“Milestones”
Sixty years ago, Syed Qutb perceived America to be a spiritual wasteland and was inspired to create a radical brand of Islam. He was an Egyptian Sunni Muslim, who came to America in 1948 to study. He spent two years in America and it turned him into a militant Islamist. He resented the deep philosophical secular roots of American society. He resented the way women and men interact in society. He resented the obsessive nature of America materialism.
Qutb returned to Egypt and preached a message of restoring Muslim nations to their religious roots. The secular Egyptian government of Gamal Abdel Nasser imprisoned and tortured him; and in 1966 executed him. His writings of the 1950s laid the foundation for the modern jihad movement and inspired the likes of Osama bin Laden and his lieutenant, Ayman Al-Zawahiri an Egyptian doctor. His views have influenced and shaped how radical Islamists and radical jihadists view Americans.
Syed Qutb most radical book, “Milestones” was written from prison. It advocated violent jihad, even against Muslim governments. His writings and what many saw as his martyrdom, inspired generations of Muslim radicals.
Ayman Al-Zawahi is second in command to Osama bin Laden. He and bin Laden were part of what came known in the Muslim world as the awakening, a religious movement in the 1970s that pitted young, reform-minded Sunni Muslims against their established governments.
Syed Qutb provided the inspiration for these future jihadists, and Afghanistan was their call to arms. In 1979, the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, an atheist and communist government was an affront to Islam. Thousands of young Muslims signed up for a holy war against the invader. Osama bin Laden was one of them, and his exploits in Afghanistan gave him credibility as well as a base.
Osama bin Laden said: “I have benefited greatly from the jihad in Afghanistan. It would have been impossible for me to benefit as much from any other opportunity.” The Soviets, worn down by the Mujahedeen, would eventually withdraw from Afghanistan.
Bin Laden would go on to establish al Qaeda and Zawahiri would become his adviser, both men inspired by the words of Syed Qutb.
Qutb returned to Egypt and preached a message of restoring Muslim nations to their religious roots. The secular Egyptian government of Gamal Abdel Nasser imprisoned and tortured him; and in 1966 executed him. His writings of the 1950s laid the foundation for the modern jihad movement and inspired the likes of Osama bin Laden and his lieutenant, Ayman Al-Zawahiri an Egyptian doctor. His views have influenced and shaped how radical Islamists and radical jihadists view Americans.
Syed Qutb most radical book, “Milestones” was written from prison. It advocated violent jihad, even against Muslim governments. His writings and what many saw as his martyrdom, inspired generations of Muslim radicals.
Ayman Al-Zawahi is second in command to Osama bin Laden. He and bin Laden were part of what came known in the Muslim world as the awakening, a religious movement in the 1970s that pitted young, reform-minded Sunni Muslims against their established governments.
Syed Qutb provided the inspiration for these future jihadists, and Afghanistan was their call to arms. In 1979, the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, an atheist and communist government was an affront to Islam. Thousands of young Muslims signed up for a holy war against the invader. Osama bin Laden was one of them, and his exploits in Afghanistan gave him credibility as well as a base.
Osama bin Laden said: “I have benefited greatly from the jihad in Afghanistan. It would have been impossible for me to benefit as much from any other opportunity.” The Soviets, worn down by the Mujahedeen, would eventually withdraw from Afghanistan.
Bin Laden would go on to establish al Qaeda and Zawahiri would become his adviser, both men inspired by the words of Syed Qutb.
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