Allah Says About Mountains
وَجَعَلۡنَا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ رَوَاسِیَ اَنۡ تَمِیۡدَ بِہِمۡ ۪ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِیۡہَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا لَّعَلَّہُمۡ یَہۡتَدُوۡنَ ﴿۳۱﴾
“We placed firm mountains on the earth so it would not shake with them, and We made in it broad roads as pathways so that they might be guided.”
This verse from Surah Al-Anbiyaa draws attention to two remarkable signs of Allah’s design within the earth itself: the placement of firm mountains to stabilise the land, and the creation of broad pathways so that people may find their way. It is a verse that invites the reader to look at the natural world not as a random collection of geological features, but as a carefully engineered system put in place by a wise and purposeful Creator. For anyone reflecting on the signs of Allah in nature or exploring what the Quran says about the earth and its formation, this verse offers a powerful connection between science, faith, and divine wisdom.
Modern geology has confirmed that mountains play a critical role in stabilising the earth’s crust. They have deep roots that extend far below the surface, anchoring tectonic plates and reducing the intensity of seismic movement. The Quran described this stabilising function centuries before it was scientifically understood, using the word “firm” to capture exactly what geologists would later discover about mountain structures. The second part of the verse shifts from stability to movement, describing how Allah placed broad roads and pathways through the earth so that people could travel, trade, and find their way from one place to another. Mountain passes, valleys, and natural corridors between elevated terrain have served as essential routes for human civilisation throughout history. Together, these two signs reveal a world that was not only made stable enough to live on, but also designed with pathways that allow humanity to navigate it. Every mountain range and every valley pass is a reminder that the earth was prepared for us long before we arrived.
Allah says in Surah An-Naba of the Quran, “And the mountains as stakes” (Quran 78:7), using a vivid image that mirrors exactly how scientists describe mountain roots functioning like pegs driven into the earth. As Al-Musawwir, Allah is the Shaper of all forms, who fashioned every mountain, valley, and landscape with perfect precision and purpose. When a believer looks at the mountains around them, they see not just rock and stone, but the unmistakable handiwork of Allah, placed with care so that life on this earth could flourish.
