A Comparative Study of Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr and Sayyid Quṭb’s Readings on the Theory of Islamic Government

The manner of establishing an Islamic government—its form, theoretical foundations, and the methods of implementing this significant goal—has been among the primary aims and concerns of Islamist thinkers in the twentieth century. The early twentieth century, due to the prevailing conditions in the Islamic world such as colonialism, the weakness and backwardness of Muslim societies, and the intellectual and civilizational encounter of Islamic nations with modern Western civilization—followed by the weakening and eventual collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate—created a unique atmosphere in the region. Based on this, the present study conducts a comparative analysis of two contemporary intellectual figures who believe in the theory of Islamic government: Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr (1934–1980 CE) and Sayyid Quṭb Shādhilī (1906–1966 CE). This article, using a descriptive-analytical approach, examines the readings of Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr and Sayyid Quṭb on Islamic government, its components, and related matters. Research questions include: What are the foundations of government in the thought of Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr and Sayyid Quṭb? What are the similarities and differences between their readings on Islamic government? The findings of this study show that both thinkers share common ground on issues such as the necessity of establishing an Islamic government, the essential role of the people in its formation, and opposition to Western ideological ideas, including secularism. However, they differ in areas such as the concepts of belief and disbelief among Muslims, and the notion of jāhiliyya. Sayyid Quṭb, except for a small number of Muslims, regarded others who committed major sins as belonging to a jāhilī society and considered them disbelievers. In contrast, al-Ṣadr, relying on rational principles, realism, and an examination of existing political ideologies and the state of the contemporary world, sought to formulate a new philosophical foundation for political thought in Islam. Due to his belief in the divine vicegerency of humankind during the Occultation, al-Ṣadr views the people as the sole essential element in Islamic government and the source of its legitimacy. He considers government to be nothing other than the observance of the affairs of the ummah based on the two principles of "public interest of the ummah" and "interest of Islam." Thus, the degree of legitimacy of his envisioned government—a hybrid model (council-based and supervisory) or the Islamic Republic—is determined by these two principles. The basis of public interest is reason, and the basis of Islamic interest is the Sharī‘a, without there being any contradiction between them.