"On Giving" Summary

A rich man asks about giving, and Almustafa explains that only when one gives of him or herself does one truly give. People guard their possessions for fear they will need them tomorrow, but this is foolish, for fear creates need. Some give to receive recognition, but their gifts are unwholesome. Others own little but give it all, and because they believe in life, their coffers are never empty. Those who give with joy are rewarded with joy. Those who give with pain are baptized in that pain. Those who give with none of these motivations make God smile on the earth. It is good to give when asked, but it is better to give when unasked, open-handedly, withholding nothing. Give now, rather than leaving it to heirs to give. Some argue that one should give only to the...