Generosity as proactive giving

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 53

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 3, Chapter 53

Generosity as proactive giving
1 Ḥadīth
Ḥadīth 67

٥٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): السَّخَاءُ مَا كَانَ ابْتِدَاءً، فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةِ فَحَيَاءٌ وَتَذَمُّمٌ.

53. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Generosity is that which is by one’s own initiative, because giving on being asked is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke.