ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the relationships between Muslim organisations, the public and the authorities they depend on and how these initiatives eventually become agents of negotiation in the public sphere, building bridges through trust and thus planting seeds for a harmonious plural society. It discusses the effective, natural means of these charities for spreading a balanced understanding of Islam to volunteers and giving them meaning and a sense of responsibility. The book analyses how some Muslim charities develop a utilitarian mind-set and how corporate culture impacts the not-for-profit sector. It focuses on how these charities become spaces and times of socialisation more focused on emotions, feelings, bonds of friendships, conviviality and faith. The book shows that an original glimpse of what future generations of twenty-first-century Muslims will look like, and why it is important to acknowledge and understand their diverse and dynamic universe.
