1
Alms are acts of mercy directed to real need, not instruments for purchasing reputation.
2
One should first discharge obligations of restitution and lawful household support before using gifts to create the appearance of generosity.
3
Giving may be secret where secrecy protects humility, or public where accountability of entrusted funds requires record.
4
The receiver of alms is not thereby made a servant of the donor.
5
Charity shall prefer the genuinely needy without turning poverty into a spectacle.