And when the benefit of the Hereafter, which is the true benefit, was removed from their wealth, this caused them to have a detachment from it. This detachment led to a lack of attention to it and a disbelief that there is blessing in it or that it indicates goodness. So he said - clarifying what is in it of corruption that is thought to be righteousness: ﴿So﴾ - with the 'fa' indicating causation, for the context is more eloquent than the context that follows after the prohibition of prayer for them: ﴿Their wealth may impress you﴾ meaning: even if they spend it in My cause and equip the warriors with it; for that is without sincerity from them, nor good intention, nor noble purpose. Rather, it is because they have been humiliated by the honor of Islam and are afraid of the might of retribution, so it is among the punishments. And he included their children due to their participation with them in the pleasures, strength, and use in jihad. So he said, confirming the negation by repeating the negation: ﴿Nor their children﴾. It is as if it was said: What is intended by giving them that? If they had withheld it and it had been given to the sincere ones, it would have been a strength for the religion. So he said: ﴿Indeed, Allah only intends﴾ meaning: He brings about the intention for them by the King who has complete knowledge of all wisdom, just as He has complete power. And He emphasized the restriction by including the 'lam' in His saying: ﴿To punish them﴾ meaning: in order to punish them ﴿with it in this life﴾ meaning: even if it seems that it is delightful; for that is the nature of life, but it is truly death for them ﴿the worldly life﴾ meaning: sometimes by gathering it and nurturing it, and sometimes by spending it unwillingly in the cause of Allah or in its purification, and sometimes by other than that ﴿and to cause their souls to depart﴾ meaning: He intends by enabling them to us that the time of death comes with great difficulty ﴿their souls﴾ meaning: because of it ﴿while they﴾ meaning: and while they are ﴿disbelievers﴾ meaning: deeply entrenched in disbelief. And thus is everyone whom He intends to lead astray, glorified and exalted is He, for He often increases their wealth and children for this reason. For when they see their increase with it over some of the sincere ones, they think that this is due to their honor and good state, so they continue in it until they die. So He, glorified is He, did not intend by it to grant them but rather to test them and afflict them. As for the religion, the Able One strengthens it without that, so it becomes more evident for its proof and clearer for its path. Thus, the result is that it has become apparent to them that they have been honored by it, while it is hidden from them that it is a cause for their punishment in this life by their reliance on it, and in death by the difficulty indicated by the term 'zahaq', and in the Hereafter due to their death upon disbelief by their being led astray by it. As for the believer, he does not die until he sees from the reward that consoles him for everything, and he longs for the meeting with Allah, and his soul departs while he is in the utmost love for its departure because the body is an obstacle to him from what he sees.