Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:210

Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow): Verse 210

{هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْغَمَٰمِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ}

There are several issues concerning this verse:

Issue 1: The Meaning of "To Look/Await" (ينظرون)

The comprehensive discussion regarding the word Nazar (looking/awaiting) is found in the exegesis of the verse: {وجوه يومئذ ناضرة * إلى ربها ناظرة} (Al-Qiyamah: 32-33).

It is universally agreed upon that it comes to mean waiting/expecting. Allah says: {فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُونَ} (An-Naml: 35). Therefore, the meaning of {هل ينظرون} (Do they await?) here is waiting.

Issue 2: The Impossibility of God Moving or Coming

The respected scholars of intellect agree that Allah, the Exalted, is transcendent above coming and going. This is supported by several proofs:

1. Movement and Rest: Everything to which coming and going can apply is inseparable from movement and rest. Both are contingent (created/newly arisen, muhdath). Anything inseparable from the contingent must itself be contingent. Thus, anything that can come or go must be created, which is impossible for the Eternal God.
2. Transference (Spatial Movement): If something moves from one place to another, it must either be infinitely small (an indivisible part), which is rejected by consensus, or it must be large. If it is large, one side must differ from the other, meaning it is composed of parts. Any composite entity requires the existence of all its parts, and since each part is distinct from the others, the composite entity is dependent on others. Anything dependent on others is possible in its essence (mumkin li-dhātih), and anything possible in its essence requires an external agent (murajjih) for its existence. Therefore, it must be created and preceded by non-existence, which is impossible for the Eternal God.
3. Limitation: Anything that moves from place to place must be limited and bounded by a specific measure. It is conceivable that it could exist in a larger or smaller measure. Its restriction to that specific measure must be due to a selecting agent (murajjih). Anything subject to selection is the act of an agent with free will (fa'il mukhtār), and thus must be created. The Eternal God cannot be like this.
4. Analogy with Celestial Bodies: If we permit that a being capable of coming and going could be the Eternal God, then we cannot logically deny divinity to the Sun and Moon. Some astute scholars argued that the only defect preventing the divinity of the Sun and Moon is that they are bodies subject to absence and presence. Whoever permits coming and going for God, why should he not affirm the divinity of the Sun? What necessitates affirming another existent entity as God?
5. Abraham's Proof: Allah recounts that Abraham (peace be upon him) refuted the divinity of the stars, Moon, and Sun by saying: {لَا أُحِبُّ الْأَفِلِينَ} (Al-An'am: 76). Aful (setting/disappearing) means nothing other than absence and presence. Whoever permits absence and presence for God invalidates Abraham's proof and contradicts Allah's confirmation of Abraham.
6. Pharaoh's Inquiry: When Pharaoh asked Moses (peace be upon him) about the Lord of the Worlds, demanding His essence, genus, and substance, if God were a body described by shapes and measures, the answer should have been a description of form and quantity. Moses' response—{رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ} (Maryam: 65)—would have been incorrect. This would imply Moses was wrong and Pharaoh correct in calling him mad. Since this is false, we know God is transcendent above being a body, being in a location, and being subject to coming and going.
7. Oneness (Ahad): Allah says: {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} (Al-Ikhlas: 1). Al-Ahad is the one perfect in unity. Every body is divisible, even conceptually. Since God is Ahad, He cannot be a body or occupy space. If He is not a body or occupying space, coming and going are impossible. Furthermore, {هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا} (Maryam: 65) (Do you know a likeness for Him?). If He were a body, He would resemble other bodies in corporeality; differences would only arise in secondary attributes (size or qualities), which does not negate similarity in essence. Also, {لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ} (Ash-Shura: 11). If He were a body, He would be a parallel to bodies.
8. Corporeality and Distinction: If He were a body occupying space, He would share the general attribute of corporeality with all other bodies. Either He differs from them in His specific essence, or He does not.
   • If He differs, the aspect of sharing corporeality is different from the aspect of His specific distinction. This implies corporeality is a quality of that specific essence, which is impossible since the body is the essence, not a quality.
   • If His specific essence, which is distinct from the concept of being a body, is not described as a body, this negates Him being a body.
   • If He is a body but does not differ from other bodies in specificity, then He is absolutely similar to them. If these bodies are contingent, He must also be contingent, which is impossible. Thus, He is not a body, does not occupy space, and is not subject to coming or going.

