One day, Amir-ul-Mu’minin Imam Ali (peace be upon him) sent five camels worth of dates to a respectable person who did not ask anyone for help (because of his reputation). A person who was present there said to Amir-ul-Mu’minin: “That man who did not ask for help, why did you send him dates? A camel load was enough for him!”
Imam Ali (pbuh) said to him:
“May God not increase people like you in our society! I bestow and you are stingy!? If I give what he needs after asking (i.e. investing himself and asking publicly), I have not given him something; but I have given him the price of his honor, because if I wait for him to ask me, I have in fact forced him to give me his honor.”(1)
In the above narration, it is considered that the poor person should be given favors without asking, so that by favoring him, one’s reputation in the society will be spared and the person’s character in the society will not be lowered, and this is the pure Islam that has come to save the people.
Source:
1-Wasa’il al-Shia, volume 2, page 118.
