9. Surah At Tawbah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَآخَرُونَ مُرْجَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ اللّهِ إِمَّا يُعَذِّبُهُمْ وَإِمَّا يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ...   

9: 106. There are (yet) others, held in suspense for the command of Allah, whether He will punish them, or turn in mercy to them:

C1354. Three categories of men are mentioned, whose faith was tested and found wanting in the Tabuk affair, but their characteristics are perfectly general, and we may here consider them in their general aspects:

1.     the deep-dyed hypocrites, who when found out make excuses because otherwise they will suffer ignominy; they are unregenerate and obstinate, and there is no hope for them (9:101);

2.     there are those who have lapsed into evil, but are not altogether evil; they repent and amend, and are accepted (9:102-105); and

3.     there are doubtful cases, but Allah will judge them (9:106). A fourth category is mentioned in ix. 107, which will be discussed later.

... وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿١٠٦﴾ 

and Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.

Asad’s Version:

9: 106

And [there are yet] others – [people whose case are] deferred until God wills to judge them [note 141]………….

Yusuf Ali There are (yet) others held in suspense for the command of Allah whether He will punish them or turn in mercy to them: and Allah is All-Knowing Wise.

Pickthall And (there are) others who await Allah's decree, whether He will punish them or will forgive them. Allah is knower, Wise.

Transliteration Wa a_kharu_na murjauna li amrilla_hi imma_ yu'azzibuhum wa imma_ yatu_bu 'alaihim, walla_hu 'alimun hakim(un).

[[ Asad’s note 141 – Lit., “deferred unto God’s decree (amr)” – i.e., kept in abeyance in anticipation of their future repentance. As in the preceding four verses, the people referred to here are, in the first instance, the waverers who stayed away from the campaign of Tabuk, and, by implication, all half-hearted believers who confusedly hover between right and wrong: with the difference however, that whereas the repentant sinners spoken of in verse 102-105 are said to have realized their sinfulness spontaneously, the kind of people referred to in verse 106 have not yet reached the stage of self-examination and repentance, ……..it is possible to discern a subtle connection between this verse and 7:46-47.]]

[[ Ali’s note - 1354 Three categories of men are mentioned, whose faith was tested and found wanting in the Tabuk affair, but their characteristics are perfectly general, and we may here consider them in their general aspects: (1) the deep-dyed hypocrites, who when found out make excuses because otherwise they will suffer ignominy; they are unregenerate and obstinate, and there is no hope for them (ix. 101); (2) there are those who have lapsed into evil, but are not altogether evil; they repent and amend, and are accepted (ix. 102-105); and (3) there are doubtful cases, but Allah will judge them (ix. 106). A fourth category is mentioned in ix. 107, which will be discussed later. (9.106) ]]