare,suchastheobligationtopayzakatetc.Rather, it focusedmoreona justdistributionofwealth inEgypt,relationsbetweenlandownersandworkers,andbetweenemployersandemployeesinregardtowagesandworkinghours(Musallam,1983).ThislackofanycomprehensiveIslamicsolutionwasperhapsduetotheshortperiodofitsappearance: itwaspublishedforonlysixmonths(October1947toMay1948)beforebeingcloseddownowingtomartiallawbeingdeclaredpriortothePalestinewar.Despiteitsshortlife,thejournalsuccessfullyachieveditsgoals.ThereformprogrammesadvocatedbythejournalopenedthemindsoftheEgyptianstotheneedtostanduptotheprivilegedeliteintheirsocietyanddemandsocialjusticeinthedistributionofwealth,individualownershipandsoon.AsHeyworth-Dunnewrites:

Thejournalpromisedtobeoneofthemostinterestingexperimentsofmodern times, as it offered some real contributions bysuggestingmethodswhichcouldbeemployedforthesolutionofsomeoftheacutesocialproblemsfacingtheEgyptiantoday.Theeditorsalsomadeittheirdutytoshowuptherealsituationamongstthepoor,bothinthetownsandinthecountry.He(Qutb)and his agents collected a number of detailed reports on thelivingconditionsoftheircompatriotsandpublishedthesewithphotographs(Dunne,1950).

Qutb’sreformprogramsdidnotendwiththedemiseof’al-Fikr al-Jadidin1948.Onthecontrary,hecontinuedhisactivitiesbycallingthepeopletoreturn to Islamfora solution to theircurrent socialandpoliticalproblems.Theappearanceofhislaterbookssuchasal-cAdalahal-Ijtimaciyyah fi’l-Islam(1949),andMacrakat al-Islam wa’l-Ra’smaliyyah (1951)areaclearindication


thatcametoanendonlywiththeoverthrowofthemonarchyandtheliberalnationalistregimebytheFreeOfficersinJuly1952.AsVatikiotisnotes,’‘theoldpoliticalgroupshadlosttheirhegemonyafterthelastwarpartlybecausetheyhadlosttheircontrolovertheorganized-andnotsoorganized-massesofcityfolk,theyouthinschoolsanduniversities,theincreasingnumbersofindustrialworkers,butmostimportantthesoldiers’(Vatikiotis,1969).

Thecontinuingbreakdownoflawandorderbetween1945and1952canalso be seen in the frequent assassinations and attempted assassinations ofpoliticalfigures that tookplaceduring this period.Victims includedPrimeMinisterAhmadMahir(1945),theChiefofCairoPolice,SalimZaki(1948),PrimeMinisterNuqrashi(1948),andtheSupremeGuideoftheJamaatIkhwanal-Muslimun,Hasan al-Banna in 1949 (Vatikiotis, 1969).Thus the decadeprecedingtheJuly1952militaryrevoltwasdominatedbyasenseofanger,grief,anddespairat theestablishedpolitical institutionsandtheirfailure tosolvethecountry’spressingproblems.Moreobviously,theseyearswitnessedQutb’sdisillusionmentwiththeprevailingpoliticalsystemofthecountry.TheBritishpoliticalinterferencealsodeterioratedthesituationratherthansolvingtheproblems.Thiscouldbeseenforinstance,intheappointmentofMustafaNahhasasthePrimeMinisterin1942(al-Khalidi,1994).TheBritishAmbassador,withBritishtanksandtroopssurroundingthepalace,forcedKingFarouqtoformanewgovernmentunderMustafaNahhas.ThisledtofrustrationamongWafdists,whorealizedthatsuchanappointmentandformationofthegovernmentwerebasedonBritishinterests.AsVatikiotiswrites:

NahhashadcometopoweronlybecauseBritainhadthreatenedthemonarchwiththeuseofarmedforce.Britainonherparthadsimplyconsidered that at that criticalmomentofherwartimepositionaWafdistgovernmentinEgyptwasthemostconsonantwith,andconvenientto,herinterest.TherewasnoindicationthattheBritishgovernmentconsideredtheWafdthebesthopeofagovernmentassuchforEgypt(Vatikiotis,1969).

