Al-A'raaf 7:171 · The Heights · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"When We made the mountain loom high above them like a shadow, and they thought it would fall on them, We said, ‘Hold fast to what We have given you, and remember what it contains, so that you may remain conscious of God.’"

Pickthall (classic)+

"And when We shook the Mount above them as it were a covering, and they supposed that it was going to fall upon them (and We said): Hold fast that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off (evil)."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"When We shook the Mount over them, as if it had been a canopy, and they thought it was going to fall on them (We said): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein; perchance ye may fear Allah.""

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

Raising Mount Tur over the Jews, because of Their Rebellion

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,

وَإِذ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ

(And (remember) when We Nataqna the mountain over them), "We raised the mountain, as Allah's other statement testifies,

وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ بِمِيثَـقِهِمْ

(And for their covenant, We raised over them the mountain) 4:154." Also, Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated that Al-A`mash said that, Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "The angels raised the Mount over their heads, as reiterated by Allah's statement,

وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ

(We raised over them the mountain) 4:154." Al-Qasim bin Abi Ayyub narrated that Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Musa later on proceeded with them to the Sacred Land. He took along the Tablets, after his anger subsided, and commanded them to adhere to the orders that Allah ordained to be delivered to them. But these orders became heavy on them and they did not want to implement them until Allah raised the mountain over them,

كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ

(as if it had been a canopy), that is, when the angels raised the mountain over their heads." An-Nasa'i collected it.

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Когда сыны Исраила отказались принять то, что было ниспослано в Торе, Всемогущий Аллах поднял над ними гору и повелел им выполнять ниспосланные заповеди. Им было велено крепко держаться Писания, изучая его и с усердием выполняя его предписания. Только в этом случае они могли обрести богобоязненность.

Maʿārif al-Qur'ān

The next verse (171) described another incident of the Israelites when they were forced to promise their obedience to the law of the Torah. It has also been mentioned in the Surah al-Baqarah. The Arabic word نَتَقنَا signifies drawing or lifting up. In the Surah al-Baqarah the word رَفَعنَا has been used which denotes the act of raising up. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has therefore, taken the word نَتَقنَا to signify raising high. The Arabic word ظُلَّہ 'Zullah' means a sunshade or a canopy.

The verse refers to the time when the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) came back from the mount of Sinai with the book of Torah. They found therein many injunctions which they thought were difficult for them, to follow. They started showing their unwillingness for obeying those commandments. Allah commanded the Archangel Jibra'i1 (علیہ السلام) to raise the Mount of Sinai upon their town. The area of this town is reported to have been three square miles. When the mount of Sinai was hanged over their heads they fell down prostrating themselves out of fear and promised their obedience to the Law of Moses (the Torah). The future events, however, witnessed their deviation from the Law every now and again.

No compulsion in Faith

The above incident gives rise to a question. Why the Israelites were forced to make a promise of their obedience while the Holy Qur'an has declared لَا إِكْرَ‌اهَ فِي الدِّينِ "There is no compulsion in Faith?" (2:256) The answer is quite simple. None of the disbelievers has ever been forced to accept faith, nor any one is allowed to use force for this purpose. However, those who have already entered the covenant of faith out of their free will and, later, deviate from the commandments of Allah just for avoiding their commitments, shall essentially be forced to abide by the rules and regulations of the Law. In case of deviation from their duty they must be held liable to punishments prescribed by the Law. This is what exactly happened in this incident. They had already believed in Allah and in His Prophet and had entered the covenant of Faith. What they did was to deny from obeying the Law of the Torah and rightly were forced to fulfill their commitment.