سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 171
۞ وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا ٱلْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُۥ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ وَاقِعٌۢ بِهِمْ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿171﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when We raised the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said): "Hold firmly to what We have given you [i.e. the Taurât (Torah)], and remember that which is therein (act on its commandments), so that you may fear Allâh and obey Him."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
نَتَقْنَا
nataqnā
We raised
ٱلْجَبَلَ
l-jabala
the mountain
فَوْقَهُمْ
fawqahum
above them
كَأَنَّهُۥ
ka-annahu
as if it was
ظُلَّةٌۭ
ẓullatun
a canopy
وَظَنُّوٓا۟
waẓannū
and they thought
أَنَّهُۥ
annahu
that it
وَاقِعٌۢ
wāqiʿun
(would) fall
بِهِمْ
bihim
upon them
خُذُوا۟
khudhū
(We said), "Take
مَآ
mā
what
ءَاتَيْنَـٰكُم
ātaynākum
We have given you
بِقُوَّةٍۢ
biquwwatin
with strength
وَٱذْكُرُوا۟
wa-udh'kurū
and remember
مَا
mā
what
فِيهِ
fīhi
(is) in it
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تَتَّقُونَ
tattaqūna
fear Allah
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.
The meaning of {وَ اِذْ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ … : ’’ نَتَقَ يَنْتِقُ ‘‘} is "to shake something forcefully by pulling." (Raghib) Here, the mention is of a mountain, and in Surah Al-Baqarah, the mention is of Tur; either it was the mountain named Tur, or the word "Tur" is also used in the general sense of a mountain—both meanings can be intended in both places. Keeping in view the previous rebellions of the Children of Israel, in order to take a firm covenant from them to act upon the commandments of the Torah, Allah uprooted the mountain with an earthquake and made it overshadow them, and they became certain that it was about to fall upon them. The purpose was that in this awe-inspiring environment, they would make a true covenant to act out of fear of Allah. The meaning of holding firmly is to act upon it.
