Paper long abstract:

In Tatarstan's capital Kazan, a small number of successful entrepreneurs who identify themselves as observing Muslims help disabled or poor individuals and support a Muslim charitable foundation that cares for the disabled, the elderly, and the orphans. I suggest that engaging in charity work enables the businessmen to build moral capital in three distinct ways. Sharing the wealth with those in need is an individual act that merits savab, a reward from God for doing a good deed, a moral capital of sorts. Secondly, supporting a charity and those in need and thus spreading the wealth "purifies" the capital and legitimizes its multiplication, a common belief among Muslims in Russia. Finally, engaging in charity work allows businessmen to build a positive reputation for themselves and their businesses—among colleagues, customers, and public officials—an important (moral) social capital in a close-knit society where being introduced in a positive light and being connected plays an important role. The paper is based on ethnographic research (observations and interviews) conducted in Kazan in 2015 and 2016.