Mountains in the light of the Holy Koran

God says, “Have We not made the earth a receptacle for the living and the dead? And have placed therein fi rm and tall mountains and have given you to drink sweet water?” [Sura Al Mursalat, ayat 25-27]

Scientists have found that mountains contribute significantly to the formation of clouds; as air currents loaded with water vapour near the mountains, they rise up, which means that the mountains contribute to the rising of water vapour. We notice that the tops of very high mountains are mostly covered with snow. And scientists have found that the water found near high mountains is very pure.

The inimitability in the previous ayat concurs with what scientists have discovered from scientific truths that there is a relation between fresh water and high mountains, as the mountains help in the formation of clouds and snowfall that then melts and changes into fresh water that we often find near these mountains.

The inimitability appears also with what the Koran has stated: the tall mountains and fresh sweet water, and this sign indicates that the Koran has preceded the scientists to this scientific truth which testifies the miraculous nature of the holy Koran and the truthfulness of Islam.

The Formation of Mountains

God, be he exalted, says, “And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads, that you may guide yourselves.” [Sura An Nahl, ayat 15]

Explanation of this ayat: AlImam Al Tabary (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “God let the mountains fixed in the earth and (standing firm) means fixed.”

And this ayat includes an indication of the formation of mountains by casting from the bottom to the top as these mountains are protruded to help in stabilizing the earth so as not to be shaken or disturbed.

It has been newly discovered that mountains are formed in several ways but all depends on the prominence of the mountain’s substance and its accumulation to the top like a man who throws a quantity of dust for example until it forms a hill.

Scientists say that the mountains contribute significantly in fixing the earth crust it has a shape like a peg, so they work on balancing the earth.

An image taken by NASA shows the mountain chains and they say that without these chains the earth would not have been balanced. Therefore, God, be he exalted, said, “And He has affixed into the Earth Mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads, that you may guide yourselves.” [Sura An Nahl, ayat 15].

The Koran talked fourteen centuries ago about the importance of mountains in fixing the earth and about their formation by casting and it was shown that this is scientifically true and that there is no contradiction between the Koran and modern science.

And this indicates that the Koran is geologically miraculous because, at the time of the sending down of the Koran, no one was aware of these scientific facts until they were discovered in the 20th century.

Mountain Pegs

When scientists studied the earth crust, they found that this layer of the earth is not equal in thickness; it varies from one region to another. And what is strange is that the regions of the crust that are under mountains are very thick.

Scientists have found that for each mountain there is a root that extends under the ground for tens of kilometres and even pictures drawn by scientists for the mountains show these mountains are like pegs embedded in the ground. It has been proved proved that these pegs fix the earth crust and the lithosphere beneath so that the earth would not be disordered. God, be he exalted, says, “Have We not made the earth as a bed, And the mountains as pegs?” [Sura An Naba, ayats 6-7].

God talks in these two ayats about His many graces as He made the earth suitable for us to live on and made the mountains as pegs to fix the ground, so Glory be to God!

The Mountains’ Colours

The colours of mountains change as they are affected by water and its nature and the nature of the surrounding environment, such temperature. Therefore God, be He exalted, says, “See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and We produce therewith fruits of various colours, and among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying colours and (others) very black, And likewise of men and Ad Dawabb [moving (living) creatures, beasts] and cattle are of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All Mighty, Oft Forgiving.” [Sura Fatir, ayat 27- 28].

Al Imam Al Kurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “And among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying colours and (others) very black,” meaning that the mountains differ in colour and in some of them there are different colours such as white and various shades of red and dark black.

Of course, those two ayats talk about the impact of water on the color of the rocks and mountains. There is a difference in the colours of mountains and the colours of humans as well. And this is only perceived by scientists as they fear Allah more than others, therefore God, be He exalted, said, “It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah.”

It was recently shown that there is a continuous change in the colours of mountains due to the rain that falls on it. Some scientists even say that the change in the colour of rocks in mountains is due to the nature of rain and their interaction with this rain.

The colours of mountains are also affected by the surrounding environment, temperature and weather conditions surrounding them. However, we could not see these changes immediately because they occur at intervals of time ranging from thousands to millions of years.

When the holy Koran talks about the mountains’ colours, “And among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying colours and (others) very black,” and relates them to the water falling on them, “See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky”, then it is a wonderful scientific sign of the continuous change in the mountains’ colours.

This fact was recently known and testifies to the truthfulness of Almighty God’s sayings, “We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Koran) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?” [Sura Fussilat, ayat 53].

BY ABDULDAEM AL-KAHEEL