God's Property: Islam, Charity, and the Modern State

Islamic charitable endowments were the material foundation of the Muslim world until the twentieth century. In contemporary Beirut, they have resurfaced as mosques, Islamic centers, and nonprofit organizations. A historical anthropology in dialogue with Islamic law, God's Property demonstrates how these endowments have been drawn into secular logics and shaped by the modern state and modern understandings of charity and property. Moumtazs ethnography reveals the furtive persistence of endowment practices that perpetuate older ways of thinking of oneself and one's responsibilities toward family and state.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

Islamic charitable endowments played a pivotal role in shaping the Muslim world until the twentieth century. In Lebanon, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of French colonial rule, a significant number of these endowments transitioned into private property, becoming part of the market economy. However, in contemporary Beirut, charitable endowments have reemerged in the form of mosques, Islamic centers, and nonprofit organizations. This book, A Historical Anthropology in Dialogue with Islamic Law, explores how these endowments have been integrated into secular logics, no longer considered the exclusive property of God but belonging to the Muslim community. Through the lens of Moumtaz's ethnography, the book reveals how these endowments have been influenced by the modern state and contemporary understandings of charity and property. While these transformations have brought about new forms of loyalty and social interactions, they also reveal the lingering influence of endowment practices that perpetuate older ways of thinking about oneself and one's responsibilities towards family and state. This nuanced exploration provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of Islamic charitable endowments and their role in shaping the modern Muslim world.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 153 x 230 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520345874