A Comparison of Syed Qutb and Maulana Maududi

Syed Qutb and Maulana Maududi were both influential Islamic thinkers and writers who lived in the 20th century. However, they had different backgrounds, views and impacts. Here are some points of comparison:

Background: Syed Qutb was born in Egypt in 1906 and received a secular education. He became a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and a leading ideologue of Islamic revivalism. He was executed by the Egyptian regime in 1966 for his involvement in a plot to overthrow it. Maulana Maududi was born in India in 1903 and received a traditional Islamic education. He became a journalist, a theologian and a philosopher. He founded the Jamaat-e-Islami, a political Islamic party in Pakistan. He died in 1979 after suffering from various health problems.

Views: Syed Qutb developed a radical critique of modernity and secularism, which he considered as forms of jahiliyyah (ignorance) and idolatry. He called for a complete rejection of Western civilization and a return to the pure Islam of the early generations. He also justified violence and jihad as legitimate means to establish an Islamic state based on sharia (Islamic law). Maulana Maududi had a more comprehensive and systematic approach to Islam, which he regarded as a complete way of life and a social order. He called for the reform of Muslim societies and the establishment of an Islamic state based on sharia and democracy. He also advocated for peaceful and constitutional means to achieve his goals.

- Impact: Syed Qutb's writings influenced many Jihadist Islamist groups, such as al-Qaeda and Islamic Jihad, who adopted his doctrine of takfir (excommunication) and his concept of offensive jihad against the enemies of Islam. His ideas also inspired some political movements, such as the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria and the Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan. Maulana Maududi's writings influenced many moderate Islamist groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic Circle of North America, who followed his vision of Islam as a comprehensive and progressive system. His ideas also influenced some political movements, such as the Justice and Development Party in Turkey and the Justice and Development Party in Morocco.