"And spend out of that with which We have provided you," meaning: the obligatory Zakat. "Before death comes to one of you, and he says, 'My Lord, if only'"—that is, would that—"'You delayed me for a short term so I would give charity'"—meaning: so I would pay Zakat—"'and be among the righteous'"—meaning: and perform Hajj. Similar to this in Surat al-Mu'minun is: "'Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back"'"—that is, to the world—"'that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.'"

Muhammad said: "So I would give charity" (fa-assadaqa) is the answer to "if only" (lawla). Whoever reads "and I would be" (wa-akuna) with the jussive (jazm) does so based on the position of "so I would give charity" (fa-assadaqa), because the meaning is: If You delayed me, I would give charity and be among the righteous. And whoever reads it as (wa-akunu) in the indicative mood, he does so based on the wording of "so I would give charity" (fa-assadaqa) and "I would be" (wa-akunu).