۞ وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا ٱلْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُۥ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ وَاقِعٌۢ بِهِمْ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ 171
Translations
And [mention] when We raised the mountain above them as if it was a dark cloud and they were certain that it would fall upon them, [and Allāh said], "Take what We have given you with determination and remember what is in it that you might fear Allāh."
Transliteration
Wa-idh nataqna al-jabal fawqahum ka-annahu dhillah wa-zannoo annahoo waqiun bihim khudhu ma ataynaakum bi-quwwah wa-dhkuroo ma fih la'allakum tattaqoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's miraculous raising of Mount Tur above the Children of Israel as a canopy, causing them to fear it would fall upon them, while Allah commanded them to hold fast to the Torah with strength and remember its contents to attain piety (taqwa). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as both a historical event demonstrating Allah's power and a metaphorical representation of the weight of divine responsibility—the mountain symbolizes the burden of the covenant and commandments that the Israelites were obligated to bear.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the broader Qur'anic narrative of Surah Al-A'raf, which details the covenant (mithaq) taken from the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai. The context addresses their breaking of this covenant and serves as a reminder to the Muslim community of the seriousness of divine commitments. This passage emphasizes that the Torah was given with divine power and was meant to guide them toward taqwa.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the mountain is also referenced in Surah An-Nisa (4:154) and Surah Al-Baqarah (2:63). While no single hadith directly narrates this event, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) provided tafsir confirming that Allah literally raised the mountain over them as mentioned in the Qur'an, as reported in various tafsir compilations.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers of the weight and seriousness of their covenant with Allah—just as the mountain loomed over the Israelites, we too bear the responsibility of living according to divine guidance. True protection and success come not from fear alone, but from firmly grasping the divine message with strength and remembering it consistently to cultivate genuine God-consciousness (taqwa).