Sayyid Qutab and Islamic Activism

This work is a translation of an important book by one of the forerunners of the current 'resurgence' of Islam. Its author was a prominent Islamic activist in Egypt in the late 1940s and early 1950s and was jailed and eventually executed for his activities. Today he is commonly viewed as a martyr and his books are widely read.

First written in 1948, Social Justice in Islam went through five further editions, each revised in a manner reflecting his increasingly radical views. The present work translates the last edition, the most radical one, and also provides the alternative readings from the earlier editions, so that the reader can trace the development of the author's thinking. The introduction provides a brief biography of the author and an analysis of the changes in his thinking reflected in this book.