Studying Muslim philanthropy through data

In this chapter, we examine the current state of data on Muslim giving by conducting a broad literature review on Muslim philanthropy in existing international surveys, with a specific focus on the giving practices of respondents in Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Indonesia. We find several similarities and differences across the Muslim world. The results show several differences in altruism and generosity across the globe, as countries lie differently on a continuum of benevolence. We also find that religiosity is one of the primary drivers of philanthropy across the Muslim world. Additionally, factors like gender and social norms, marital status, wealth, education, and age, affect the motivation to give and the amount of money given. We also find that Muslims generally prefer giving to informal causes and are often hesitant to give to formal organizations.