Surah at-Tur

Introduction

It is Meccan, as narrated from Ibn Abbas and Ibn al-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with them both, and we have not come across any exception to this. It consists of forty-nine verses according to the Kufan and Syrian counts, forty-eight according to the Basran, and forty-seven according to the Hijazi. The connection between its beginning and the end of the preceding surah is that both contain a warning. Al-Jalal al-Suyuti said: The reason for placing it after [Surah] Adh-Dhariyat is their similarity in their beginnings and endings; for at the beginning of each is a description of the state of the righteous, and at the end of each is a description of the state of the disbelievers. It is not hidden that there is a commonality between the two noble surahs in other respects as well.

Al-Tur

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By the Mount.

"Al-Tur" is a name for every mountain according to what has been said in the Arabic language by the majority [of scholars], and in the Syriac language according to some, as narrated by Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Jarir from Mujahid. The intended meaning here is "Tur Sinin," upon which Allah the Exalted spoke to Moses, peace be upon him. It is also called "Tur Sinai." What is known by that name today is what is near the Tih [desert] between Egypt and Aqaba.

Abu Hayyan said in his commentary on Surah al-Tin: "There is no disagreement that Tur Sinai is a mountain in the Levant, and it is the one upon which Allah the Exalted spoke to Moses, peace be upon him." He also stated in his commentary: "This Surah refers to a mountain in the Levant called al-Tur, which is Tur Sinai." Nawf al-Bikali said: "It is the one by which Allah glorified Himself [swearing an oath] because of its superiority over [other] mountains." It is said: It is the one upon which Allah the Exalted spoke to Moses, peace be upon him. [End quote]. So, do not be heedless [of this].

Al-Raghib narrated that it is a mountain surrounding the earth, but this is not authentic in my view. It has been said: It is one of the mountains of Paradise. Ibn Marduyah narrated concerning this, from Abu Hurairah and from Kathir ibn Abdullah, a marfu’ (elevated) hadith, but I do not consider it authentic. Abu Hayyan considered it more likely that the meaning refers to the genus [of mountains] rather than a specific mountain, and this was narrated from Mujahid and al-Kalbi. However, what I rely upon is what I have presented earlier.