3 Have Islamic aid agencies a privileged relationship in majority Muslim areas?
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Jonathan Benthall
Abstract
This chapter considers the question of "cultural proximity", i.e. the proposition that a Faith Based Organization can have a privileged access to beneficiaries who share the same religious culture. It was based on a visit in 2007 to Aceh province in Indonesia, to observe the contribution of Islamic charities to reconstruction after the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Special attention was given to the rebuilding of houses and schools, in which several other international NGOs experienced serious local difficulties. The conclusion was that a common religion can be an advantage, but not so much as to outweigh the importance of technical proficiency, especially in the heated political climate that prevailed during this period. As well as describing the mainly successful work of Islamic Relief Worldwide, Muslim Aid, and the Turkish Red Crescent, the chapter also notes that official international evaluations of the huge aid flows after the tsunami gave little credit to local organizations, notably the Muhammadiyah.
Abstract
This chapter considers the question of "cultural proximity", i.e. the proposition that a Faith Based Organization can have a privileged access to beneficiaries who share the same religious culture. It was based on a visit in 2007 to Aceh province in Indonesia, to observe the contribution of Islamic charities to reconstruction after the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Special attention was given to the rebuilding of houses and schools, in which several other international NGOs experienced serious local difficulties. The conclusion was that a common religion can be an advantage, but not so much as to outweigh the importance of technical proficiency, especially in the heated political climate that prevailed during this period. As well as describing the mainly successful work of Islamic Relief Worldwide, Muslim Aid, and the Turkish Red Crescent, the chapter also notes that official international evaluations of the huge aid flows after the tsunami gave little credit to local organizations, notably the Muhammadiyah.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i 1
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- A note on omissions and transliteration xi
- Introduction 1
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Part I Islamic charities
- 1 Islamic charities, Faith Based Organizations and the international aid system 27
- 2 Islamic aid in a North Malian enclave 38
- 3 Have Islamic aid agencies a privileged relationship in majority Muslim areas? 46
- 4 The Palestinian zakat committees 1993–2007 and their contested interpretations 57
- 5 The Islamic Charities Project (formerly Montreux Initiative) 81
- 6 An unholy tangle 99
- 7 The Tariq Ramadan visa case 108
- 8 Islamic philanthropy in Indonesia 112
- 9 Puripetal force in the charitable field 115
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Part II Islamic humanism
- 10 Confessional cousins and the rest 137
- 11 Religious persecution and conflict in the twenty-first century 151
- 12 What makes Islam unique? 157
- 13 Tariq Ramadan 164
- 14 Mona Siddiqui 171
- 15 Akbar Ahmed 176
- 16 Yusuf al-Qaradawi 180
- 17 Religion and violence 185
- Afterword 192
- References 195
- Index 210
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i 1
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- A note on omissions and transliteration xi
- Introduction 1
-
Part I Islamic charities
- 1 Islamic charities, Faith Based Organizations and the international aid system 27
- 2 Islamic aid in a North Malian enclave 38
- 3 Have Islamic aid agencies a privileged relationship in majority Muslim areas? 46
- 4 The Palestinian zakat committees 1993–2007 and their contested interpretations 57
- 5 The Islamic Charities Project (formerly Montreux Initiative) 81
- 6 An unholy tangle 99
- 7 The Tariq Ramadan visa case 108
- 8 Islamic philanthropy in Indonesia 112
- 9 Puripetal force in the charitable field 115
-
Part II Islamic humanism
- 10 Confessional cousins and the rest 137
- 11 Religious persecution and conflict in the twenty-first century 151
- 12 What makes Islam unique? 157
- 13 Tariq Ramadan 164
- 14 Mona Siddiqui 171
- 15 Akbar Ahmed 176
- 16 Yusuf al-Qaradawi 180
- 17 Religion and violence 185
- Afterword 192
- References 195
- Index 210
