Handouts allude to the Arabic manuscript (4)
I believe the answer is:
alms
'handouts' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'allude to the arabic manuscript' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'manuscript' could be 'ms' (abbreviation for manuscript) and 'ms' is present in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for alms that I've seen before include "Charitable donations to the needy" , "Charitable relief" , "Charity offering" , "Relief for the poor" , "Charitable aid to poor" .)