If you say: How does the answer correspond to the question in His saying: Say, "Whatever you spend" while they asked about the clarification of what they should spend, and they were answered with the clarification of the place of spending? I say: His saying, "Whatever you spend of good" includes the clarification of what they should spend, which is all good. The speech is built upon what is more important, which is the clarification of the place of spending, for spending is not considered unless it occurs in its proper place. The poet said:

"Indeed, a favor is not considered a favor ... until it reaches the path of the maker."

So, if you do a favor, direct it ... to Allah or to relatives, or leave it.

He means: The gift is not truly a gift until it is in its proper place, so he used the phrase 'reaching the path' to refer to delivering it to the destination, which is the one who deserves it. And His saying, "direct it" means aim it. It implies the meaning of going with it, so he used 'to' with it. It is narrated: 'to relatives' so perhaps its meaning is for those who have close relations. And His saying, "or leave it" means abandon it, for there is nothing after these two except boasting.

And from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: Amr ibn al-Jamuh, who was an elderly man with great wealth, came and said: What should we spend from our wealth? And where should we place it? Then this verse was revealed. And from al-Suddi: It is abrogated by the obligation of zakat. And from al-Hasan: It is about voluntary spending.