the concept of social justice as found in sayyid qutb's fi ziljl al-qur'an asyraf hj ab rahman

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THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AS FOUND IN SAYYID
QUTB'S FI ZILJL AL-QUR'AN
ASYRAF HJ AB RAHMAN
THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES
FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
OCTOBER 2000
ED
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i
1
..
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL
DECLARATION
I, THE UNDERSIGNED, HEREBY DECLARE THAT THIS THESIS IS
WRITTEN BY MYSELF AND ANY REFERENCES MADE TO THE SOURCES
ARE DULY ACKNOWLEDGED
ASYRAF HJ AB RAHMAN
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All be Allah be Prophet Muhammad.
to the
praise and peace upon
I like to deep to Dr Andrew J
would express my gratitude my supervisor
Newman I for his
to
whom owe much expert guidance, constant encouragement,
invaluable
throughout
constructive comments and assistance my research at
Edinburgh University. Acknowledgements due to Dr
are also my second supervisor,
Yasin Dutton, Professor Carole Hillenbrand,
the the
and all academic staff of
Department for their I like to thank Miss Lesley
guidance and assistance. also would
Scobie, the Secretary the Department, the librarians the University
of of of
Edinburgh Faculty Arts for
the the their throughout the
and staff of of co-operation
period of my study.
I like to thanks to the institutions involved in
would express my various
in Britain, University Putra Malaysia
the the
sponsoring my studies namely of and
Public Services Department Malaysia. My thanks due to Professor
of are also
Sulaiman Mohd Yasin, Deputy Rector the University College Terengganu
now of of
Malaysia Dr Saharudin Abdul Hamid for invaluable
their
and advice and moral
support.
I debt to Nooraihan Ali for her
owe a great of appreciation my wife unbroken
I Nur
prayer, patience and continuous support. greatly appreciate my children,
Widaad, Aslam Aiman for their inspiration Finally, I
and and encouragement. am
grateful thankful to beloved Abdul Rahman Abdul Latif
very and my parents, and
Wan Kalthom Abdul Qadir I have
without whose guidance and sacrifice would never
far I have. May Allah bless
the them
come as as all above mentioned and give a good
reward.
iii
ABSTRACT
Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966) Muslim
the
represented one of most outstanding writers on
Islamic thought in the twentieth His importance from the fact that his
century. stems
influenced
Egyptian Muslims Muslims
writings numerous generations of and outside
Egypt.
of
This the justice found in Qutb's F Zildl
study examines concept of social as
Chapter is devoted to the formative Qutb's life
al-Qur'an. one a study of phase of
before his influential Muslim Chapter
and career emergence as an scholar. two
discusses Qutb's thought between 1947 1952, to FT Zildl
socio-political and prior al-
Qur'dn. In this Qutb's literary the Qur'an, became
chapter, study of which a
background for his interest in Islam, be Chapter
preparatory
will also examined.
three deals features F Ziläl including Qutb's
with general of al-Qur'an, approach to
Qur'anic Chapter four the doctrinal bases justice. In
commentary. examines of social
this the justice its foundations be discussed in
chapter, nature of social and will
Qutb's doctrinal
accordance with understanding of the conception of Islam (al-
including divinity (uhihiyya),
tacawwur tigddi), the
al-i supreme authority
(rubübiyya) (hdkimiyya) God. Chapter five
and sovereignty of addresses the practical
dimensions justice. In this the discussion focus Qutb's
of social chapter, will on
implementation justice
outlook on the of social with respect to the practical reality of
Muslims' lives. His discussions the Islamic State
on necessity of establishing an and
implementing
the Islamic
proper management of economic system according to
be The
principles will also covered. study concludes with an assessment of the
Qutb's justice his
significance of notion of social and treatment of the current social,
facing the Muslim Umma Egyptian
economic and political problems and society.