Given the impossibility of God physically coming, scholars discussed the meaning of this verse:

The First View (The Salaf/Pious Predecessors): Since coming and going are definitively impossible for God, we know with certainty that the verse does not mean physical arrival. Since we cannot be certain of the intended meaning without risking error, the proper course is to remain silent regarding the detailed interpretation and delegate the precise meaning to Allah. This aligns with the narration attributed to Ibn Abbas regarding the Quran having four aspects: one unknown due to its obscurity, one known and explained by scholars, one known only through Arabic linguistics, and one known only to Allah. (This view was detailed in the exegesis of {Alif Lam Mim}).

The Third View (The Majority of Theologians): Interpretation (Ta'wil) is necessary. They offered several interpretations:

1. Interpretation 1: The Coming of God's Signs (Ayat): The meaning is: "Do they await anything except that God's Signs come to them?" Attributing the coming of the Signs to God is for magnifying the status of the Signs, similar to saying "The King has come" when a great army arrives from his direction.
   • Evidence: The preceding verse (209) warns them: {فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ} (Know that Allah is Mighty, Wise). This is a threat. If mere presence were the cause of the threat, it would be flawed, because presence brings reward for believers and punishment for disbelievers. Since the verse intends only threat and warning, the implied meaning must be the coming of awe, overwhelming power, and threat. This interpretation resolves all ambiguity and aligns well with the context.

2. Interpretation 2: The Coming of God's Command (Amr): The meaning is: "Do they await anything except that God's Command comes to them?"
   • Scholars interpret an action attributed to God as referring to His Command when the literal attribution is impossible (e.g., {وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ} [Ask the village], meaning the people of the village). Similarly, {يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ} means His Command comes to them, and {وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ} (Al-Fajr: 22) means His Command came. This is a common metaphor involving the omission of the possessed noun (mudaf) and the remaining possessive noun (mudaf ilayh). It is also supported by:
     • Corroboration: Surah An-Nahl (16:33) clarifies this event: {هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ} (Do they await anything except that the angels come to them, or the Command of your Lord comes?). Since these verses concern the same event, one clarifies the other.
     • Contextual Link: The following phrase is {وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ} (And the matter was decided). The definite article al- implies a previously mentioned matter, which must be the Command we inferred.
   • Objection: If God's Command is an eternal attribute (as per our view), its coming is impossible. If it is an accident (as per the Mu'tazila), its coming is also impossible.
   • Response: The word Amr (Command) has two meanings in Arabic:
     • Action, Affair, or Way: As in {وَمَا أَمْرُنَا إِلَّا وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ} (Hud: 97). Here, Amr refers to the Action—the terrifying events and manifestation of clear signs on the Day of Judgment. This supports the first interpretation above.
     • The Opposite of Prohibition: If Amr means the command against prohibition, there are two possibilities:
       1. A herald cries out on the Day of Judgment: "Behold, Allah commands you thus and so." This announcement is the "coming of the Command," occurring amidst canopies of clouds (i.e., with canopies).
       2. It means specific, distinct sounds emanating from those clouds, revealing God's judgment (happiness or misery) for each person. Or, God creates organized inscriptions in the clouds—so white and black that the state of those present (promise or threat) is known. The clouds serve as a sign that the decree has arrived.

3. Interpretation 3: The Coming of What Was Promised (Punishment): The meaning is: "Do they await anything except that Allah comes to them with what He promised (of punishment and reckoning)?" The object being brought is omitted to heighten the terror, as mentioning the specific punishment would make it easier to contemplate than leaving it vague, causing their thoughts to scatter in every direction.
   • Analogy: {فَأَتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا} (Al-Hashr: 2) means He came to them with His abandonment/failure, from where they did not expect. Similarly, {فَأَتَى اللَّهُ بُنْيَانَهُم مِّنَ الْقَوَاعِدِ} (An-Nahl: 26) is explained by the subsequent phrase: {وَأَتَاهُمُ الْعَذَابُ} (And the punishment came to them). This is a common metaphor in usage, such as saying, "So-and-so came to us with his injustice."

4. Interpretation 4: Change of Preposition: The preposition fī (in) means bi- (with). The meaning is: "Do they await anything except that Allah comes to them with canopies of clouds and angels?" This refers to the punishment that comes with the clouds and angels.

5. Interpretation 5: Depicting the Majesty of the Day of Judgment: The purpose is to illustrate the immense horror and severity of the Resurrection. When all sinners stand for judgment, and the Judge is the most powerful Sovereign, the moment of His arrival to settle the dispute is the most intense time for them. Mentioning God's coming serves to depict the utmost awe and ultimate terror. This is analogous to {وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ} (Az-Zumar: 67), which depicts His greatness without literally describing grasping or a hand, using the known to represent the hidden.

6. Interpretation 6 (The Clearest View, according to Al-Razi): This verse is a recounting of the Jews' demand. Since the preceding verses (208-209) addressed the Jews regarding their stubbornness in accepting Islam, this verse is a narration of their condition: "They await nothing except that Allah comes to them in canopies of clouds and the angels."
   • Evidence: They did something similar to Moses (PBUH), saying: {لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً} (Al-Baqarah: 55).
   • Since this is a narration of the Jews' belief (who held anthropomorphic views and believed God manifested to Moses in clouds), the verse can be taken literally without needing metaphorical interpretation, as it reports their flawed creed.
   • Conclusion: The verse indicates that a group awaits God's coming, but it does not judge whether their expectation is right or wrong. This resolves the difficulty.
   • Connection to the next phrase: The subsequent phrase, {وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ} (And to Allah all matters are returned), serves as a threat against their obstinacy in demanding this impossible condition.

7. Interpretation 7 (Reported from Abu Al-'Aliyah): The coming in the clouds is attributed to the angels, while the coming is attributed to God. This requires rearranging the sentence structure (placing the verb before the subject). This is supported by a variant reading where wa-l-malā'ikatu (and the angels) is read with the nominative case, suggesting they are a separate subject. Al-Qaffal considered this interpretation strange.

• Zulal is the plural of Zullah (a covering/shade).
• Ghamām (clouds) implies dense, layered accumulation.
• Zulal min al-Ghamām refers to scattered pieces, each being extremely dense and massive. Each piece is a Zullah, and the plural is Zulal. (Example: {مَوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ} - waves like canopies).
• Some read it as Zilāl (plural of Zill - shade).

Meaning: They await God's overwhelming power and punishment descending from canopies of clouds.

Why Punishment Comes from Clouds?

1. Contrast: Clouds are usually associated with mercy. When punishment descends from them, the event is more terrifying because evil arriving unexpectedly is more horrifying than good arriving unexpectedly. This relates to the verse: {وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَحْتَسِبُونَ} (Az-Zumar: 47).
2. Sign of Horror: The descent of clouds is a sign of the greatest horrors of the Resurrection, as seen in: {وَيَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ السَّمَاءُ بِالْغَمَامِ وَنُزِّلَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تَنزِيلًا} (Al-Furqan: 25).
3. Uncountable Descent: Clouds release countless, uncountable drops. Similarly, drops of punishment descend from these clouds without limit.

This is coordinated with the preceding element. The meaning is: And the angels will come. The coming of the angels can be taken literally, and they will execute what they are commanded regarding humiliation, punishment, or other rulings of the Day of Judgment.

Issue 1: Meaning

It means that what they were promised (punishment) has been fully executed. At that point, no excuse will be accepted, no punishment averted, and no trickery will help them.

Issue 2: Use of Past Tense

The meaning is: "And the matter will be decided." Using the past tense for future events, especially concerning the Hereafter, is common in the Quran (e.g., the dialogue of Jesus on the Day of Judgment).

• Reason 1: To indicate the imminence of the Hereafter, as if the Hour has already arrived.
• Reason 2: To emphasize the certainty of its occurrence, making it as if it has already happened.

