His saying, exalted and majestic is He:

"O you who have believed, do not let your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that, then those are the losers."

"And spend from what We have provided you before death comes to one of you and he says, 'My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I could give charity and be among the righteous.'"

"And Allah will not delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do."

Distraction is being occupied with desire and pleasure. The "remembrance of Allah" here is general, including monotheism, prayer, supplication, and other obligatory and recommended acts. This is the saying of Al-Hasan and a group of the interpreters. Al-Dahhak, Ata, and their companions said: what is meant by remembrance is the obligatory prayer. The first is more apparent. Likewise, His saying, exalted is He: "And spend from what We have provided you," the majority of the interpreters said: what is meant is zakat. Others said: this is general for obligatory and recommended. His saying, exalted is He: "death comes to one of you" means: its signs and the beginnings of its matter. His saying: "if only You would delay me for a brief term" is a request for a second chance and postponement. In the Mushaf of Ubayy ibn Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, it is written: "delay me" without the letter 'ya'. He called it brief because it is coming. Also, he only wishes for that to perform righteous deeds in it, and hope does not extend at that time to seek life and its affairs. In the Mushaf of Ubayy, it is written: "so I could give charity." His saying, exalted is He: "and be among the righteous" has an apparent general meaning. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said: it is pilgrimage. It has been narrated from him that he said in his gathering one day: "There is no man who does not perform zakat and pilgrimage except that he seeks a second chance at his death." A man said to him: "Do you not fear Allah? Is a believer seeking a second chance?" Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said: "Yes," and he recited the verse.

The majority of the seven reciters and the people read: "And I will be" with the jasm, in conjunction with the position; because the estimation is: If you delay me, I will give charity and I will be among the righteous. This is the view of Abu Ali al-Farisi. As for what Sibawayh reported from al-Khalil, it is different from this. He asserted it based on the assumption of the condition indicated by the wish, and there is no place here because the condition is not apparent. Rather, it is joined to the position where the condition appears, as His saying, the Most High: "Whomever Allah leads astray, there is no guide for him, and He leaves them" [Al-A'raf: 186]. So whoever reads with the jasm is joining to the position of "there is no guide for him" because there is an action there that is jasm. Likewise, whoever reads: "and he disbelieves" with the jasm is joining to the position (for it is better for you). Abu Amr, al-Hasan, Abu Raje, Ibn Abu Ishaq, Malik ibn Dinar, Ibn Muhaysin, al-Amash, Ibn Jubair, and Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hasan al-Anbari read: "And I will be" with the nasb, joining it to "so I will give charity." Abu Hatim said in his writing in the mushaf without a waw: They omitted the waw just as they omitted it from "he took" and others. Abu Ali favored it. In the mushaf of Ubay ibn Ka'b and Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with them, it is: "So I will give charity and I will be." And in His saying, the Most High: "And Allah will not delay a soul when its appointed time comes," there is an encouragement to hasten and compete for the appointed time with righteous deeds. The seven reciters and the majority read: "You all do" with the ta on addressing all people. And Aasim read - in the narration of Abu Bakr -: "They do" with the ya, specifying the disbelievers with the warning. The interpretation of Surah Al-Munafiqun is complete, and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.