Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:171

This is conjoined to what precedes it, with the implication of “remember.” Al-natq means lifting, as has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, and this is the view Ibn al-A‘rabi adopted. According to Abu Muslim, it means pulling, from which is derived the phrase nataqtu al-gharb (I pulled the bucket from the well). According to Abu Ubaydah, it means uprooting. What has been narrated from the Sage (Ibn Abbas) is more consistent with the words of the Almighty: "And We raised the Mount above them." According to the latter two views, the meaning of "lifting" is implied so that the two verses correspond.

The "mountain" refers to the Mount (Tur) or another mountain, measuring a parasang by a parasang, like a military encampment. When the Children of Israel hesitated to take the Torah and accept it—as it came to them in its entirety, containing heavy burdens—God Almighty commanded Gabriel, peace be upon him, and he uprooted it from its base and lifted it over them "as if it were a canopy," meaning a cloud or a roof. It is interpreted as such, even though zullah (canopy) refers to anything that rises and shades, because of the particle of comparison (ka); without it, there would be no justification for its inclusion.

"Above" (fawqa) is an adverbial modifier to "We lifted" or a state (hal) of the mountain, specified, as it is said, for the lifting toward certain directions of height. The nominal sentence that follows is also in the position of a state, meaning: "resembling that."

"And they thought," meaning they became certain, "that it was falling upon them," meaning collapsing upon them if they did not accept. They had been threatened with this on that condition, and the Truthful One does not fail in what He informs. However, since the object did not actually occur due to the non-fulfillment of the condition, it resembles a "thought" (or suspicion) which may not come to pass; hence it was called a zann (thought/suspicion).

It has been said: They were certain of that because a mountain cannot remain fixed in the air. This was objected to on the grounds that its inability to remain fixed does not necessitate certainty, as this pertains to the course of habit, whereas, under the breaking of habit, a fixed object can be suspended, and a falling object might not fall. This would be like its lifting above them and remaining there until what happened occurred.

The truth is that what was certain to them was the falling if they did not accept, because that was what it was contingent upon. In the tradition, it is stated that the Children of Israel refused to accept the Torah, so the mountain was lifted above them, and it was said: "If you accept, otherwise it shall surely fall upon you." Each of them fell prostrate on his left eyebrow, looking with his right eye at the mountain out of fear of it falling. For this reason, you do not see a Jew prostrating except upon his left eyebrow, and they say: "It is the prostration for which the punishment was lifted from us." They complied with what they were commanded.

The possibility of it remaining fixed by the breaking of habit does not invalidate this, just as the lack of its falling (should they accept) does not invalidate it. Do you not see that one is certain of the burning of what is thrown into the fire, despite the possibility of it not burning, as in the story of the Friend (Abraham), peace be upon him?

Al-Rummani and al-Jubba'i held that the term "thought" (zann) is kept to its literal meaning, and the intention is that it became strong in their souls that it was falling. Some investigators chose this. The sentence is an initial clause, and it is permitted that it be conjoined to "We lifted" or be a state, with the implication of "already" (qad), as Abu al-Baqa said.

"Take," meaning We said: "Take," or [while We were] saying: "Take," "what We have given you" (of the Book) "with strength," meaning with earnestness and determination to bear its difficulties. The prepositional phrase relates to an implied element serving as a state from the pronoun "waw," meaning: take it while being earnest.

"And remember what is in it," meaning: act upon it and do not leave it like something forgotten; this is an allusion to that, or a metaphor. Ibn Mas‘ud recited it as "and remind yourselves," and it is also read as "and remember" with the meaning of "remind yourselves," "that you might become righteous," through that, by avoiding ugly deeds and base morals, or hoping that you may be included in the ranks of the righteous.

It is also permitted that "what We have given you" refers to the great sign, namely, the lifting of the mountain. Meaning: Take this if you are able to bear it, like His saying: "If you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass!" And remember what is in it of overwhelming power and warning. According to this, the intent of lifting the mountain is nothing but to show their incapacity. The speech is like your saying to someone who claims wrestling skill and strength after you have defeated him: "Take it from me!" The result is: If you seek a compelling sign and demand it, then take what We have given you if you are able. It is not hidden that this is contrary to the apparent meaning, and the traditions are contrary to it.