Amira Mittermaier Bücher

Giving to God examines the everyday practices of Islamic giving in post-revolutionary Egypt. From foods prepared in Sufi soup kitchens, to meals distributed by pious volunteers in slums, to almsgiving, these acts are ultimately about giving to God by giving to the poor. Surprisingly, many who practice such giving say that they do not care about the poor, instead framing their actions within a unique non-compassionate ethics of giving. At first, this form of giving may appear deeply selfish, but further consideration reveals that it avoids many of the problems associated with the idea of “charity.” Using the Egyptian uprising in 2011 and its call for social justice as a backdrop, this beautifully crafted ethnography suggests that “giving a man a fish” might ultimately be more revolutionary than “teaching a man to fish.”

Explores the social and material life of dreams in contemporary Cairo. This title guides the reader through landscapes of the imagination that feature Muslim dream interpreters who draw on Freud, reformists who dismiss various forms of divination as superstition, and ordinary believers who speak of moving encounters with the Prophet Muhammad.