The study of Islam since the advent of 9/11 has made a significant resurgence. However, much of the work produced since then has tended to focus on the movements that not only provide aid to their fellow Muslims, but also have political and at times violent agendas. This tendency has led to a dearth of research on the wider Muslim aid and development scene. Focusing on the role and impact of Islam and Islamic Faith Based Organisations (FBOs), an arena that has come to be regarded by some as the 'invisible aid economy', Islam and Development considers Islamic theology and its application to development and how Islamic teaching is actualized in case studies of Muslim FBOs. It brings together contributions from the disciplines of theology, sociology, politics and economics, aiming both to raise awareness and to function as a corrective step within the development studies literature.
Introduction: The Invisible Aid Sector
David Tittensor and Matthew Clarke
PART I: Islam in Development
1 Zakat and Poverty in Islam
Jan A. Ali
2 The Changing Nature of Islamic Mission: The Cases of Tablighi Jamaat and the G?len Movement
David Tittensor
3 Islamic International Aid Flows for Poverty Alleviation
Matthew Clarke
4 Development by Muslims, with Muslims and among Muslims: Prospects and Challenges for Christian Aid Agencies
Peter Riddell
5 Riba-Free Finance and Zakat-Induced Economic Aid: The Political Economy of Two Developmental Initiatives in the Muslim World
Ameer Ali
PART II: Islam in Practice
6 Applying Islamic Finance Principles to Microfinance
Aimatul Yumna