وَإِلَى ٱلْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ 19
Translations
And at the mountains - how they are erected?
Transliteration
Wa-ilá al-jibáli kayfa nusibt
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah directs the reader's attention to the mountains and how they are firmly established and raised up, serving as a sign of Allah's creative power and majesty. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as an invitation to contemplate the mountains' stability and grandeur as evidence of the Creator's wisdom, particularly in the context of the surah's theme of pondering creation and the certainty of the Day of Judgment. The mountains' firm establishment (nusib) symbolizes strength, permanence, and divine engineering that should inspire awe and recognition of Allah's might.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ghashiyah, a Meccan surah that emphasizes signs in creation and the reality of the Hereafter. The surah begins with the Day of Judgment and then shifts to observable signs in creation—the sky, mountains, and earth—inviting reflection on Allah's power as proof of His ability to resurrect and judge. This ayah specifically calls attention to mountains as one of the most obvious and enduring signs of divine creation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'There is no good in a person who does not think deeply about matters.' (Al-Tirmidhi) Additionally, the Quran itself states in Surah 22:46: 'So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason, or ears by which to hear?' which shares the theme of contemplating creation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that the natural world around us—including mountains and other creation—contains profound signs of Allah's existence and power that we should pause to contemplate. By observing how firmly and majestically Allah has established the mountains, we strengthen our faith and prepare our hearts for accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Related Ayahs
وَزَيْتُونًا وَنَخْلًا
And olive and palm trees
لِيَأْكُلُوا۟ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ
That they may eat of His fruit. And their hands have not produced it, so will they not be grateful?
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَمْ يَعْىَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَـٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحْـِۧىَ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۚ بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Do they not see that Allāh, who created the heavens and earth and did not fail in their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes. Indeed, He is over all things competent.
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَيُحْىِۦ بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
And of His signs is [that] He shows you the lightning [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that are signs for a people who use reason.