The Quran and Mountains: Difference between revisions

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The Quran and Mountains (view source)

Revision as of 11:11, 9 October 2023

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→‎Refers to the earth as a whole: Removed some less helpful tafsir (not "tasfir") quotes to keep it flowing and concise. Tafsirs (especially later ones) have limited evidentiary value in articles about factual errors, so this also helps to avoid diluting the more important evidence.
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(→‎Alleged peg-like structure of mountains: I have added in two more famous tasfirs on this matter confirming their understanding of the words to mean the functions of mountains are to stop the Earth as a whole is shaking from Al Jalalayn and Ibn Abbas. I've also mentioned the Ibn Abbas tasfir is a bit suspect, however does support early Islamic views of the matter. (Of course feel free to delete Ibn Abbas's this if you think it's not worth adding given that)!)
(→‎Refers to the earth as a whole: Removed some less helpful tafsir (not "tasfir") quotes to keep it flowing and concise. Tafsirs (especially later ones) have limited evidentiary value in articles about factual errors, so this also helps to avoid diluting the more important evidence.)
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===Refers to the earth as a whole===
===Refers to the earth as a whole===
While it is common today to interpret the above verses as a reference to earthquakes, it is far more likely that they refer to the earth as a whole. Since the author of these verses would have known that earthquakes do in fact occur, including in Arabia itself, it is unlikely that he would have described mountains as being created lest people suffer earthquakes. The most natural reading is that "the earth" (al-ard) in these verses refer to the entire Earth, which fits with the verse discussed above in which mountains are described as pegs or stakes. The poem quoted above attributed to the pre-Islamic poet al-Muhalhil links the mountains (rawāsiya, like in these verses of the Quran) to the shifting/convulsing (with the same verb as these verses) of the entire earth. Similarly, the myth of [[The Islamic Whale]] on which the Earth rests according to some hadiths was narrated in terms of mountains holding down the earth to stop it moving on the back of the whale.
While it is common today to interpret the above verses as a reference to earthquakes, it is far more likely that they refer to the earth as a whole. Since the author of these verses would have known that earthquakes do in fact occur, including in Arabia itself, it is unlikely that he would have described mountains as being created lest people suffer earthquakes. The most natural reading is that "the earth" (al-ard) in these verses refer to the entire Earth. This is especially clear in {{Quran|31|10}} and {{Quran-range|21|30|31}} in which the heavens are mentioned immediately beforehand, and fits with the verse discussed above in which mountains are described as pegs or stakes.  
 
The poem quoted above attributed to the pre-Islamic poet al-Muhalhil links the mountains (rawāsiya, like in these verses of the Quran) to the shifting/convulsing (with the same verb as these verses) of the entire earth. Similarly, the myth of [[The Islamic Whale]] on which the Earth rests according to some hadiths was narrated in terms of mountains holding down the earth to stop it moving on the back of the whale.


Verses which do seem to describe earthquakes use the words zalzalah ({{Quran|22|1}} and {{Quran|99|1}}), or rajfatu ({{Quran|7|78}}, {{Quran|73|14}}). In contrast, the verses which state that Allah cast or placed the mountains to prevent the earth from shaking use the word tamīda, discussed in the next sub-section below.
Verses which do seem to describe earthquakes use the words zalzalah ({{Quran|22|1}} and {{Quran|99|1}}), or rajfatu ({{Quran|7|78}}, {{Quran|73|14}}). In contrast, the verses which state that Allah cast or placed the mountains to prevent the earth from shaking use the word tamīda, discussed in the next sub-section below.
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{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3369}}|Anas bin Malik narrated that:
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3369}}|Anas bin Malik narrated that:
The Prophet said: “When Allah created the earth, it started shaking [tamīdu]. So He created the mountains, and said to them: ‘Upon it’ so it began to settle. [...]}}Prominent Qur'anic commentator [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Kathir Ibn Kathir] also says in his tasfir:
The Prophet said: “When Allah created the earth, it started shaking [tamīdu]. So He created the mountains, and said to them: ‘Upon it’ so it began to settle. [...]}}Prominent Qur'anic commentator [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Kathir Ibn Kathir] also says in his tafsir:
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://quranx.com/tafsirs/16.15| title=Tasfir Ibn Kathir 16.15}}|...then Allah mentions the earth and how He placed in it mountains standing firm, which make it stable and keep it from shaking in such a manner that the creatures dwelling on it would not be able to live. Hence Allah says, (And the mountains He has fixed firmly.) (79: 32)...}}As does [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tafsir_al-Jalalayn Al-Jalalayn,]another prominent Sunni commentator:
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://quranx.com/tafsirs/16.15| title=Tafsir Ibn Kathir 16.15}}|...then Allah mentions the earth and how He placed in it mountains standing firm, which make it stable and keep it from shaking in such a manner that the creatures dwelling on it would not be able to live. Hence Allah says, (And the mountains He has fixed firmly.) (79: 32)...}}
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://quranx.com/tafsirs/15.19 | title=Tasfir Al-Jalalayn 15.19}}|And the earth We have stretched it out, spread it flat, and cast therein firm mountains, lest it should sway beneath its inhabitants, and caused to grow therein every kind of balanced thing, [every kind of thing] known and determined.}}{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://quranx.com/tafsirs/31.10 | title=Tasfir Al-Jalalayn 13.10}}|He created the heavens without any pillars that you can see (‘amad is the plural of ‘imād, which is an ustuwāna, ‘a column’) — this is the truth since there are no actual pillars — and<b> cast high mountains into the earth, lest it shake with you,</b> and He dispersed therein all kinds beasts. And We sent down (there is a shift from the third [to the second] person) water from the heaven and We caused to grow in it of every splendid kind, [every] fair specimen.}}
Similarly, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tafsir_al-Jalalayn Tafsir Al-Jalalayn,]another prominent Sunni commentary says:
And [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Abbas Ibn Abbas](there is debate whether any of the tasfir can actually be attributed to him<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanwir_al-Miqbas</ref> - but it does give us an idea of early Muslim views on this matter):
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://quranx.com/tafsirs/15.19 | title=Tafsir Al-Jalalayn 15.19}}|And the earth We have stretched it out, spread it flat, and cast therein firm mountains, lest it should sway beneath its inhabitants, and caused to grow therein every kind of balanced thing, [every kind of thing] known and determined.}}
{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://quranx.com/tafsirs/31.10 | title=Tasfir Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs 13.10}}|(He hath created the heavens without supports that ye can see) it is also said that this means: He created the heavens with supports that you cannot see, (and hath cast into the earth) and created in the earth (firm hills) firm mountains as supports for it, (so that it quake not with you; and He hath dispersed therein) He created and spread in the earth (all kinds of beasts) possessed of spirits. (And We send down water) rain (from the sky and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein) in the earth.}}
Based on linguistic analysis of the verses, none have claimed this is referring to specific parts of the Earth, nor specific types of mountains.


====The meaning of tamīda (move, convulse, incline to one side)====
====The meaning of tamīda (move, convulse, incline to one side)====
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