What Does Qur’an Say About Mountains?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

In order for the earth to be suitable for habitation, the layers of the earth first shifted toward each other and stacked on top of one another. The stronger parts formed the mountains, while the weaker parts extended downward, forming the subterranean roots of the mountains.[1] This situation resembles a stake driven into the ground.

وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا

"Have We not made the mountains as pegs?"[2]

Moreover, these structures make up the earth’s mantle. It has been determined that they are continuously in motion, slowly floating upon the layer beneath them. In fact, it has been explained that this situation serves as an example of how the landmasses were once joined together in ancient times and later separated. This process continues today, with continents drifting apart a few centimeters each year.

… وَتَرَى الْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِيَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ

"You see the mountains, thinking them rigid, but they pass like the passing of clouds…"[3]

This complex structure of mountains has also been found to play a role in maintaining the earth’s balance, a concept known as “isostasy.” This too is mentioned in the Qur’an in a miraculous way:

… وَجَعَلْنَا فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ

"And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shake with them…"[4]

That is, We created firm mountains so that the earth would not sway (so that the balance of the swiftly rotating earth would not be disturbed).

This verse mentions that balance elements were created on earth. Among these are the mountains, whose roots extend beneath the surface into denser layers.

Reflection

A geology professor once commented on the Qur’anic verses about mountains, saying: “In the theory of mountain formation, the Qur’an says that mountains prevent earthquakes. In reality, it’s the opposite…” With these words, he confused the verses that describe the formation of mountains with those that describe their state after formation.

In fact, the Qur’an never says that mountains prevent earthquakes. The word for earthquake, “zilzāl,” does not appear in these verses. Instead, the Qur’an speaks of mountains as stabilizing elements and as contributors to balance. Geological science has discovered that the weight of mountains plays an important role in maintaining the equilibrium of the earth’s crust. In other words, mountains are not the cause of earthquakes but rather their result. However, once they have formed, they contribute to the overall balance of the earth.

This balance encompasses many aspects—from the statics of the earth’s crust (isostasy), to the regular distribution of gravity, the regulation of natural phenomena, and even the earth’s rotational speed remaining within a certain range. If this balance were to be disrupted, the stability of the world itself would be shaken.

The Qur’anic verses about mountains point to precisely these realities. And they do so in a way that remarkably aligns with scientific facts.

May Allah, the Almighty, grant all humanity the ability to benefit from the Qur’an in its true sense and to take heed from it.

With peace

[1] https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/İzostazi#[2] Qur’an, An-Naba 78:7[3] Qur’an, An-Naml 27:88[4] Qur’an, Al-Anbiya 21:31