It is said: He feared him with his shield: he faced him with it and protected himself from him with it and he feared him with his hand. And its meaning is: Is he who protects his face from the evil of the punishment like one who is safe from the punishment? [Mahamud said: 'Its meaning is like one who is safe, so the news was omitted like in its examples...'] Ahmad said: The one thrown into the Fire, may Allah protect us, did not intend to protect himself with his face, but he found nothing to protect himself from the Fire except his face. If he had found something, he would have done it. So when he faced it with his face, his state was like that of one who protects himself with his face. This was expressed as protection in a figurative sense, and Allah knows best. Thus, the news was omitted as it was omitted in similar cases: and the evil of the punishment: its severity. And its meaning is: When a person encounters a terrifying fear, he faces it with his hand, seeking to shield his face with it, because it is the most precious of his limbs to him. And the one who is thrown into the Fire has his hands bound to his neck, so he cannot protect himself from the Fire except with his face, which he used to protect against fears with other limbs, as a defense for him and a protection for him. And it was said: The intended meaning of the face is the entirety, and it was said: It was revealed concerning Abu Jahl. And the keepers of the Fire said to them: 'Taste the consequence of what you used to earn...' From where they do not perceive, from the direction they do not expect, and it does not occur to them that evil comes to them from it, while they are secure and at ease, when they were suddenly confronted from their place of safety. And disgrace is humiliation and degradation, like transformation, sinking, killing, exile, and similar punishments from Allah.