Alms

Alms is relief, usually in monetary form, given to the poor. Some religions require the giving of alms and/or regard it as a sacrament; this is the case in Islam where the giving of alms, called zakat, is the third of the "Five Pillars", the basic precepts of that faith.

In medieval Europe, alms were often seen as a form of largess by the nobility, similar to the giving of food to the poor. In fact, the importance of alms-giving and other forms of largess were seen as some of the highest duties of a Christian nobleman.