Al-Anfal 8:50

<h2>The Angels smite the Disbelievers upon capturing Their Souls</h2><p>Allah says, if you witnessed the angels capturing the souls of the disbelievers, you would witness a tremendous, terrible, momentous and awful matter,</p><p>يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</p><p>(they smite their faces and their backs), saying to them,</p><p>وَذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ</p><p>("Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire.")</p><p>Ibn Jurayj said that Mujahid said that,</p><p>وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</p><p>(and their backs), refers to their back sides, as happened on the day of Badr. Ibn Jurayj also reported from Ibn `Abbas, "When the idolators faced the Muslims in Badr, the Muslims smote their faces with swords. When they gave flight, the angels smote their rear ends."</p><p>Although these Ayat are describing Badr, they are general in the case of every disbeliever. This is why Allah did not make His statement here restrictive to the disbelievers at Badr,</p><p>وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</p><p>(And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death); they smite their faces and their backs,)</p><p>In Surat Al-Qital (or Muhammad chapter 47) there is a similar Ayah, as well as in Surat Al-An`am,</p><p>وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّـلِمُونَ فِى غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ</p><p>(And if you could but see when the …

If thou couldst see how the angels receive those who disbelieve, smiting faces and their backs and (saying): Taste the punishment of burning!

If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire-

And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death), they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): "Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire."

If only you could see, as the angels take away those who disbelieve, striking their faces and their backs: “Taste the agony of the Burning.”