Following this event,Qutb, like someof the otherWafdists, distancedhimselffromthepartyandtookanindependentpathbelievingthatthenewgovernmentandthoseassociatingwithNahhaswerepeoplewithnoconcernfortheEgyptiannation.‘Therearisefeelings(amongthem)thatBritainisacountrythatcannotbedefeatedandthepoverty(facingtheEgyptianmasses)isanendemicdisease.Theyarenolongerthinkingaboutreformativeprogramsforleadingthenewgeneration(toabetterlife)’(al-Khalidi,1994).Qutblatersearchedforanindependentliterarypath.Manyofhisarticleshaddemandedsocialandpoliticalreformsinthecountry.In1945,forexample,hewroteanarticleinal-Risalahmagazine,inwhichhecriticizedtheleadersoftheexistingpolitical parties,whomhe consideredmore inclined to demagogy than to


thesamewaythattheyco-operatedwithothercreaturesofGod.Qutb’spointherewasthataclearunderstandingoftheIslamictheoryoftheuniverse,whichviewshumankindasaharmoniousunityandpartofthelargerharmonyofthewholeuniverse,wouldenablepeopletoseeclearlytheirroleinlife.“WhenweperceivethiscomprehensivenessinthenatureoftheIslamicviewoftheuniverse, life andhumankind,weperceive also thebasicoutlinesof socialjusticeinIslam”(Qutb,1952).JusticeinIslamrequiresabsolutejustice(al-c adl al-mutlaq),regardlessofdifferencesincolor,sex,raceandbelief.ItunitedallhumankindintoonefaithinGod.Thismeansthatsolidarity,love,co-operation,andmutualunderstandingamonghumanbeingsonthebasisoffaithinGodwaswhatIslamsoughttoachievethroughitsteachings.

Islamicjusticeinhumansocialaffairsalsomeantjusticeandequalityinrightsandpunishment.Therefore,theindividual,thegroup,theparty,thenationaregovernedbyonelawwithonegoal,thattheactivityoftheindividualandtheactivityofthegroupmayproceedfreelyandallcanworktogetherwithoutconflict,directingtheirlivestoGod,theCreatoroflife.Thereisnofavoringofonepartyattheexpenseofanother,nofavoringoftheindividualattheexpenseofthecommunity,foreachhasrightsandeachhasdutiesinaccordancewiththenatureofjusticeandequalityprescribedinIslam(Qutb,1952).

Atthispoint,itcanbesaidthatsocialjusticeinIslamisnotmerelylimited

toeconomicsbut includesallaspectsofhumanlife,basedonfaith inGod.Thisis,ofcourse,inaccordancewiththenatureofIslamas“areligionofunitybetweenworshipandsocialrelations,belief(caqidah)and behaviour(suluk),spiritualandmaterialthings,economicandspiritualvalues,thisworldandtheafterlife,andearthandheaven”(Qutb,1952).

It seems here thatQutb’s early experience of searching for spiritualfulfillmentandthemeaningoflifegreatlyinfluencedthecontentofal-cAdalah.Itcompelledhimtoseethatthequestionoftheuniverse,lifeandhumankindwasvital, since it requiredhumanbeings tohaveaclearvisionabout theirlivesandthepurposeoftheirexistenceinthisworld.HisstrongemphasisonthisquestionwasevidenceofhisnewcommitmenttoanIslamicwayoflife.Qutb,however,didnotgiveadetailedexplanationofwhathemeantbehindhiscallingMuslimstoexaminingtheaboveIslamictheory(theuniverse,lifeandhumankind).DidhemeantocallhisfellowMuslimstoobservetheconceptofGod that includes an understanding ofGod’s attributes suchuluhiyyah,rububiyyahandhakimiyyahandtheirrelationtotherealizationofsocialjustice?ThisremainedunansweredbyQutbthroughoutal-cAdalahdiscussion.PerhapshispriorityatthisstagewastocallpeopletoreturntotheirIslamicrootsinsteadoffollowingblindlycapitalismandcommunismthatwerewidespreadinthesocietypropagatingitsideologies.