Iv
Transliteration
S- ' (omitted beginning
the
at of a word) t
ý1
b
.Dj
t
C)
th
gh
ti
f
L9 q
kh
k
d
Ji
dh
rm
0
n
ýj
h
Z
9w
s
may'
sh
y
\
cP S 'I-
al-,
c,
a
CY
The diphthongs
are written: ay
(L9')
aw
The three short vowels are represented by a for fatlia, i for kasrra and it for (lamina.
The long by
5, ü, i..
vowel are represented
The tä' is by in
marbüta represented at when construct and omitted at the end of the
(except in like
word. words _aküt and salüt which are maintained as they commonly
in English
texts).
appear as : akut and saht some
V
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ii
ABSTRACT
iii
TRANSLITERATION
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
v
INTRODUCTION
1
Chapter One: Sayyid Qutb: The Formative Phase
1.1 Introduction
7
1.2 Life Works
7
and
1.3 Twentieth Century Muslim Thought 25
1.3.1 Introduction 25
1.3.2 Al cAgqäd the Dnväz 25
and school of poetry
1.3.3 Hasan
the Ikhwän 33
al-Bannä and al-Muslimün
1.3.4 Al-Mawdüdi
the Jamä°at Movement 40
and al-Islämi
1.4 Conclusion
46
Chapter Two: Socio-Religious Commitment: Qutb's Thought between
1947 1952
and
2.1 Introduction 47
2.2 Literary the Qur'an 48
analysis of
2.3 The Islamic
52
answer
2.4 The for Islamic
54
call an social system
2.4.1 Al-`Adäla iyya fi'1-Islam (Social Justice in Islam) 55
al-Ijtimä
2.4.2 Ma`rakat
al-Islam iva'1-Ra'smäliyya
(The Battle between Islam Capitalism) 64
and
2.4.3 Al-Salden (Islam Universal Peace) 66
al-`Älami wa'1-Isläni and
2.5 Conclusion 69
2.5.1 An Qutb's Islamic thought before 1952 72
evaluation of
vi
Chapter Three: Fl Zildl (In the Shade the Qur'an)
al-Qur'an of
3.1 Introduction 77
3.2 Background to the Ziläl 78
writing of
3.3 The Zildl 83
objectives of
3.4 Qutb's in Zildl 86
approach
3.5 Conclusion 95
Chapter Four: The Doctrinal Bases Social Justice
of
4.1 Introduction 96
4.2 The doctrinal (al-tasawwur Ulihiyya, Rubzibiyya,
tigädi):
concept al-i
Häkirniyya God 97
and of
4.3 Social justice: Its 104
nature
4.4 The basis justice its 116
of social and objectives
4.4.1 Freedom Conscience 117
of
4.4.2 Human Equality 124
4.4.3 Social Solidarity 129
Chapter Five: The Practical Dimension Social Justice
of
5.1 Introduction 140
5.2 The Islam 142
political system of
5.2.1 The the 142
necessity of state
5.2.2 Qutb's the 147
notion of state
5.3 Characteristics Islamic 154
of an political system
5.3.1 God's Sovereignty (Häkimiyyat Allah) 155
5.3.2 Caliphate (Khildfa) Imamate (Imäma) Government 166
or
5.3.3 Consultative Government (Huki7inat 174
al-Sht7rü)
5.3.4 Pledge (Bay 181
of allegiance a)
5.3.5 Obedience (Tä 186
a)
5.3.6 Justice (al-`Adl 190
and equality wa'1-Musüwd)
5.4 Wealth Social Equity 199
and
5.4.1 Nature 199
of wealth
5.4.2 Ways 201
of spending
5.4.3 Ownership in Islam (al-mulkiyya 210
al-fardiyya)
5.4.4 Zakdt Institution 216
5.4.4.1 The 216
obligation of zaküt
5.4.4.2 Property is its 222
on which zakdt payable and rate
5.4.4.3 Those for 224
eligible receiving Zrakat
VII
5.4.5 Usury (ribü) its 228
and prohibition
5.4.5.1 Islamic injunction 231
5.4.5.2 Prohibition usury (ribä) 234
of
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 242
BIBLIOGRAPHY 252
I
Introduction
The twentieth to the decline the Muslim in its
century continued witness of world
West. This
the
society, economy and politics as compared with phenomenon
in
leaders
the
worsened with appearance of corrupt political certain countries, who
for interest
their to their that
used authority exploit national. resources personal and of
their the bourgeois the the
cronies among and autocrats without considering needs of
Under democracy,
the these
general population. guise of socialism, nationalism and
leaders keep
the to their
manipulated uncertain political situation so as countries and
in In doing,
their their
people grip. so oppression and political pressure were
Muslim to the
sometimes used against any group attempting revive or reform
the basis Islam. In the West's interference in the
countries on of addition, politics and
Muslim deterioration
the towards the the
economy of countries contributed of
'
than the
situation rather solving problems.
