Elevation Of The Mount Toor

LESSON # 78 HOLY QUR’AAN

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Elevation Of The Mount Toor

Verse –63 of 286, Section - 8

And (remember, O Children of Israel) when We made a covenant with you and caused the (Mount) Toor to tower above you, (saying): Hold fast that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off (evil).

Wa ‘iz ‘akhaznaa Miisaaqa-kum wa rafa’-naa fawqakumut-Tuur. Khuzuu maaa ‘aatay-naakum-  bi-quwwatinw-waz – kuruu maa fiihi  Ia-‘allakum tattaquun.

Lesson

At-Tuur – (Toor) Every mountain is called Toor as per Arabic language. A particular Mountain in the peninsula Sinai is also named as ‘Toor’. That is called “Jabal i-Toor” too.

Az – kuruu maa fiihi – (remember that which is therein) the subjects which are contained in Holy Book Torah, remember them so that you may act upon them. To act upon them is the main need for remembering the Orders of God Almighty. 

Tattaquun – (have fear of God) this word is from “Taqwaa”. To remain ward off the evils and pass the life carefully is called Taqwaa. That is also called abstinence, control of the passions. Who is good natured, well wisher and has a good disposition is named “muttaqii”. Islam has stated it as a great excellence and perfection of mankind.

The children of Israel used to demand obstinately to bring a genuine Book of Orders so that they might act upon it. These people used to promise that they would follow completely on the religious matters. But when they were given the Holy Book Torah they inclined to oppose it and began to say that the Orders mentioned in Torah are very heavy and difficult. We can not act upon them.

To challenge them from disobeying and violence Allah Almighty ordered the Mount Toor which was elevated over their heads. Seeing it the children of Israel began to shiver (for afraid of their death) and they had lost the courage of opposing, and now they admitted by force the Laws of Torah.

At this stage promise was taken from the children of Israel, “You will neither dispute nor play the stratagems and argue to believe the Holy Book “Torah”. They were also told to make the law of passing their lives according to the Orders and subjects of this Heavenly Book, act upon them punctually so that fear of God Almighty is produced in their hearts and “ye may ward off (evil).”

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)