Inregardtothefoundationsofsocialjustice,Qutboutlinedthreegeneral


of this newphase inQutb’s intellectual career.Apart fromQutb’s generalIslamic solutions to the problemsof the country, the books exposed to theEgyptianstherealenemieswhohadcontributedtoitssocial,economicandculturaldeterioration.TheyincludedtheimperialistssuchastheBritishandtheFrenchgovernments,whomQutbregardedearlierasplayingacrucialroleinEgyptiansocio-politicalscenarios.

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ISLAM

Qutb’scallforanIslamicsocialsystemwasclearlymanifestinhisfirstbookonanIslamictopic,al-cAdalah al-Ijtimaciyyah fi’l-Islam,publishedin1949.Thebookdealtextensivelywiththesocial,economic,culturalandeducationalconditionsandpoliciesofEgypt,especiallyduringWorldWarIIandthepost-warperiod.

Al-cAdalahwasareflectionofboththecurrentsocialandpoliticalproblems

facingEgyptian society andQutb’s personal experience of living in suchconditions.Despite themanyviews and ideas expressed by contemporaryscholarsandwriters,especiallycommunistideology,tocurethesocialills,Qutbchoseadifferentpath,takingfromtheQur’anandtheSunnahoftheProphetpracticalexamplestodealwiththecurrentsituationinEgypt.TheversesoftheQur’anwereusedbyQutbtosupporthisideas,thusmakingtheQur’anhismajorsource.

In theopening remarksofal-cAdalah,QutbcalledallMuslims,and the

Egyptiansinparticular,toreturntowhatheviewedasthestored-upresourcesofIslamtoseekthesolutiontotheircurrentsocialproblemsandtorejectforeignideologiesderivedfromWesterncapitalismandcommunism.TheseforeignideologiescouldnotsolvetheproblemsoftheMuslimssincetheirprincipleswere in contradiction to the Islamicprinciplesof life,which combined thematerial and spiritual aspects of life basedonQur’anic teachings.Westerncapitalismandthecommunism,ontheotherhand,haddivorcedreligionfromtheworldlyaffairsofindividuals’lives.Asaresult,religionremainedinidealisolation,withnojurisdictionoverlife,noconnectionwithitsaffairs,andnoremedyforitssocial,politicalandeconomicproblems(Qutb,1952).

TurningtotheIslamicconceptofjusticeingeneralandsocialjusticeinparticular,QutbheldtheopinionthatonemustfirstexaminetheIslamictheoryofuniverse,lifeandhumankindtogainaclearunderstandingofthenatureofsocialjusticeinIslam.“ForsocialjusticeisonlyabranchofthatgreatsciencetowhichallIslamicstudiesmustrefer”(Qutb,1952).Therefore,humans,aspartofGod’screation,whoselivesconstitutedpartofthelivesofothercreationsinthisuniverse,mustco-operatewiththeirfellowhumansintheircommunitiesin


therulerinIslamisnotobeyedforhisownsake,butonlybecausehesubmitstotheauthorityofGod(Qutb,1952).

Qutb,however,didnotdiscusswhatshouldbedoneaboutabadrulerwhodidnotapplythe shariahlawsbutstillheldontopowerbyforcingotherpeopletoobeyhim.Didthismeanthatrebellionagainstsucharulertoreplacehimwithsomeoneelsewasnecessaryandpermissible?Whoshouldberesponsibleforremovingsuchabadruler?WasitthetaskofallMuslimsorcertainshura memberswhohadoriginallyappointedhim?ThesequestionsremainuntouchedbyQutb.

InhistreatmentofeconomicpolicyinIslam,Qutbwrotethatitaimedto

ensurethewelfareofbothindividualsandtheMuslimcommunity.Here,hedescribed indetailedelaborationon theconceptof individualownershipofproperty.ThiswaspermittedinIslamwithsomerestrictionsonhowtheownersincreasedandused theirproperty. In thiscontextQutb’spointwas that theindividualactedfortheproperty.Therefore,thepropertyinthewidestsensewasarightwhichcouldbelongonlytothecommunity,whichinturnreceiveditasatrustfromAllah,whowastheonlytrueownerofeverything(Qutb,1952).Thelawfulworkofanykindwastheonlypermissiblemethodofacquiringpropertywhilstusury,robbery,monopoly,theftandallotherthecrimesthatunderliecontemporarymeansofexploitationwereprohibited.Inthissense,obligationofzakatwasthebestexampletosolvesocialproblemsandfinallybringsocialjusticetohumansociety:‘suchassistancefromthe‘zakatistheultimatesocialbenefit,andconstitutesaguaranteeforthemanwhoiswithoutresources…theneedymustbehelpedinordertoavoiddestitution,inordertorelievehimoftheweightofnecessityandthepressureofneed,andthentosethimfreeforanoblerformoflife(Qutb,1952).

