Quran by Topic
Mountains
الجبال
The Quran describes mountains as 'pegs' driven into the earth, with deep roots they do not see — a description of isostasy that only 20th-century geology could confirm.
7 verses from the Quran
#01
"Have We not made the earth a resting place, and the mountains as stakes (أَوْتَادًا)? The word 'pegs/stakes' implies something anchored in the ground — visible above, hidden below."
Arabic
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَٰدًۭا
English (Sahih International)
Have We not made the earth a resting place?
#02
"And the mountains He anchored firmly (رَوَاسِيَ) — an additional creation (فَضْلًا). 'Additional' suggests purpose beyond appearance."
Arabic
وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَرْسَىٰهَا
English (Sahih International)
And the mountains He set firmly
#03
"He cast firm mountains upon the earth so it would not move (تَمِيدَ) with you. The function is named: stability, not just decoration."
Arabic
وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْهَٰرًۭا وَسُبُلًۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
English (Sahih International)
And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,
#04
"And We placed within the earth firm mountains so it would not shift (تَمِيدَ) with them. Same function stated again. Mountains as earthquake-prevention."
Arabic
وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًۭا سُبُلًۭا لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ
English (Sahih International)
And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with them, and We made therein [mountain] passes [as] roads that they might be guided.
#05
"He created the heavens without pillars you can see, and cast firm mountains upon the earth. Implicit: the mountains function as the unseen pillars of the earth."
Arabic
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍۢ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍۢ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍۢ كَرِيمٍ
English (Sahih International)
He created the heavens without pillars that you see and has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with you, and dispersed therein from every creature. And We sent down rain from the sky and made grow therein [plants] of every noble kind.
#06
"You see the mountains and think them firmly fixed, but they pass as the passing of the clouds. Tectonic drift — the mountains are moving, not still. Pre-continental-drift framing."
Arabic
وَتَرَى ٱلْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةًۭ وَهِىَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ ٱلسَّحَابِ ۚ صُنْعَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَفْعَلُونَ
English (Sahih International)
And you see the mountains, thinking them rigid, while they will pass as the passing of clouds. [It is] the work of Allah, who perfected all things. Indeed, He is Acquainted with that which you do.
#07
"(second part of 78:6) repeating the mountain-as-peg imagery, with the rhetorical 'have We not' emphasis."
Arabic
وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًۭا
English (Sahih International)
And the mountains as stakes?
All Arabic text from the Uthmani edition · All English from Sahih International translation · Topical groupings are based on classical tafsir; scholars may differ on inclusion of specific verses