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Nasser Qutb And The Clash That Shaped The Middle East

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Published in Making The Arab World: Nasser Qutb And The Clash That Shaped The Middle East

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Making the Arab World: Nasser, Qutb, and the Clash That Shaped the Middle East

by Fawaz A. Gerges

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Nasser Qutb and his brother Sayyid Qutb were two of the most influential Islamic thinkers of the 20th century. Their ideas helped to shape the course of the Middle East, and their writings continue to be debated today.

Nasser Qutb was born in 1906 in Egypt. He was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist organization founded in 1928. Qutb was a prolific writer and orator, and his ideas were widely disseminated throughout the Arab world.

Sayyid Qutb was born in 1909 in Egypt. He was also a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, and he eventually became its leader. Qutb was executed by the Egyptian government in 1966 for his role in an assassination attempt on President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

The Qutb brothers were both committed to the idea of an Islamic revolution. They believed that the existing order in the Middle East was corrupt and unjust, and they called for a return to the pure Islam of the early days.

However, the Qutb brothers had different ideas about how to achieve this revolution. Nasser Qutb believed that it could be achieved through gradual reform, while Sayyid Qutb believed that it could only be achieved through violence.

This difference of opinion led to a split within the Muslim Brotherhood, and the two brothers eventually became estranged. Nasser Qutb remained a member of the Brotherhood, while Sayyid Qutb left to form his own organization, the Islamic Liberation Party.

The Clash of Ideologies

The clash between Nasser Qutb and Sayyid Qutb was a clash of ideologies. Nasser Qutb believed that Islam was a religion of peace and tolerance, while Sayyid Qutb believed that Islam was a religion of war and conquest.

Nasser Qutb believed that the Islamic revolution could be achieved through gradual reform. He argued that Muslims should work to improve their own societies by implementing Islamic principles in their personal lives and in their communities.

Sayyid Qutb, on the other hand, believed that the Islamic revolution could only be achieved through violence. He argued that the existing order in the Middle East was so corrupt and unjust that it could only be overthrown by force.

The clash between these two ideologies has had a profound impact on the Middle East. Nasser Qutb's ideas have inspired moderate Islamic movements throughout the region, while Sayyid Qutb's ideas have inspired radical Islamic movements such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The Legacy of Nasser Qutb

Nasser Qutb died in 1973, but his legacy continues to live on. His writings are still widely read and debated, and his ideas continue to shape the course of the Middle East.

Nasser Qutb was a complex and controversial figure, but he was also a deeply committed Muslim who believed that Islam could be a force for good in the world. His ideas have inspired millions of people, and his legacy will continue to shape the Middle East for years to come.

The clash between Nasser Qutb and Sayyid Qutb was a watershed moment in the history of the Middle East. It led to a split within the Muslim Brotherhood, and it set the stage for the rise of radical Islamic movements.

Nasser Qutb's legacy is complex and controversial, but he was a deeply committed Muslim who believed that Islam could be a force for good in the world. His ideas have inspired millions of people, and his legacy will continue to shape the Middle East for years to come.

Making the Arab World: Nasser, Qutb, and the Clash That Shaped the Middle East

by Fawaz A. Gerges

4.8 out of 5