Giving to God

Islamic Charity in Revolutionary Times

Amira Mittermaier

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Hardback

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English

University of California Press
26 February 2019

Islamic worship, rites & ceremonies; Islamic life & practice; Social & cultural anthropology

Giving to God examines the everyday practices of Islamic giving in post-revolutionary Egypt. From foods prepared in Sufi soup kitchens, to meals distributed by pious volunteers in slums, to almsgiving, these acts are ultimately about giving to God by giving to the poor. Surprisingly, many who practice such giving say that they do not care about the poor, instead framing their actions within a unique non-compassionate ethics of giving. At first, this form of giving may appear deeply selfish, but further consideration reveals that it avoids many of the problems associated with the idea of “charity.” Using the Egyptian uprising in 2011 and its call for social justice as a backdrop, this beautifully crafted ethnography suggests that “giving a man a fish” might ultimately be more revolutionary than “teaching a man to fish.”

By: Amira Mittermaier
Imprint: University of California Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 499g
ISBN: 9780520300828
ISBN 10: 0520300823
Pages: 248
Publication Date: 26 February 2019
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Illustrations Note on Transliteration Acknowledgments Introduction during the revolution 1 • Revolutions Don’t Stop Charity giving 2 • Divine Minimum Wage 3 • Caravan to Paradise receiving 4 • Performances of Poverty 5 • All Thanks Belong to God after the revolution 6 • Tomorrow Is Better Postscript Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

Amira Mittermaier is Associate Professor of Religion and Anthropology at the University of Toronto. She is the author of Dreams That Matter: Egyptian Landscapes of the Imagination.

Reviews for Giving to God: Islamic Charity in Revolutionary Times

Amira Mittermaier has written a marvelous book. Giving to God will be of considerable value not only to anthropologists of Islam and charitable giving, but also to historians and political scientists who seek to understand the persistence of a longstanding model of Islamic charity in the face of political, economic, and social upheaval. * Reading Religion * ...provides a discourse of charity that challenges and disrupts dominant secular and liberal notions of humanitarian aid. The book is recommended not only to anthropology and sociology students and scholars but also to ones of economics, theology, and religious studies. * KULT Online *