Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:210

"Do they await anything but..."

The coming of Allah: It means the coming of His command and His might, as in His saying: "Or your Lord’s command comes" (An-Nahl: 33), and "Our might came to them" (Al-An'am: 43). It is also permissible that the object being brought is omitted, meaning: "Allah will bring them His might or His vengeance," indicated by His saying: "That Allah is Exalted in Might."

"In canopies [of clouds]": The plural of zullah, which is that which shades you. It has been recited as zilal, which is the plural of zullah (like qullah and qilal), or the plural of zill (shadow).

"And the angels": It has been recited in the nominative case (wa-l-mala'ikatu), as in His saying: "Do they await anything but that the angels should come to them?" (Al-An'am: 158). It has also been recited in the genitive case (wa-l-mala'ikati), as a conjunction to zilal or to al-ghamami (the clouds).

If you ask: Why would the punishment come to them in the clouds? I say: Because clouds are the expected source of mercy. When punishment descends from them, the matter is more horrific and terrifying. For when evil comes from where it is not expected, it is more distressing, just as when good comes from where it is not expected, it is more joyful. How much more so when evil comes from where good is expected? This is why the thunderbolt is considered a horrific punishment, as it comes from where rain is expected.

From this, the following verse weighed heavily upon those who contemplate the Book of Allah: "And there will appear to them from Allah that which they had not been expecting" (Az-Zumar: 47).

"And the matter is decided": The command for their destruction and ruin is completed and finished.

Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) recited it as wa-qada'u al-amri (the deciding of the matter) as a verbal noun in the nominative case, conjoined to "the angels." It has also been recited as turja'u and tarji'u (the matters are returned/He returns the matters), in both the active and passive voices, with both feminine and masculine forms.