Quran Universe
9:106

وَءَاخَرُونَ مُرۡجَوۡنَ لِأَمۡرِ ٱللَّهِ إِمَّا يُعَذِّبُهُمۡ وَإِمَّا يَتُوبُ عَلَيۡهِمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٞ

Waakharoona murjawna liamri Allahi imma yuAAaththibuhum waimma yatoobu AAalayhim waAllahu AAaleemun hakeemun

And [there are] others deferred until the command of Allah - whether He will punish them or whether He will forgive them. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.

Word by word
  1. وَءَاخَرُونَAnd others
  2. مُرۡجَوۡنَdeferred
  3. لِأَمۡرِfor the Command of Allah
  4. ٱللَّهِfor the Command of Allah
  5. إِمَّاwhether
  6. يُعَذِّبُهُمۡHe will punish them
  7. وَإِمَّاor
  8. يَتُوبُHe will turn (in mercy)
  9. عَلَيۡهِمۡۗto them
  10. وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
  11. عَلِيمٌ(is) All-Knower
  12. حَكِيمٞAll-Wise
At-Tawbah · 9:106Madinah

Three men left waiting for Allah's decision.

When your case is still open

The three who stayed behind
Kab bin Malik
Mararah bin Ar-Rabi
Hilal bin Umayyah
left with
Allah's decreenot yet announced
What waiting means
already rejectedno answer means no
mercy firstit comes before His anger

Ibn Abbas and others said these were three Companions who stayed behind from Tabuk out of laziness, not doubt. Unlike Abu Lubabah's group, they did not tie themselves up, and their pardon was delayed. Ibn Kathir adds: they were at Allah's mercy, and His mercy comes before His anger.

You repented, you meant it, and still the guilt has not lifted. No sign, no relief yet. Waiting is not the same as rejection. These three men waited too, and the answer came later in this very surah.

If I do not feel forgiven yet, I am not.

Waiting for Allah's answer can still end in His mercy.

Try this

Keep up one sincere act of repentance today even if you do not feel any change yet.

Related9:1179:118
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And others are made to await for Allah's Decree, whether He will punish them or will forgive them. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (106)

Delaying the Decision about the Three Companions Who stayed away from the Battle of Tabuk

Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak and several others said that those mentioned in the Ayah are the three who were made to wait to know if their repentance was accepted; Mararah bin Ar-Rabi', Ka'b bin Malik and Hilal bin Umayyah.

Some Companions stayed behind from the battle of Tabuk due to laziness, preferring comfort, ease, ripe fruits and shade. They did not lag behind because of hypocrisy or doubts. Some of them tied themselves to the pillars (of the Masjid) like Abu Lubabah and several of his friends did. Some of them did not do that, and they are the three mentioned here. Those who tied themselves received their pardon before these three men whose pardon was delayed, until this Ayah was revealed,

لَّقَد تَّابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ

(Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin and the Ansar...)

وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ

(And the three who stayed behind, until for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened...)

We will mention the Hadith about this story from Ka'b bin Malik. Allah said,

إِمَّا يُعَذِّبُهُمْ وَإِمَّا يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ

(whether He will punish them or will forgive them.) meaning, they are at Allah's mercy, if He wills, He pardons them or punishes them. However, Allah's mercy comes before His anger,

وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

(And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.)[9:106]

Allah knows those who deserve the punishment and those who deserve the pardon. He is All-Wise in His actions and statements, there is no deity worthy of worship nor Lord besides Him.