ItisimportanttonotethatQutb’snotionofeconomicswasmoreclosely

relatedtothemanagementofpropertyinIslam,whichcouldleadtothepracticalrealizationofsocialjustice.ThusanydetailsoftheIslamiceconomyanditssignificancewouldnotbegiveninal-cAdalah, since thenatureofthetopicitself,withwhichthebookdealt,didnotpermitanyfurtherexplanation.Moreoverasmentionedearlier,Qutb’sgoalinwritingal-cAdalahwastoexposetherealsituationinEgyptiansociety,whichheviewedasabetrayalofIslamicprinciples.Itisnosurprise,therefore,toseethathisnotionofeconomicsinal-cAdalahhadreceivedcommentsandcriticismfromsomenon-MuslimandMuslimwriters.Smith, for instance, disappointed at the lackof realistic constructionof aneconomicsysteminal-cAdalah,criticizedQutbforhislimiteddiscussiononusury(riba), whichdealtonlywithpersonaltransactionsbetweenindividualsandmadenomentionofindustrial loans(Fayyad,1977).Atthispoint, it isimportanttonotethatadetaileddiscussionoftheIslamiceconomywouldnothavebeenappropriateinthecontextofal-cAdalahorthecircumstanceswhich


principles that became the basis for its successful application: freedomofconscience,humanequalityandsocial solidarity.Heargued that themeansof realizing social justice andmaintaining its basis in society rested uponthe implementationof shariah law and its spiritual guidance in the humanconscience.Ashestated:

Thebasicprinciplesareco-operation,mutualunderstandingandharmonywithintheboundsoftheprogramofGodandHislaws.Ifsomeonedeviatesfromtheseprinciples,hemustbebroughtbacktothembyanymeans,becauseitismoreappropriatetofollowtheruleofGodintheuniversethantofollowtheindividualsandgroup’sdesires(Qutb,1952).

Tothispoint,theestablishmentofastronggovernmentalsystemofIslamwasnecessary.BesidesconsideringitsestablishmentasanindicationofMuslims’faithinAllah,Qutbsawthatonlythroughthestrongandrecognizedsystemofgovernment,wouldtheapplicationof’shariahlawbeeffective.Thisformofgovernmentwasuniqueinthesensethatitwasneitherderivedfromotherpoliticalsystemsandideologiesknowntotheworldtodaynordiditdependonthem.Thus,ifithadsimilaritiesfoundwithothersystems,this,accordingtohim,wasmorelikelytobecoincidental,sinceIslamhadchosenitsowncharacteristicpathandconcentrateditsattentiononalltheproblemsofhumannature.Qutbcriticized someMuslimwriterswho referredonly to the similarities of theIslamicpoliticalsystemwiththoseofotherpoliticalsystems.Inthissense,hecriticizedwriterssuchasDr.Haikal,who,insteadofacceptingtheuniquenessand independenceof the Islamicpolitical system, still regarded the IslamicworldastheIslamicempire.AccordingtoQutb,thediscussionofIslamanditsgovernmentcoverednotonlytothenumberofprovincesthatwereunitedunderthecentralcapital.TherewereotherprincipleswithwhichIslamwasverymuchconcerned,suchastheattitudeofthecapitaltowardstheprovincesandtherelationshipbetweenthetwo(Qutb,1952).

TheprinciplesofIslamicgovernment,accordingtoQutb,restedonjusticeonthepartoftherulers,obedienceonthepartofthegoverned,andconsultation(shura)between therulerand thegoverned.Justiceon thepartof therulermeantabsoluteimpartialityindealingwithpeopleunderhim,irrespectiveoftheirrank,colour,race,religiousbelief,orsex,sothatallcitizenscouldenjoylifeinajustsociety(Qutb,1952).

