Explanation of Sayyid Qutb’s Theoretical Concepts on the Nature of Islamic Existence

Bakhshizadeh, Hassan

doi:10.22059/jstmt.2026.406061.1841

Explanation of Sayyid Qutb’s Theoretical Concepts on the Nature of Islamic Existence

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article / Original Article

Author

Hassan Bakhshizadeh

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology.Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

10.22059/jstmt.2026.406061.1841

Abstract

Objective:
This study aims to analyze Sayyid Qutb’s theoretical and practical ideas regarding the nature of Islamic existence, with particular focus on his seminal work Ma‘ālim fī al-Ṭarīq (Signposts on the Road), to contribute to the understanding of contemporary Islamic thought and civilizational frameworks.
Methods:
The research employs structured qualitative content analysis based on Mayring’s (2014) method. Inductive open coding was used to identify key concepts such as Tawhid, Jahiliyyah, and Sharia, which were then organized into subthemes through axial coding. Thematic synthesis generated overarching categories linking individual ethical reform with societal reconstruction, ensuring interpretive transparency, methodological rigor, and conceptual coherence.
Results:
The findings indicate that Sayyid Qutb envisions Islamic existence as an integrated system that combines theoretical faith with practical application. He emphasizes personal devotion, adherence to Sharia, and the establishment of a vanguard group to guide societal transformation. His framework explicitly rejects violence and extremism and positions Islamic existenceas a comprehensive civilizational project in which individual behavior, social institutions, and governance are aligned with divine principles.
Conclusions:
Signposts on the Road serves both as a theoretical manifesto and a practical guide, providing a coherent model for implementing Islamic principles across personal, social, and institutional spheres. Qutb’s intellectual framework provides key insights for contemporary discussions on Islamic thought, ethical governance, and civilizational renewal, demonstrating how normative faith can be realized within the practical structures of society.

Keywords

Sayyid Qutb

Islamic existence

Signposts on the Road

Modern Islamic thought

Sharia

Subjects

Rereading and interpreting the ideas of leading Muslim thinkers

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