The most felicitous Word contains such great wisdom which confirms that ‘you will not attain to piety until you spend of that which you love’ (3.86), and from a sound hadith the master of the world exclaimed, ‘Generosity is [being] close to God, close to paradise, close to the people, but distant from the fire.’ So it is clear from these first lines that this book concerns praiseworthy ethics, morals, generosity (sakha) and kindness (karam). There is no crown more noble for the head of worthy aspiration, and no garment of honour (khil‘at) more exquisite upon the tall frame of merit than generosity.

Not one of the virtues that exalt humans by their acquisition is greater than the benefit of generosity because the purpose of the class of worshippers who rise at night and the group of ascetics who are abstinent and endure the load of worship night and day, and fast during the day and rise at night, is to be saved in the next world and to attain the wealth of this world. They obtain this goal through kindness and generosity: ‘And whoso is saved from his own greed – such are they who are successful’ (59.9).