NGOs in the Muslim World ─ Faith and social services

Muslim NGOs are continuously expanding their field of activities to various areas, including education, medical services, environment, aging societies, gender issues, and inter-religious dialogue. They are visible in an urban slum in Pakistan, rural development in Indonesia, and even in Fukushima in Japan to distribute hot meals among the affected people. Muslim NGOs have become a global phenomenon.

Though there have been many studies on "political Islam", only a few approaches to broaden our understanding of Muslim NGOs have appeared.NGOs in the Muslim World brings together contributors familiar with the local language who have each been engaged with fieldwork for many years. Based on empirical anthropological and sociological studies in Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Jordan, they explore key issues concerning the role and work of Muslim NGOs, from the inspirations Muslims take from holy texts to the religious expectations of volunteers devoting their time to charitable causes. The book discusses the relationship of Muslim organizations with Islamic institutions, as well as their interpretations of the contemporary issues faced by NGOs within a specifically Islamic framework. As a result,NGOs in the Muslim World provides fresh insight into Muslims’ faith-based initiatives concerning contemporary issues.

This book will be of interest to students and scholars from diverse disciplines including anthropology, sociology, political science and history, as well as Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

Susumu Nejima is Professor of Faculty of Regional Development Studies, Toyo University in Tokyo. He has been researching Muslim NGOs in South Asia since 1984. His dissertationIslam and Development: Transformation of the Ismailis in Karakorum was published by Nakanishiya Shuppan in 2002.