{"product_id":"giving-to-god-islamic-charity-in-revolutionary-times","title":"Giving to God: Islamic Charity in Revolutionary Times","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Giving to God: Islamic Charity in Revolutionary Times, the reviewer finds a thoughtful ethnography suited to readers who want a close, human look at Islamic giving in contemporary Egypt. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its nuanced account of how everyday acts of charity operate as acts of devotion and social practice, especially in the aftermath of the 2011 uprising, which the author uses as a compelling backdrop to explore moral logic and practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnographic focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book provides detailed fieldwork from soup kitchens, volunteer distributions, and local almsgiving that grounds abstract ideas in concrete scenes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal argument:\u003c\/strong\u003e It articulates a distinctive ethics of giving where donors speak of giving to God rather than out of compassion, reshaping how readers think about religious motivation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContemporary context:\u003c\/strong\u003e The 2011 Egyptian uprising is used as a social and political frame, linking ritual practice to questions of social justice and revolution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEveryday practices:\u003c\/strong\u003e Descriptions of food distribution, Sufi soup kitchens, and volunteer networks show how ritual and charity intersect in daily life.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAccessible prose:\u003c\/strong\u003e The writing is crafted to be readable for academic and general readers who want an interpretive, narrative-driven study.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is ideal for students and scholars of religion, Middle Eastern studies, and anthropology who want a close qualitative study of Islamic practice and charity. It will also appeal to readers interested in how ritual and political change intersect in everyday life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders strictly seeking practical guidance on organizing charitable programs or a policy manual should look elsewhere, since the work is interpretive ethnography rather than a how-to guide, and it does not provide step-by-step programmatic advice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides rich, on-the-ground ethnographic detail that illuminates routine acts of giving.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers a provocative reframing of charity as an act directed to God, which challenges common assumptions about compassion.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffectively situates ritual practice within the politically charged period of the 2011 uprising.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe book is interpretive and may feel theoretical to readers seeking prescriptive or quantitative analysis.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGiving to God: Islamic Charity in Revolutionary Times\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAmira Mittermaier\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIslamic charity, ritual practice, ethnography\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGeographic focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePost-revolutionary Egypt\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKey settings\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSufi soup kitchens, slum volunteer distributions, almsgiving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHistorical backdrop\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEgyptian uprising of 2011\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiving to God is a valuable, well-crafted ethnography for anyone wanting to understand the lived moral logics of Islamic charity in Egypt. Its strength is the combination of narrative fieldwork and a clear interpretive argument, making it good value for readers interested in religion and social change rather than those seeking technical policy recommendations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book rely on quantitative data?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, the study is ethnographic and narrative, focusing on qualitative fieldwork and observation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the book suitable for nonacademic readers?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, its prose is accessible, though its focus is interpretive rather than a practical guide.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat period does the book examine?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe work uses the post-revolutionary period around the 2011 Egyptian uprising as a central contextual frame.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Amira Mittermaier","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48772286087387,"sku":"0520300823","price":114.07,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/51zekCnOP7L._SL1500_0c755ebd-1797-4747-9d56-1801f9ff6ef8.jpg?v=1778718427","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/giving-to-god-islamic-charity-in-revolutionary-times","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}