A Comparative Essay on Syed Qutb and Syed Nursi: Two Influential Muslim Thinkers of the 20th Century

Syed Qutb and Syed Nursi were two influential Muslim thinkers of the 20th century who advocated for Islamic revival and reform in the face of secularism and modernity. They both wrote extensively on the Quran, Islam, politics, and society, and inspired various movements and groups across the Muslim world. However, they also had significant differences in their backgrounds, perspectives, and approaches.

# Backgrounds

Syed Qutb was born in 1906 in Egypt, where he received a secular education and worked as a teacher, writer, and journalist. He was initially a supporter of Western culture and democracy, but became disillusioned after witnessing the racism and materialism of America during his two-year stay there in 1948-1950. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood, a political and social organization that aimed to establish an Islamic state in Egypt, and became one of its leading ideologues. He was arrested several times by the Egyptian government for his opposition to secularism and nationalism, and was executed in 1966 for allegedly plotting to overthrow the regime.

Syed Nursi was born in 1877 in the Ottoman Empire, in a Kurdish village in eastern Anatolia. He received a traditional Islamic education from local scholars, and showed exceptional talent and memory. He was nicknamed "Bediuzzaman", meaning "the wonder of the age", for his mastery of religious sciences. He also learned modern sciences and languages from books and magazines, and developed a plan for a university that would combine both types of knowledge. He was involved in various political and social movements that sought to defend Islam and the Ottoman state against Western imperialism and secularism. He was exiled, imprisoned, and persecuted by successive governments for his views and activities. He died in 1960 in Turkey.

# Perspectives

Syed Qutb developed a revolutionary perspective on Islam and society, based on his interpretation of the Quran and the concept of jahiliyyah (ignorance). He argued that the Muslim world had fallen into a state of jahiliyyah, similar to the pre-Islamic era, due to its adoption of secularism, nationalism, democracy, capitalism, socialism, and other Western ideologies. He called for a complete rejection of these systems and a return to the pure Islam of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. He advocated for a violent struggle (jihad) against the forces of jahiliyyah, both internal and external, to establish an Islamic state (caliphate) that would implement God's law (sharia) in all aspects of life.

Syed Nursi developed a moderate and reformist perspective on Islam and society, based on his commentary on the Quran and the concept of ubudiyya (servanthood). He argued that the Muslim world had lost its vitality and strength due to its neglect of faith and spirituality. He called for a revival of faith through education, dialogue, service, and example. He advocated for a peaceful coexistence with other religions and civilizations, based on mutual respect and cooperation. He emphasized the harmony between Islam and science, reason and revelation, spirituality and materiality. He aimed to show the rationality, beauty, and relevance of Islam to modern times.

# Approaches

Syed Qutb wrote several books and articles on various topics related to Islam, politics, society, culture, history, literature, art, etc. His most famous works are Milestones (1964), a manifesto for Islamic revolution; In the Shade of the Quran (1952-1965), a multi-volume commentary on the Quran; Social Justice in Islam (1949), an analysis of Islamic economics; The America I Have Seen (1951), a critique of American culture; Basic Principles of Islamic Art (1950), an exploration of Islamic aesthetics; etc.

Syed Nursi wrote mainly on the Quran and its interpretation. His magnum opus is the Risale-i Nur Collection (1926-1950), a collection of writings that explain the Quranic verses in relation to various issues such as faith, worship, ethics, morality, science, philosophy, history, sociology,etc.