Realizing this there Muslim
phenomenon, appeared some scholars and
in
thinkers the early and mid-twentieth century, concerned about the
who were
find from Islamic Names like Jamäl
tried to the
problems and solutions perspective.
cAbduh
(d. 1897), Muhammad (d. 1905) Rashid Ridä (d. 1935)
al-Din al-Afghani and
"something be done"
those that to the
were among who saw must understand causes
decline Muslim
to the to their
of so as rectify situation and restore countries proper
in
the
place world.
Sayyid Qutb (d: 1966) the important influential Muslim
was one of most and
figures the twentieth focused the facing the Muslim
of century who on problems
Uin, Egyptian in The dire
nü as a whole and society particular. continuing economic
his incessant
the the the
situation of country, political corruption and squabbles of
him feel increasingly disillusioned frustrated. In his
to
political parties caused and
1
Saläh `Abd Sa»'id Qu/b: M7Idd ild'l-Istishhäd (Damascus: Där
al-Fattäh al-Khälid ntin al al-
,
Qalam, 1994), 414-416. See Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Contemporary Islam the Challenge
also and
(Albany: State University New York Press, 1982), 17.
ofHistöry of
2
Muslim life in Qur'dn
view, the revival of the accordance with the teachings of the
the Surma the Prophet, be him, the Many books
and of peace upon was only solution.
by Qutb his fellow
this
and articles were written suggesting strategy, and calling
Muslims to to Islam "their to find to the
return as own resource" solutions existing
besides `Adäla
Muslims. Al
them to their
problems, restoring proper place as al-
1J1177ä1 ft'1-Islam (1949), Mc(rakat (1951),
i)y,
a al-Islam wa'1-Ra'smCihj)a al-Salarm
(1951), Fi Zildl (1952), Ma`älint ft'l-Tariq
al-`Älami iva'1-I. släm al-Qur'an and
(1964), Qutb's indicated his ideas.
those that
were among of works clearly
Of F Zilül longest
these the the
all works, al-Qur'an was and, undoubtedly,
It has Muslim
most widely circulated. enjoyed wide acceptance among scholars,
the truth Islam the Muslim In
writers and sincere seekers of about all over world.
Zilül Qutb's Qur'an
the to
addition, was commentary of which attempted present a
! Muslims facing
to to the
comprehensive picture of slam and give consistent answers
Furthermore,
the the
current socio-political challenges of modem period. work was a
Qutb's thought including
reflection of after undergoing various experiences, several
irn by Egyptian That Ziläl
-prisonment the most of
Years' bgovernment. was why mwritten was
its
while author was serving a prison sentence.
This justice described in Qutb's
the
study will examine concept of social as
Ziläl. 2ilal has been because it is Qutb's important
chosen most work and manifests
Qutb's devoting Qur'in
thought to the
maturity of after several years studying and
its his long for
the the
understanding message, coupled with search root of problems
facing his Moreover, Qutb's discussion in the Zilal itself
country. clearly represents
facing Muslims in in
the the the twentieth
real phenomenon middle of century,
Egyptians, decline World
particular, the and their social, economic and political after
War II. Economic disparity distribution in
the
widened as a result of unjust of wealth
Egypt increase in This
that time the the
at and unemployment. was coupled with
in led between
the to the
political uncertainty country which confrontation ruling