"A well-thought-out analysis with the very specific aim of addressing a gap in the historiography of the Middle East." — Virginia H. Aksan, author of An Ottoman Statesman in War and Peace: Ahmed Resmi Efendi, 1700–1783\"Posing interesting questions and offering imaginative answers, this volume marks a new departure in Middle Eastern scholarship. I am aware of no comprehensive volume on this or a similar subject for the Middle East." — Nathan J. Brown, The George Washington University"The individual articles complement one another so that the cumulative effect for understanding poverty and charity in the Middle East across the sweep of its history is quite rich. No existing volume provides such an overview of the topic as does this one." — Everett K. Rowson, translator of The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXII: The Marwānid Restoration: The Caliphate of ʿAbd al-Malik A.D. 693-701/A.H. 74-81