More than Mere Belief

Qutb’s justification of Jihad lies in the ideal that “Islam is a declaration of the freedom of man from servitude to other men” (133). Qutb defines Islam not as a defensive movement, but instead a movement that is in “’the defense of man’ against all those elements which limit his freedom” (134). Shifting to a broader definition of the word ‘defense’ the true character of Islam is revealed. It is seen as a universal proclamation of the “freedom of man from the servitude to other men,” and the institution of the sovereignty of the One God throughout the entire world. Additionally, Islam looks to the end of mankind’s arrogance and selfish nature. Though the Qur’an stands against the compulsion of religion, Islam strives to grow and spread through preaching and exposition within the freedom of communication. However I find that the goal of Islam becomes rooted in the spreading of ‘belief’ with the goal of abolishing all systems of government and belief that take away from man’s servitude to God and God alone. Qutb appears to be advocating a political system opposite dictatorship; it is as though he desires to see Islam prosper in a world without government, thoughts devoid of God, or the submission of man to man. From my understanding Qutb sees the ultimate (and only) goal of Jihad as the destruction of all non-Muslims governments and their replacement with Islamist institutions, so to speak. The purpose of this goal or movement is to free people (Muslim believers), who wish to be freed from the enslavement of mankind, so that they may live in service alone to God, devoid of societal pressure and human servitude. While the goal itself is bigoted, the means of achieving that goal are structured around social intolerance that works to strip our world of the religious differences and personal beliefs that sharpen our individual ideals and promote faith and progress.