Obedienceonthepartofthegovernedwas,however,conditional.ItmeantthattherulerwastobeobeyedsolongasheobeyedGodandHismessengerandmanifestedsuchobedienceinpractice.Noobediencewasduetoarulerwhodidnotapplythe shariahlawingoverningthewholeMuslimcommunity,eventhoughhe(theruler)assertedthathewasadevoutMuslim.Thisisbecause


werenegativewherebothofwhichheregardedastherealobstaclestoattainingjusticeinhumansocialaffairs.ThiswasparamountinhislaterbookMa’rakat al-Islam wal Ra’smaliyyahwherehedevotedmostofthediscussiondescribingwhatcapitalismis.Aswellasdiscussingthemisdistributionofpropertyandwealth, unequal opportunities, bureaucratic corruption and the consequentpoorproductivity, thebookcontainsQutb’sattackagainst thoseoppressorsandexploiters(Tughat wa mustaghilun)andreligiousscholars(shuyukh)whosupportedexploitationandoppressioninthenameofreligion.Inhisview,theseso-calledprofessionalmenof religionnot only associated themselveswiththedictatorialauthoritiesofEgypt,but,atthesametime,accusedthereformgroupsandIslamicgroupsinparticular,ofbeingproponentsofcommunism,whichwasadangertopublicsecurity(Qutb,1993).Qutb’spointofdeparturewastopurifyIslamfromthosewhomheconsideredthetraitorsofreligion,sincetheirideaofreligionwasmorecloselyconnectedtotheirownsurvivalandpersonalinterest.

Inthechapterentitled“TheHerald’sCry”Qutbattackedtheparliamentary

systemofEgyptforservingtheinterestsofforeignpowersandneglectingtheneedsoftheordinarypeople.HesawthatjusticeonthepartoftherulersnolongerexistedinEgypt.Moreover,theassociationofreligiousscholarswiththecorruptgovernmentonlyworsenedthesituation.Hebelievedthatexposingthosewhoparticipatedincorruptionwouldatleastopenthemindofthepeopletotheirenemies,whohadlongexploitedthewealthofthecountryinthenameofreligion,democracyandequality.Theseideashadbecomemaskswhichhidthe realcontradictions inEgypt.Qutbclearlystatedhisaims inwriting thework:“ThedeteriorationinsocialconditionsfromwhichthepeopleofEgyptsuffercannotcontinue indefinitely…This isafact thatshouldbeknownbyall”(Qutb,1993).

AttheendofthebookQutbcalledonthepeopletoendthisintolerablestate

ofaffairsandputtheirtrustinIslamtosolvethecurrentproblemsfacingtheircountry.HereheclarifiedtheambiguitythatpeopleperceiveinIslamicrule:

IslamdoesnotmeanaretreatfromcivilizationintotheprimitiveruleofthedesertArabs.Neitherdoesitmeanthattheshariahwillbelimitedtomedievalrules,orthatpowerwillbeinthehandsofshaykhsanddervishes,orthatthegovernmentwillbedespotic,orthattextualsourcesofthereligionwillbeobscure.IfIslamrules,itwillnot,asmanyfeared,confinethewomantotheharem,norwillitbefanaticalinitstreatmentofminorities(Qutb,1993).

Despitehisawarenessoftheappealofcommunisminthecountry,QutbwasmoreconcernedaboutthedirectthreatofcapitalismandimperialismwhichhadspreadnotonlyinEgyptbutalsothroughouttheMuslimworld.


ledQutbtowritethebook.QutbadmittedthelackofacomprehensivereviewofIslamiceconomics:

For social justice in Islam is a greater thing thanmereeconomic theory, aswehave already seen, and it seemednecessaryfirsttodiscoverthegeneralteachingofIslamonsocialjusticeanddiscussthenature,thefoundations,andthemethodsofthisjusticeinthebroadestsensebeforeturningtothematterofmoneyitself(Qutb,1952).

