almsgiving

[ ahlmz-giv-ing, ahmz- ]

noun

1. the act of donating money, food, or other items to people in need of them, especially as a spiritual practice:

   Almsgiving helps us experience giving freely, which leads to freedom from the obsession with possessing, freedom from the fear of losing what we have.

Word History and Origins

Origin of almsgiving¹

alms + giving

Example Sentences

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, and pilgrimage.

From Seattle Times

Visitors can read about the five pillars of Islam - the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting and hajj or pilgrimage - or learn about hajj rituals and different funerary practices in the Islamic world.

From Washington Times

Visitors can read about the five pillars of Islam — the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting and hajj or pilgrimage — or learn about hajj rituals and different funerary practices in the Islamic world.

From Seattle Times

They can do this through "prayer, fasting and almsgiving," said Kirby.

From Fox News

Richer donors also give proportionately less to provide for basic needs, though no income group is especially inclined toward almsgiving.

From Washington Post