245 - The Qur’an’s Assertion that the Mountains are Nails in the Earth (Series: Inviting Reflections).

The wonders of the Qur’an are being unfolded with the advancement of the human knowledge. Today we are in a better position to interpret hundreds of Qur’anic verses pertaining to creation, reproduction, celestial spheres, and Cosmogenesis as compared to previous times.

The Holy Qur’an has drawn our attention to an especially important geological function of the mountains. A Qur’anic verse reads:

"??????????? ??? ????????? ????????? ??? ??????? ??????" (We (Allah) placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under them…). Surah: 21, Verse: 31.

Many verses of the Qur’an state that the function of the mountains is to prevent shocks in the earth, a fact which was not known to any one and brought to light only recently, as a result of the findings of modern geological research.

Previously, it was thought that the mountains were merely protrusions rising above the surface of the earth. However, scientists realized that this was not actually the case, and that those parts known as the mountain roots extend down as far as 10-15 times their own height. With these features, the mountains play a similar role to a nail or a peg firmly holding down a tent. For example, the Mount Everest, the summit of which stands approximately 9 km above the surface of the earth, has a root deeper than 125 km inside the earth. (Please see: Anatomy of the Earth by Andre Cailleux and J. Moody Stuart, McGraw-Hill, 1968, p.220).

The same has been reiterated in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:

" ?????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ??????????" (Have We (Allah) not made the earth as a bed or a cradle? And (fixed) the mountains as its pegs or nails?)  Surah: 78, Verses: 6-7.

The Holy Qur’an further says:

"???????????? ??????????" (And the mountains, He (Allah) anchored—firmly fixed). Surah: 79, Verse: 32.

The verb employed by the Qur’an in the above verse is a derivation of : "?????? ????????? ??????"  which implies: to make something rooted; to anchor; or, to fix something firmly not allowing that to move freely in which it has been fixed. The earth has different layers and by fixing the earth’s crust they prevent any sliding over the magma layer or amongst the layers themselves. In short, the mountains can be compared to the nails holding various strips of wood together.

It was a divine design that our mountains grow lighter as a result of cutting of wood; or melting of glaciers; or they lose mass due to erosion. Therefore, as mountains grow lighter, they are pressed upwards by the raising force of the liquids underneath the earth. Alternatively, as the mountains grow heavier as a result of massive snow falls and formation of glaciers on them, they are pressed into the mantle layer by the force of gravity. The equilibrium between upward and downward movement of the mountains is named in scientific terminology of geology as: Isostasy---which connotes the State of Balance.

The earth revolves very quickly around its own axis, were it not for the fixing effect of the mountains, these plaques would shift. In such an event, it would have been impossible to collect soil on the surface of the earth; water would not accumulate in the oceans; and there would have been no plants no roads and no houses. In short, the life would be impossible. It is only because of the Mercy of Almighty Allah that the mountains act like nails, to a large extent, and prevent movement in the surface of the earth. Allah reminds us about His bounties:

"?????? ????????????? ???????? ?????? ???????????  ?????????? ??? ????????? ????????? ??? ??????? ??????" (He created the heavens without any pillars that you can see; He set on the earth mountains [stabilizers] standing firm, lest it should shake with you). Surah: 31, Verse: 10.

Modern science now attests to the fact that the mountains are distributed evenly and perfectly on earth, and they also stabilize the earth---especially those mountains which the geologists call: ‘Asymmetrical Mountain Range’ which are found in all continents. The functions of mountains as revealed by the Qur’anic verses mentioned above, 1450 years before, cannot be a brain-child of an ‘unlettered man’ ( ?????? ) of the Arabian peninsula---while these ideas were not in currency in any other civilization also.

It is further proclaimed:

"????????? ????????? ???????? ??? ?????????? ??????? ????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ??????????? ???????????? ??????????????" (O Muhammad!) And mention Our servant David, the man of strength: for he ever turned (to Allah).  It was We (Allah) that made the mountains, in unison with him, Our Praises, in the evening and at break of day). Surah: 38, Verses: 17-18.

It is now the duty of Muslim scientists and scholars to investigate how these mountains glorify Allah and prostrate in front of Him. Still there are many secrets of the universe which are to be discovered to further show the exaltedness of the Omnipotent---the Creator.