Sayyid Qutb's Influence on Muslim Brotherhood

The Society of the Muslim Brothers better known as the Muslim Brotherhood is one of the largest Islamic movements in the Arab world that came into being in reaction to the influence of Western domination and culture following the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. Its aim was to establish an Islamic government. Hasan al- Banna's policy and that of his comrades about establishing an Islamic government was a step-by-step policy. That is, through cultural activities and to avoid violence and extreme behavior they sought to gradually pave the way for establishment of an Islamic government. Following the assassination of Hasan al-Banna and the coming to power of Hasan al-Huzaibi as a general guide, trouble and irregularities began to emerge in Muslim Brotherhood; the unity and harmony that characterized the organization vanished. Meanwhile, Sayyid Qutb, who was one of the scholars of the Islamic world, joined Muslim Brotherhood. Known for his Islamist tendency and antagonism towards global arrogance (international imperialism), he filled the ideological vacuum in Muslim Brotherhood. He made his presence felt among its members and wrote many books which heavily influenced the organization and its members in a number of ways. His works helped, for example, reconstruct and reunify Muslim Brotherhood in early 1960s as well as made them prefer a radical and extremist approach over political reconciliation which ultimately resulted in the creation of radical groups such as the Islamic Liberation Organization, Al-Takfir wal –Hijra and Islamic Jihad Organization. The emergence of Qutbi movement which exists among Muslim Brothers as of today and the current leaders of this organization such as Muhammad Badi' and Mahmud 'Izzat are examples of Sayyid's influence in this organization.