Generosity as proactive giving
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 53
٥٣. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام): السَّخَاءُ مَا كَانَ ابْتِدَاءً، فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةِ فَحَيَاءٌ وَتَذَمُّمٌ.
53. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Generosity is that which is by one’s own initiative, because giving on being asked is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke.