Alms for Jihad. Charity and Terrorism in the Islamic World
This is a book written by J. Miilard burr and Robert O. Collins (Cambridge University Press, 2006).
I was so curious to read this book but dissappointed after I finished reading the preface and introduction of the book. In deed, this book is not "an attempt to give kind of learned discourse" on Islamic philanthropy, nor "provide an extensive analysis of each of the regions where Islamic charities have supported terrorists." This book is a kind of a collection of records, archives, CIA investigation reports, and courts testimonies of the American government in looking at Islamic philanthropy. Well I do not mind to see these records and archives are analysed structurally and regionally, it is a good effort though. However, it is really an "American" style to see the Islamic world through the politics of terrorism.
The writers are right in saying that the phenomenon of alms for jihad is only some cases of thousands or even millions Islamic charities all over the world. This is the book about. About the some cases of using alms for conservative and radical meaning of jihad: terrorism.
I still want to finish reading this book actually. But my apetite has gone because I find that the writers misunderstood (do not read much) about Islamic modernism movements of the 20th century. Then I realized the book does not refers to many sounds analysis of Islamic movements and ideologies.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Waving hands charity
What? Yes, I think waving hands might be included as charity. This thought came after I and my family went by an old train called Puffing Billy.
Puffing Billy is an old steam train for tourists who want to know rain forests in Dandenong. The area is like a Puncak area in Cianjur, East Java, but not so spectacular like Puncak area. This puffing billy has been modificated to be suitable for tourists, not only the train itself but also all staffs work for puffing billy. The conductors and train machinists work to check tickets and to run the trains, and, most importantly, as an artists who should smile all the time to be pictured with passangers.
All passangger were very happy. They waved their hands to most of people who were looking at the train which passed by. We passed by many different peoples but mostly were children who were playing with their families and car passenggers who waited for our train to pass by. Perhaps the passanggers of Puffing Billy were quite exagerated with their happiness of going by an old train so they waved their hands to all people they saw. I was surprised to see that most of the people waved their hands back to us. Some were anthusiastically waved their hands, supporting and adding the happiness of the train' passanggers. Few children intendedly stood at the back of their homes to wave their hands to puffing billy passenggers.
My husband jokingly said that the municipality has advised these people who live nearby puffing billy to wave their hands anytime they see this train pass by. That is may be the case in the New Order era in Indonesia, but not here in Australia. Waving hands are significant aspect in this puffing billy and dandenong tourism, that without them going by an old train is sober.
This experience made me thought seriously that waving hands is also a charitable activity.
Puffing Billy is an old steam train for tourists who want to know rain forests in Dandenong. The area is like a Puncak area in Cianjur, East Java, but not so spectacular like Puncak area. This puffing billy has been modificated to be suitable for tourists, not only the train itself but also all staffs work for puffing billy. The conductors and train machinists work to check tickets and to run the trains, and, most importantly, as an artists who should smile all the time to be pictured with passangers.
All passangger were very happy. They waved their hands to most of people who were looking at the train which passed by. We passed by many different peoples but mostly were children who were playing with their families and car passenggers who waited for our train to pass by. Perhaps the passanggers of Puffing Billy were quite exagerated with their happiness of going by an old train so they waved their hands to all people they saw. I was surprised to see that most of the people waved their hands back to us. Some were anthusiastically waved their hands, supporting and adding the happiness of the train' passanggers. Few children intendedly stood at the back of their homes to wave their hands to puffing billy passenggers.
My husband jokingly said that the municipality has advised these people who live nearby puffing billy to wave their hands anytime they see this train pass by. That is may be the case in the New Order era in Indonesia, but not here in Australia. Waving hands are significant aspect in this puffing billy and dandenong tourism, that without them going by an old train is sober.
This experience made me thought seriously that waving hands is also a charitable activity.
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