INTRODUCTION 0F

A well-known form of cross-border philanthropy, remittances, was traditionally done to help modernize migrants’ home-countries in economic and social ways. These acts of giving were, one: faith-based, two: international, and three: done from a secular social context towards an (Islamic) faith-based society. However, over the last two decades, we have seen such acts lead to a still under-examined understanding of cross-border philanthropy. Expanding this understanding through this special issue led to the distinction of three key elements: the fundament of cross-border philanthropy (religious or secular), its influence on the local, regional and global civil society (social geography) and finally the importance of religious norms and values (societal opposites). Each part of this ternary influences the other parts which makes it impossible to examine one without including the other. The introduction of the special issue ‘Cross-Border Philanthropy in the Islamic World: from Europe to Middle East and North Africa (MENA)’ draws a brief preface of the constant ternary connection of which each part is further examined in the articles within this special issue.