In this reading, the phrase beginning with ẓulumāt is a clarifying description of the previous point.

In this reading, the word ẓulumāt is appositive to the same word at the beginning of the ayah, i.e. the parable is restated.

This reading has annexation, hence the clouds above contain the layers of darkness.

سَحَابٌۭ ۚ ظُلُمَـٰتٌۢ

Abū Jaʿfar al-Madanī

Ibn ʿĀmir al-Shāmī

Nāfiʿ al-Madanī

Ḥamzah al-Zayyāt

Ibn Kathīr al-Makkī

Khalaf al-Bazzār

Abū ʿAmr al-Baṣrī

al-Kisāʾī

Yaʿqūb al-Ḥaḍramī

ʿĀṣim al-Kūfī

Ibn Wardan

Ibn Jammaz

Hishām

Ibn Dhakwān

Warsh

Qalun

Khalaf

Khallad

Al-Bazzi

Qunbul

Isḥaq

Idrīs

Ad-Duri

As-Susi

Abu al-Harith

Ruwais

Rawḥ

Shuʿbah

Ḥafṣ

أَوْ كَظُلُمَـٰتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ يَغْشَىٰهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِۦ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِۦ سَحَابٌ ۚ ظُلُمَـٰتٌۢ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَآ أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُۥ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَىٰهَا ۗ وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ ٱللَّهُ لَهُۥ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن نُّورٍ