سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 50
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۙ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـٰرَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْحَرِيقِ ﴿50﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
تَرَىٰٓ
tarā
you (could) see
إِذْ
idh
when
يَتَوَفَّى
yatawaffā
take away souls
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
كَفَرُوا۟ ۙ
kafarū
disbelieve
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ
l-malāikatu
the Angels
يَضْرِبُونَ
yaḍribūna
striking
وُجُوهَهُمْ
wujūhahum
their faces
وَأَدْبَـٰرَهُمْ
wa-adbārahum
and their backs
وَذُوقُوا۟
wadhūqū
Taste
عَذَابَ
ʿadhāba
(the) punishment
ٱلْحَرِيقِ
l-ḥarīqi
(of) the Blazing Fire
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
50. 1. Some commentators have considered this regarding the polytheists killed in the Battle of Badr. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that when the polytheists would come towards the Muslims, the Muslims would strike their faces with swords, and to escape, they would turn their backs and flee, so the angels would strike their backs with swords. However, this verse is general and includes every disbeliever and polytheist, and the meaning is that at the time of death, the angels strike their faces and backs (or buttocks). Just as it is also stated in Surah An'am: (وَالْمَلٰۗىِٕكَةُ بَاسِطُوْٓا اَيْدِيْهِمْ) 6. Al-An'am: 93) "The angels stretch forth their hands to strike them." And according to some, this striking by the angels will be when they are being driven towards Hell on the Day of Resurrection, and the keeper of Hell will say, "Taste the punishment of burning."