At another instance,Mousalli’s viewdescribedQutb’s economicpolicyasclearlysocialist,for“heallowsprivateenterprisebutpermitsthestatetocontroltheeconomywhennecessaryortodispossessitscitizenswhentheyareunreasonable”(Mousalli,1992).Inthiscontext,MousallimightberighttoconsiderQutbaproponentofsocialistideology,butintheoveralldiscussionofal-cAdalah,QutbinsistedthatonlyIslamcouldprovidesolutionstothecurrentproblemsoftheUmmahandneitherMarxismnorCapitalismwassuitablesincetheylackedthenecessaryspiritualguidancetobringsocialjusticeintobeing.QutbendedthediscussionbystressingthatIslaminitsgeneralprinciplesofgovernmentandeconomicpolicywasalwaysreadytomeetthechangingneedsofallthesocietiesthattookitandits shariahastheirlegalbasis.TheIslamicspirithadalwaysbeenabletoadapttodifferentcircumstances.Therefore,thegoalforeachMuslim,hemaintained,shouldbetopreachtherenewalofIslamiclife,“alifegovernedbythespiritandthelawofIslamwhichalonecanproducetheformofIslamwhichweneedtoday”(Qutb,1952).

Toconclude,socialjusticeenunciatedbyQutbinal-cAdalahcontainsthe

theoretical principles and foundations ofQutb’s Islamic thought before hejoinedtheIkhwanin1952.ThesignificanceofthebookliesinthefactthatitwasthefirstIslamicworkwrittenbyQutbtoproposeathirdoptiontowhatseemedaninevitablechoicebetweencapitalismandcommunism.Inhisview,thejusticeofferedbyIslaminallaspectsofhumanlifewassuperiortothatofferedbycapitalismandcommunism,becauseitcombinedspiritualvaluesandhumansocialrelations.Thespiritualvalues,derivedfromastrongbeliefinGodcoupledwiththeenforcementof sharicahlaws,wereaneffectivemeansofrealizingsocialjusticeinhumansociety.Itisnotsurprising,therefore,toseemanyQur’anicversescitedtosupporthissearchfortheanswertothecurrentsituationinEgypt.Inthiscontext,AbuRabicisrightwhenheconsidersal-cAdalah“aradicaldeparturefrom“Qutb’searlyworkinliterary,Qur’anicandsocialcriticism.MoreimportantatthisstageisthatQutbemergesasasocialcriticwitharadicalIslamicagenda”(AbuRabic,1996).

EXISTING CHALLENGES

Qutb’sattitudetowardstheexistingEgyptianauthoritiesandBritishimperialism


failureoftheexistingArabregimestosolvetheirsocial,economicandpoliticalproblems.ThegreatimportanceofQutb’sthoughtasmanifestedthroughhiswritingsiswellattestedbytherepublicationofhisworksandtheirtranslationintomanylanguages,theworldwideinterestinhisQuraniccommentary,’Fi Zilal,andtheappearanceofnumerousbooksandarticlesconcernedwithhislifeandthought.

REFERENCES

AbuRabi’Ibrahim.1984.“SayyidQutb:FromReligiousRealismtoRadicalSocialCriticism,”inIslamic Quaterly,28.

AbuRabi’ Ibrahim,M.1996. Intellectual Origins of Islamic Resurgence in the Modern Arab World,Albany:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress.

Dunne,J.Heyworth.1950.ReligiousandPoliticalTrendsinModernEgypt,WashingtonDC.

Hamudah,Adil.1990.Sayyid Qutb: Min al-Qaryah ila’l-Mishnaqah,Cairo:Sinali’l-Nashr.

Khalidi,SalahcAbdal-Fattahal.1994,Sayyid Qutb: Min al-Milad ila’l-IstishhadDamascus:Daral-Qalam.

Mousalli,Ahmad,S.1992.Radical Islamic Fundamentalism: The Ideological and Political Discourse of Sayyid Qutb,Beirut:AmericanUniversityofBeirut.

Musallam,Adnan.1983.The Formative Stages of Sayyid Qutb’s Intellectual Career and his Emergence as an Islamic Daciyah, 1906-1952, Ph.DThesis,AnnArbor:UniversityofMichigan.

