Quran Universe
7:171

۞وَإِذۡ نَتَقۡنَا ٱلۡجَبَلَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَأَنَّهُۥ ظُلَّةٞ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُۥ وَاقِعُۢ بِهِمۡ خُذُواْ مَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةٖ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

Waith nataqna aljabala fawqahum kaannahu thullatun wathannoo annahu waqiAAun bihim khuthoo ma ataynakum biquwwatin waothkuroo ma feehi laAAallakum tattaqoona

And [mention] when We raised the mountain above them as if it was a dark cloud and they were certain that it would fall upon them, [and Allah said], "Take what We have given you with determination and remember what is in it that you might fear Allah."

Word by word
  1. ۞وَإِذۡAnd when
  2. نَتَقۡنَاWe raised
  3. ٱلۡجَبَلَthe mountain
  4. فَوۡقَهُمۡabove them
  5. كَأَنَّهُۥas if it was
  6. ظُلَّةٞa canopy
  7. وَظَنُّوٓاْand they thought
  8. أَنَّهُۥthat it
  9. وَاقِعُۢ(would) fall
  10. بِهِمۡupon them
  11. خُذُواْ(We said)," Take
  12. مَآwhat
  13. ءَاتَيۡنَٰكُمWe have given you
  14. بِقُوَّةٖwith strength
  15. وَٱذۡكُرُواْand remember
  16. مَاwhat
  17. فِيهِ(is) in it
  18. لَعَلَّكُمۡso that you may
  19. تَتَّقُونَfear Allah
Al-A'raf · 7:171Makkah

With the mountain overhead, they were told: hold on firmly.

A covenant taken with the mountain raised above them

The scene
the mountainraised like a canopy
they feared
it would fallthey were sure
told
hold firmlyremember what is in it
Why it was raised
too heavywe do not want it
take it with strengthso you may be mindful

Ibn 'Abbas said that when Musa brought the Tablets, the commands felt heavy and the people did not want to follow them. So the mountain was raised over them like a canopy, and they were told to hold firmly to what was given and remember what is in it.

You know what you need to change. It feels heavy, so you keep putting it off. Then a scare comes, a lump, a near miss on the motorway, and suddenly it is clear. Hold on to it now, before the mountain is overhead.

I will take my faith seriously when I really have to.

Guidance is meant to be taken with strength now, not only in a crisis.

Try this

Choose one teaching you have found heavy. Take one firm step on it today, before life forces you.

Related4:154
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And (remember) when We Nataqna the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said): "Hold firmly to what We have given you [the Tawrah], and remember that which is therein (act on its commandments), so that you may fear Allah and obey Him. (171)

Raising Mount Tur over the Jews, because of Their Rebellion

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn 'Abbas commented on the Ayah,

وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ

(And (remember) when We Nataqna the mountain over them), "We raised the mountain, as Allah's other statement testifies,

وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ بِمِيثَاقِهِمْ

(And for their covenant, We raised over them the mountain)[4:154]."

Also, Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated that Al-A'mash said that, Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas said, "The angels raised the Mount over their heads, as reiterated by Allah's statement,

وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ

(We raised over them the mountain)[4:154]."

Al-Qasim bin Abi Ayyub narrated that Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas said, "Musa later on proceeded with them to the Sacred Land. He took along the Tablets, after his anger subsided, and commanded them to adhere to the orders that Allah ordained to be delivered to them. But these orders became heavy on them and they did not want to implement them until Allah raised the mountain over them,

كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ

(as if it had been a canopy), that is, when the angels raised the mountain over their heads." An-Nasa'i collected it.