106 Preface وَآخَرونَ مُرجَونَ لِأَمرِ اللَّهِ إِمّا يُعَذِّبُهُم وَإِمّا يَتوبُ عَلَيهِم ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَليمٌ حَكيمٌYusuf AliThere are (yet) others, held in suspense for the command of God, whether He will punish them, or turn in mercy1 to them: and God is All-Knowing, Wise.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 God will judge them (9:106). A fourth category is mentioned in 9:107, which will be discussed later.