سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 31
وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We have placed on the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with them, and We placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
And We (have) placed
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
رَوَٰسِىَ
rawāsiya
firmly set mountains
أَن
an
lest
تَمِيدَ
tamīda
it (should) shake
بِهِمْ
bihim
with them
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
and We made
فِيهَا
fīhā
therein
فِجَاجًۭا
fijājan
broad passes
سُبُلًۭا
subulan
(as) ways
لَّعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَهْتَدُونَ
yahtadūna
(be) guided
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 31) ➊ { وَ جَعَلْنَا فِي الْاَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ : ’’ رَوَاسِيَ ‘‘ ’’رَاسِيَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’رَسَا يَرْسُوْ رُسُوًّا‘‘}, which is an active participle from {’’رَسَا يَرْسُوْ رُسُوًّا‘‘}, meaning embedded in the earth. Experts in geology have now discovered that a large part of the mountains is embedded beneath the earth.
➋ { اَنْ تَمِيْدَ بِهِمْ : ’’مَادَ يَمِيْدُ مَيْدًا وَ مَيْدَانًا‘‘} means to move, to become crooked. (Qamus) {’’ اَنْ تَمِيْدَ ‘‘} is originally {’’أَنْ لَا تَمِيْدَ‘‘}. This is the third argument, meaning that if these heavy mountains had not been embedded in the earth, it would have been in a constant state of earthquake and movement; it would not have had the balance and tranquility necessary for creatures to live. At any time, it could have tilted to one side, or been afflicted by earthquakes, causing the water of the sea, which covers seventy percent of the earth, to rush over the land, and not a single living being would remain on earth. Even now, sometimes Allah reminds us of His blessing through earthquakes, by which the water of the sea rushes over the land and destroys settlements for miles.
➌ { وَ جَعَلْنَا فِيْهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا : ’’ فِجَاجًا ‘‘ ’’ فَجٌّ‘‘} is the plural, meaning open paths among the mountains. Zamakhshari has considered {’’ فِجَاجًا ‘‘} as the circumstantial qualifier from {’’سُبُلًا ‘‘}, because this indefinite noun is the attribute of {’’ سُبُلًا ‘‘} which has been advanced, as He said: «{ لِتَسْلُكُوْا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا }» [ نوح : ۲۰ ] “So that you may walk in its open paths.” That is, if these high and solid mountains had been situated in such a way that there were no paths in them, or if there were no slopes but they stood vertically, then people from one side of the land could not go to the other side, nor could people of one city meet those of another, nor could there be settlements on the mountains themselves. This is the perfection of Our power that We have made wide paths in the form of streams, passes, and slopes in the mountains, by which the mountains are as inhabited as the plains.
➍ { لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُوْنَ:} so that they may find a way to go wherever they wish in the land, and so that by seeing the wonders of Allah’s power in the creation of the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, they may find the way to His oneness. Both meanings are included in {’’ يَهْتَدُوْنَ ‘‘}.
➋ { اَنْ تَمِيْدَ بِهِمْ : ’’مَادَ يَمِيْدُ مَيْدًا وَ مَيْدَانًا‘‘} means to move, to become crooked. (Qamus) {’’ اَنْ تَمِيْدَ ‘‘} is originally {’’أَنْ لَا تَمِيْدَ‘‘}. This is the third argument, meaning that if these heavy mountains had not been embedded in the earth, it would have been in a constant state of earthquake and movement; it would not have had the balance and tranquility necessary for creatures to live. At any time, it could have tilted to one side, or been afflicted by earthquakes, causing the water of the sea, which covers seventy percent of the earth, to rush over the land, and not a single living being would remain on earth. Even now, sometimes Allah reminds us of His blessing through earthquakes, by which the water of the sea rushes over the land and destroys settlements for miles.
➌ { وَ جَعَلْنَا فِيْهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا : ’’ فِجَاجًا ‘‘ ’’ فَجٌّ‘‘} is the plural, meaning open paths among the mountains. Zamakhshari has considered {’’ فِجَاجًا ‘‘} as the circumstantial qualifier from {’’سُبُلًا ‘‘}, because this indefinite noun is the attribute of {’’ سُبُلًا ‘‘} which has been advanced, as He said: «{ لِتَسْلُكُوْا مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا }» [ نوح : ۲۰ ] “So that you may walk in its open paths.” That is, if these high and solid mountains had been situated in such a way that there were no paths in them, or if there were no slopes but they stood vertically, then people from one side of the land could not go to the other side, nor could people of one city meet those of another, nor could there be settlements on the mountains themselves. This is the perfection of Our power that We have made wide paths in the form of streams, passes, and slopes in the mountains, by which the mountains are as inhabited as the plains.
➍ { لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُوْنَ:} so that they may find a way to go wherever they wish in the land, and so that by seeing the wonders of Allah’s power in the creation of the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, they may find the way to His oneness. Both meanings are included in {’’ يَهْتَدُوْنَ ‘‘}.
