Mountains and Camels

Springs and Water Reservoirs 

تُسْقَىٰ مِنْ عَيْنٍ ءَانِيَةٍۢ ٥

...

فِيهَا عَيْنٌۭ جَارِيَةٌۭ ١٢

[https://quran.com/al-ghashiyah, ayat 5 and ayat 12]

Surah al-Ghashiyah mentions two kinds of springs: one عَيْنٍ ءَانِيَةٍۢ for drink for the people of hell; and the other عَيْنٌۭ جَارِيَةٌۭ flowing abundantly for the people of the Gardens of Bliss. The Surah then goes on to question in ayat 17: 

أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ ١٧

Do they not ever reflect on camels—how they were ˹masterfully˺ created; — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Then do they not look at the camels - how they are created?— Saheeh International

Will they not regard the camels, how they are created?— English Translation (Pickthall)

Do they not look at the Camels, how they are made? — English Translation (Yusuf Ali) 

[https://quran.com/al-ghashiyah, ayat 17] 

Then the Surah draws attention to how the sky has been raised, and then to mountains: 

وَإِلَى ٱلْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ ١٩

and the mountains—how they were firmly set up;— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And at the mountains - how they are erected? — Saheeh International

And the hills, how they are set up? — English Translation (Pickthall)

And at the Mountains, how they are fixed firm? — English Translation (Yusuf Ali) 

[https://quran.com/al-ghashiyah, ayat 19] 

After the mountains, the next ayat draws attention to how the Earth has been spread out. 

A group of camels can be called a train, flock, herd or caravan of camels. To keep it simple, let’s just talk about a group of camels. Now, going back to Q88:17, the ayat asks why do they not look at the camels (الْإِبِلِ), how they are created.  

The people were already familiar with the animal called (الْإِبِلِ) as mentioned in Q6:144. 

Looking at a group of camels, standing or even better, sitting together, it is easy to notice the similarity with a range of mountains. Sitting, they resemble the small hills, and standing they represent the high mountains whose base is much above sea level.  

Mountains store much of the water that falls from the sky, be it rain, snow or hail. This water source is beneficial for humans not only living in mountains, but also downstream all the way that the rivers courses through to reach the sea. 

Camels also have the ability to consume and store vast amounts of water, which is used by the camels during long journeys through deserts. This makes the camel an ideal animal in such climatic conditions. 

Note: The Quran mentions the camel with specific words according to the subject matter. [https://corpus.quran.com/search.jsp?q=Camel & https://corpus.quran.com/search.jsp?q=Camels%20] 

At several places, The Quran relates the story of the Thamud to whom the pregnant she-camel (نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ) had been sent as a clear sign, and the water was to be shared between the Thamud and the she-camel. They were warned to not to harm her. The pregnant she-camel’s water consumption became an issue, and eventually she was harmed by them. The Thamud thus incurred the wrath of Allah upon themselves. 

The Quran also mentions the devolution of a particular kind of camel (الْجَمَلُ). For more on this please read: Until The Camel Passes Through The Eye Of The Needle

The Quran also uses three words for mountains: https://corpus.quran.com/search.jsp?q=Mountains%20

Most of the times the word translated as mountains is (الْجِبَالُ). Surah al-Ghashiyah also is drawing attention to (الْجِبَالِ). 

The Quran informs us that when the promise comes, the mountains (الْجِبَالُ) will be crumbled, and will become like a heap of sand, and will be blown away like wool, and will pass away. 

Last updated on: July 11, 2023