Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:210

(Do they wait for) an interrogative in the sense of negation. The pronoun refers to those mentioned previously if intended to mean the hypocrites or the People of the Scripture, or it refers to those who "please you" if intended to mean the believers from the People of the Scripture or the Muslims.

(But that Allah should come to them) with a meaning befitting His Majesty, exalted is He, transcendent above resembling created things or being constrained by the attributes of contingent beings, (in canopies) - the plural of zullah, similar to qullah and qulal, which is that which shades you. It is also recited as zilal, similar to qilal.

(Of the clouds) - meaning the clouds, or the white ones among them.

(And the angels) shall come. It is also recited as (and the angels) in the genitive case, as a conjunction to "canopies" or "clouds"; the meaning being "along with the angels." Ibn Mardawayh recorded from Ibn Mas'ud that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Allah the Almighty shall gather the first and the last for a set time on a known day, standing with their eyes fixed toward the heaven, awaiting the final judgment. Allah the Almighty shall descend in canopies of clouds from the Throne to the Footstool."

Ibn Jarir and others recorded from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar regarding this verse that he said: "He descends when He descends, and between Him and His creation are seventy thousand veils, among them light, darkness, and water; and the water resounds with a sound in that majesty that causes hearts to be torn away." It is reported from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that "among the clouds are canopies in which Allah the Almighty comes, surrounded by the angels." Ubayy recited: "But that Allah and the angels should come to them in canopies."

Some people have estimated a deleted term in such ambiguous verses, stating: The attribution in the verse is metaphorical; the meaning being "the command of Allah and His might come to them," or it is literal, and the object is deleted, meaning "Allah the Almighty comes to them with His might." The object being brought was deleted to indicate it by His saying, the Transcendent: (Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might, Wise), for Might and Wisdom point to retribution according to truth, which is the might and the punishment. The angels are mentioned because they are the intermediaries in the arrival of His command, or they are the ones arriving in reality, and the mention of Allah the Almighty is then a prelude to the mention of them, as in His saying: (They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe).

The clouds were specified as the location of the punishment because they are the expected source of mercy; when punishment comes from that source, it is more horrific, for when evil comes from where it is least expected, it is most difficult—so how much more so when it comes from where good is expected? It is not hidden that whoever knows that Allah the Almighty manifests as He wills, how He wills, and when He wills, and that during His manifestation He remains upon His absolute transcendence—even from the constraint of absolute transcendence—exempt from limitation, and free from plurality, as the predecessors of the nation and the masters of the heart among our Sufi leaders (may Allah sanctify their secrets) have maintained, does not need these difficulties nor hover around these interpretations.

(And the matter is judged) - meaning, the affair of the servants and their reckoning is completed, so the obedient is rewarded and the disobedient is punished, and the matter of their destruction is finished and concluded. It is a conjunction to (Do they wait for) because it is a report in meaning, and the past tense is placed in the position of the future due to its proximity and the certainty of its occurrence. Mu'adh ibn Jabal recited "and the judgment of the matter," as a conjunction to "the angels."

(And to Allah all matters are returned) - a tail-piece for emphasis, as if it were said: (And to Allah are returned) the matters, among which are the reckoning or the destruction. According to the reading of Mu'adh, it is a conjunction to (Do they wait for), meaning: they do not wait for anything except the arrival, and the matter of that belongs to Allah the Almighty.

Nafi', Ibn Kathir, Abu 'Amr, and 'Asim read "are returned" (turja'u) in the passive voice, as being from ar-raj'. The rest read it in the active voice with the feminine, except for Ya'qub, as being from ar-ruju' (returning). It was also recited with the masculine and the passive voice.