Musallam,Adnan .1990. “Prelude to IslamicCommitment: SayyidQutb’sLiteraryandSpiritualOrientation1932–1938,””The Muslim World80.

Qutb,Sayyid.1945.Tifl Min al Qaryah.Cairo:Lujnatal-Nashrli’lJami’in.Qutb,Sayyid.1952. al-cAdalah al-Ijtimaciyyah fi’l-Islam.Cairo:MatbacaDar

al-Kitabal-cArabi.Qutb,Sayyid .1993.Ma’rakat al-Islam wa’l Ra’samaliyyah.Cairo:Dar al-

Shuruq.Qutb,Sayyid.1980.Macalim fi’l-Tariq,Cairo:Daral-Shuruq.Sayyid Qutb:

His Thought and Literature,unpublishedPh.DThesis,FacultyofArts,UniversityofManchester.

Vatikiotis,P.J.1969.The Modern History of Egypt,London:WeidenfeldandNicolson.

AsyrafHj.Ab.Rahman,Ph.DJabatanEkologiSosialFakultiPengurusandanEkonomiKolejUniversitiSainsdanTeknologiMalaysiaMengabangTelipot


CONCLUSION

ThoughQutb’sideaseemstobetheoreticalinnature,itprovidesanoverallinsightonhowMuslimshouldstartwithintheirjourneysearchingfortheirownfundamentalresourcestosolvetheirexistingproblemfacingtheircountry.Neither communismnor capitalism can provide prescription for their owndisease.Between 1948 and 1952,Qutb’s Islamic thoughtwas verymuchapparentinhisbooks;al-cAdalah, andMacrakatwhosecontentsfocusedonIslamicsolutionsandbecamearadicaldeparturefromhisearlyliterarywritingspublishedinthemiddleofthe1940s.

TheemergenceofthesocialjusticethemeinQutb’sthoughtcanonlybe

understoodwiththecontextoftheprevailingconditionsinEgypt.QutbbelievedthatIslamisasocialandpoliticalforceintheMuslimworld.Itisnotmerelyaspiritualbelieforadefunctsystemofmoralitybutaconcretebasisforhumansociety,andsuperiortocommunismandcapitalism.Qutb’sagitationforIslamicsocialandpoliticalreformsinthisperiodreflectedhisattempttopresentIslamasasystemsuperiortoanyotherknowninhumanhistory.HisinterestinthejusticeofIslamasameansofsolvingthecurrentproblemsdevelopedonlyafterhisrealizationthattheavailableideologies,capitalismandcommunisminparticular,couldnotsuccessfullyprovideaneffectivemeansofestablishingsocialjusticeinhumansociety.ThesechronologicalstagesofQutb’sintellectualdevelopmentandhiscontinuouseffortsinfindingsolutionstothecurrentproblemsenabledhimtodiscover“whatreallyneededtobedone”tohisownsociety.

SocialjusticeinQutb’sviewisallembracinginthesensethatitincludesjusticeinallaspectsofhumanlife,spiritualandmaterial,andisnotmerelylimitedtoeconomicjustice.Humanbeingshavetobejusttowardsthemselves,theirfamiliesandtheircommunities.ThismustbeginwiththepurificationofhumanheartsfromtheworshipofanythingbutGodalone.Onlyfromsuchagroupofpeople,whosebeliefsarecompletelyfreeofservitudetoanyonebutGod,cananewcommunitywhosesocial,politicalandeconomicaffairsbasedontheshariahofGodbeestablished.Forjustice,co-operationandintegrationbetweenhumanbeingsconstitutepartoftheexistingjusticeandunityintherestofGod’screationsinthisuniverse.

AnanalysisofQutb’streatmentofsocialandpoliticalissuesandhiseffortto

callMuslimsbacktothemanhaj ofGodrevealedthathewasoftheconvictionthatanIslamiccommunitycouldbeestablishedagainifpeoplewouldfulfillexactlythedemandsoftheQur’an.TheonlythingtodowastocallpeopletorefreshtheirmindandtolivetheirlivesinaccordancewiththeQur’anicteachings.Qutb’sIslamicwritingshavegraduallybecomeanintegralpartofIslamic resurgencewhichdrawsmuchof its strength from theunmitigated


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