And when the Exalted clarified the encompassing nature of His knowledge of them, He followed it with the encompassing nature of His power. He said, Exalted is He, causing them to face the consequences of their betrayal while they are in the grip of what is not hidden of what they intend by it: to protect themselves from being killed. He expressed this with a question to indicate that their condition is one for which they will be rewarded based on this deserving of it from the ugliness, disgrace, and horror that justifies asking about it. He said: "So how" meaning: their condition "when the angels take them" meaning: our messengers, who are the Angel of Death and his assistants, seize their souls completely, and they are taken to the abode of recompense, severed from all their causes and lineage. Their retreat from jihad did not benefit them in delaying their lifespans. He depicted their condition at the time of their death. He said: "They strike" meaning: they continue at the time of death to strike their faces, which are the most honorable of their limbs, which they shied away from fighting to protect from being struck by the disbelievers. And when their state of cowardice necessitated striking their backs, He depicted it in the most hideous of forms, saying: "and their backs," whose striking is the clearest indication of the humiliation of the struck and their lowliness. Then their pains, torment, and humiliation will connect to what has no end.