Issue 3: The Decided Matter

The matter decided here is the final judgment between creatures, the retrieval of rights for their owners, and the assignment of every accountable person to their station in Paradise or Hellfire. (Referencing: {وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ} [Ibrahim: 22]).

This phrase indicates that the events of the Resurrection occur instantaneously, as God's decree has no repeller and His judgment no preventer.

Issue 4: Variant Reading

Mu'adh ibn Jabal read it as {قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ} (The matter was decided) as a raised verbal noun (masdar), coordinated with the angels.

Issue 1: The Meaning of "To" (إلى)

Some anthropomorphists argued that ilā (to) implies the ultimate destination, suggesting God is in a location to which matters return on the Day of Judgment. The monotheists responded in two ways:

1. Sovereignty: Allah owns many affairs of His creation in this world. When they move to the Hereafter, no one owns the judgment over them except Him, as stated: {وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ} (Al-Infitar: 19). This is like saying, "Our affair has returned to the Prince," meaning he is the one exclusively concerned with it.
2. Abu Muslim's View: In the testing world, Allah granted everyone authority over certain matters as a test. When this world ends and we reach the realm of reward and punishment, all authority belongs solely to Allah. Therefore, He is worthy of being feared, obeyed, and submitting to His command (entering Islam) and avoiding Satan's steps.

Issue 2: Variant Readings of تُرْجَعُ (Are Returned)

• Ibn Kathir, Abu 'Amr, and 'Asim read it with a dammah on the tā' (تُرْجَعُ - turja'u), meaning He returns them (passive voice, implying God returns them). This is supported by verses like {وَلَئِن رُّدِدْتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي} (Al-Kahf: 36).
• Ibn 'Amir, Hamzah, and Al-Kisā'ī read it with a fatḥah on the tā' (تَرْجِعُ - tarji'u), meaning they return/become (active voice), like {أَلَا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَصِيرُ الْأُمُورُ} (Ash-Shura: 53).

Al-Qaffal noted that the meanings are close, as matters return to Him, and He returns them to Himself by annihilating the world and establishing the Resurrection.

If read as تُرْجَعُ (God returns them), there are three meanings:

1. As mentioned: God returns them, just as He decides the matter (وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ).
2. An Arabic idiom: Like saying, "So-and-so admires himself," or asking someone, "Where are you going?" even if no one is taking him.
3. The essence and attributes of creation testify that they are created and accountable. Thus, the creatures return their affairs to Him by the testimony of their own selves, similar to how everything glorifies Him ({يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ}). Believers return their affairs by speech; disbelievers return them by the testimony of their state (their existence proves their servitude).

{سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ ۗ وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ}

Meaning of the Verse

This verse commands the Prophet (PBUH) to question the Children of Israel about the numerous clear signs (miracles) granted to them. Whoever alters or rejects the favor of Allah (the guidance, the signs, the covenant) after it has reached them, Allah's punishment is severe.

The Meaning of Changing God's Favor (يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ)

This refers to rejecting the truth after recognizing it, or changing the covenant they made with Allah regarding the Prophet (PBUH).

The Meaning of Severe Punishment (شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ)

This emphasizes the gravity of rejecting clear evidence and turning away from divine favors, which warrants a harsh penalty.

{زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۘ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ}

Issue 1: The Allure of Worldly Life

The worldly life has been beautified and made desirable in the eyes of the disbelievers. This beautification is a trial (fitnah) from Allah, leading them away from the Hereafter.

Issue 2: Mockery of the Believers

The disbelievers mock the believers because the believers often appear poor, weak, or lacking in worldly status compared to the disbelievers.

Issue 3: The Reversal on the Day of Resurrection

The status will be reversed: {وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ} (But those who fear Allah will be above them on the Day of Resurrection). This elevation is in rank, proximity to God, and reward.

Issue 4: Provision Without Account (بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ)

This phrase relates to the reward of the pious.

1. Meaning: Allah grants the righteous what He wills of reward, honor, and high stations in Paradise, without them having to account for their deeds or being restricted by a measure corresponding to their actions.
2. Contrast: The worldly provision of the disbelievers is measured and limited. The Hereafter reward for the pious is boundless, exceeding all expectation or calculation. This is a great encouragement for piety and fear of Allah.