Quran Universe
2:210

هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأۡتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡغَمَامِ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرۡجَعُ ٱلۡأُمُورُ

Hal yanthuroona illa an yatiyahumu Allahu fee thulalin mina alghamami waalmalaikatu waqudiya alamru waila Allahi turjaAAu alomooru

Do they await but that Allah should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels [as well] and the matter is [then] decided? And to Allah [all] matters are returned.

Word by word
  1. هَلۡAre
  2. يَنظُرُونَthey waiting
  3. إِلَّآ[except]
  4. أَنthat
  5. يَأۡتِيَهُمُcomes to them
  6. ٱللَّهُAllah
  7. فِيin
  8. ظُلَلٖ(the) shadows
  9. مِّنَof
  10. ٱلۡغَمَامِ[the] clouds
  11. وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُand the Angels
  12. وَقُضِيَand is decreed
  13. ٱلۡأَمۡرُۚthe matter
  14. وَإِلَىAnd to
  15. ٱللَّهِAllah
  16. تُرۡجَعُreturn
  17. ٱلۡأُمُورُ(all) the matters
Al-Baqarah · 2:210Madinah

What are they waiting for?

Do not delay until the matter is decided

The waiting
they waitone more sign
until
the Day comesangels, shadows of clouds
then
decidedno more choice
When to decide
when it is undeniablethe Day itself
nowwhile it is still a choice

Ibn Kathir titles this passage do not delay embracing the faith. The verse asks what people are waiting for, if not the Day when Allah comes to judge and the matter is already decided. He cites the verse: on that Day man will remember, but how will remembering help him then?

"I will get serious after I graduate." "After the wedding." "When I retire." You are waiting for a sign that will end the choice instead of helping you make it. The best time to turn is while turning is still yours.

I will commit fully once I am certain and ready.

Waiting for the final sign means waiting until it is too late. Now is the time.

Try this

Do the one thing you keep saying you will start later, today, even for five minutes.

Related89:216:15825:25
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Do they then wait for anything other than that Allah should come to them over the shadows of the clouds and the angels? (Then) the case would be already judged. And to Allah return all matters (for decision)(210)

Do not delay embracing the Faith

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ

(Do they then wait for anything other than that Allah should come to them over the shadows of the clouds and the angels?) on the Day of Resurrection to judge the early and the latter creations. Allah shall then reward each according to his or her deeds; and whoever does good shall see it, and whoever does evil shall see it. This is why Allah said:

وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ

((Then) the case would be already judged. And to Allah return all matters (for decision).)

Similarly, Allah said:

كَلَّا إِذَا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا - وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا - وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنسَانُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ

(Nay! When the earth is ground to powder. And your Lord comes with the angels in rows. And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him?)(89:21-23) and:

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ

(Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord (Allah) should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come (i. e., portents of the Hour, e.g., rising of the sun from the west)!)(6:158)

Abu Ja'far Razi reported that Abu Al-'Aliyah narrated that:

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ 

(Do they then wait for anything other than that Allah should come to them over the shadows of the clouds and the angels?) means, the angels will descend on the shadows of clouds, while Allah comes as He wills. Some of the reciters read it,

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ

Do they then wait for anything other than that Allah should come to them and also the angels over the shadows of the clouds. This is similar to Allah's other statement:

وَيَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ السَّمَاءُ بِالْغَمَامِ وَنُزِّلَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تَنزِيلًا

(And (remember) the Day when the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and the angels will be sent down, with a grand descending.)(25:25)