Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Radical Islamism

‘Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Islamic Radicalsm will become the standard intellectual biography of the most influential Muslim thinker of the twentieth century. Demonstrating a deep engagement with contemporary history, religious thought, and social theory, Calvert eschews the sensationalism that too often posits Qutb as the ideological ‘godfather’ of global jihad. An erudite and engaging writer, Calvert situates Qutb in time and place, tracing his political evolution, and exploring the power of his words, personality, and, ultimately, his divergent legacies. Neither hagiography, nor expose, Qutb finally gets his due.’ - Joel Gordon, author of ‘Nasser: Hero of the Arab Nation’ ‘Given that Qutb is taught in a large (and increasing) number of campuses, and given that he has already been introduced to the general public in bestselling books such as Lawrence Wright’s the Looming Tower, the very publication of a Qutb biography is likely to attract considerable interest. - The book not only constitutes what is likely to remain the definitive biography of Sayyid Qutb, it also offers crucial new insights on the post-1954 history of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, another gaping hole in the literature. We are dealing here with a rare book that is likely to become a classic in the field of political Islam. - An outstanding volume.’– Thomas Hegghammer, Harvard University

John Calvert is Associate Professor of History at Creighton University, USA. His research focuses on social protest and political resistance movements in the modern Middle East; Egyptian nationalism; and the ideological origins of Al Qaeda. He is co-editor and translator of Sayyid Qutb’s A Child from the Village.