Addresses the ideals and institutions through which Middle Eastern societies have confronted poverty and the poor.

Offering insights and analysis in a field that has only recently come into existence, this book explores the ideals and institutions through which Middle Eastern societies-from the rise of Islam in the seventh century C.E. to the present day-have confronted poverty and the poor. By introducing new sources and presenting familiar ones with new questions, the contributors examine ideas about poverty and the poor, ideals and practices of charity, and state and private initiatives of poor relief over this extensive time span. They avoid easy generalizations about Islam and the Middle East as they seek to set the ideals and practices in comparative perspective.

Contributors include Beth Baron, Michael Bonner, Mark R. Cohen, Juan R.I. Cole, Natalie Zemon Davis, Mine Ener, Eyal Ginio, Miriam Hoexter, Timur Kuran, Kathryn Libal, Ingrid Mattson, Nadir Oèzbek, Adam Sabra, Miriam Shefer, Amy Singer, and Yasser Tabbaa.