Surah 9. Al-Tawba, Ayah 66

See note [89] above.

I.e., consciously persevered in hypocrisy (Zamakhshari). The above Qur'anic sentence expresses the doctrine that in His final judgment God will take into account all that is in a sinner's heart, and will not indiscriminately condemn everyone who has been sinning out of weakness or out of an inner inability to resolve his doubts, and not out of a conscious inclination to evil (cf. 4:98 - "excepted shall be the [truly] helpless - be they men or women or children - who cannot bring forth any strength and have not been shown [or "cannot find"] the right way").

 i.e., those who will repent.

See last note. Hypocrisy is a half-way house, a state of indecision in the choice between good and evil. Those who definitely range themselves with good obtain forgiveness: those who pass definitely to evil suffer the penalties of evil.