21. Surah Al Anbiya'
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَجَعَلْنَا
فِي الْأَرْضِ
رَوَاسِيَ أَن
تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ...
21: 31. And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them,
Lest it should shake with them: here "them" refers back to "they" at the end of the preceding verse, meaning "Unbelievers".
It might be mankind in general, but the pointed address to those who do not realise and understand Allah's mercies is appropriate, to drive home to them the fact that it is Allah's well-ordered providence that protects them normally from cataclysms like earthquakes, but that they could for their iniquities be destroyed in an instant, as the 'Ad and the Thamud were destroyed before them.
As pointed out in n. 2691 above, if the surface of the earth were leveled up, it would all be under water, and therefore the firm mountains are a further source of security of life which has evolved in terrestrial forms.
Though the mountains may seem impassable barriers, yet Allah's providence has provided broad passes between them to afford highways for human communications.
...وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: that they may receive guidance.
C2693. In both the literal and the figurative sense. Literally these natural mountain highways direct men in the way they should go. Figuratively, these wonderful instances of Allah's providence should turn men's thoughts to the true guidance of Allah in life and spiritual progress.
وَجَعَلْنَا
السَّمَاء
سَقْفًا مَّحْفُوظًا...
21: 32. And We have made the heavens as a canopy well-guarded:
C2694. Canopy well guarded: the heavens form a canopy that is secure from falling down: they also form a sublime spectacle and a Mystery that man can only faintly reach.
Cf. also 15:17.
...وَهُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾
Yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)!
Asad’s Version:
21:31
(31} And [are they not aware that] We have set up firm mountains on earth, lest it sway with them, 40 and [that] We have appointed thereon broad paths, so that they might find their way,
(21:32) and [that] We have set up the sky as a canopy well-secured?"
And yet, they stubbornly turn away from [all] the signs of this [creation], (21:33) and [fail to see that] it is He who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon - all of them floating through space !