place

Mount Sinai

جَبَل سِينَاء

Mount Sinai, known in Arabic as Jabal Sīnā’, holds a uniquely revered place in Islamic tradition as the sacred mountain where Prophet Musa (Moses) had profound encounters with Allah. It was here that Musa was honored with [an appointed time] to speak directly with his Lord. During this awe-inspiring encounter, seeking to behold Allah, Musa witnessed a magnificent manifestation of divine power when [his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious]. This mountain is also where Musa received the divine tablets containing the Torah, a foundational scripture for the Children of Israel. The significance of Mount Sinai is underscored by its mention in the Quran, including Allah's solemn oath by it, as found in [And [by] Mount Sinai], affirming its profound spiritual status. Furthermore, the Quran alludes to the blessed nature of this region, referencing [a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food]. Mount Sinai thus stands as an enduring symbol of divine revelation, a testament to Allah's majesty, and a place of immense spiritual weight, embodying a pivotal moment in the history of monotheistic faith.

Quran 3 verses

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Wa lammaa jaaa'a Moosa limeeqaatinaa wa kallamahoo Rabbuhoo qaala Rabbi arineee anzur ilaik; qaala lan taraanee wa laakininzur ilal jabali fa inistaqarra makaanahoo faswfa taraanee; falammaa tajallaa Rabbuhoo liljabali ja'alahoo dakkanw wa kharra Moosaa sa'iqaa; falammaaa afaaqa qaala Subhaanaka tubtu ilaika wa ana awwalul mu'mineen

And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allah] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers."

اور جب موسیٰ ہمارے مقرر کیے ہوئے وقت پر (کوہ طور) پر پہنچے اور ان کے پروردگار نے ان سے کلام کیا تو کہنے لگے کہ اے پروردگار مجھے (جلوہ) دکھا کہ میں تیرا دیدار (بھی) دیکھوں۔ پروردگار نے کہا کہ تم مجھے ہرگز نہ دیکھ سکو گے۔ ہاں پہاڑ کی طرف دیکھتے رہو اگر یہ اپنی جگہ قائم رہا تو تم مجھے دیکھ سکو گے۔ جب ان کا پروردگار پہاڑ پر نمودار ہوا تو (تجلی انوارِ ربانی) نے اس کو ریزہ ریزہ کردیا اور موسیٰ بےہوش ہو کر گر پڑے۔ جب ہوش میں آئے تو کہنے لگے کہ تیری ذات پاک ہے اور میں تیرے حضور توبہ کرتا ہوں اور جو ایمان لانے والے ہیں ان میں سب سے اول ہوں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The verse 143 carries the phrase لن ترانی “ you shall never see me”. The phrase has an indication that sighting of Allah is not impossible, but that he (Musa علیہ السلام) cannot endure it with his present physical disposition. Had it been impossible, the phrase would have been لن اری : “ I cannot be...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And when Moses came at Our appointed time that is the time at which We had promised to speak to him and his Lord spoke with him without any intermediary with speech which he heard from all directions he said ‘My Lord! Show me Yourself that I may behold You!’ Said He ‘You shall not see Me that is to ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Musa asks to see Allah Allah said that when Musa came for His appointment and spoke to Him directly, he asked to see Him, رَبِّ أَرِنِى أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِى ("O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allah said: "You cannot see Me,") `You cannot' (Lan) by no means ind...

وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيْنَآءَ تَنۢبُتُ بِٱلدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِّلْـَٔاكِلِينَ

Wa shajaratan takhruju min Toori Sainaaa'a tambutu bidduhni wa sibghil lil aakileen

And [We brought forth] a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food for those who eat.

اور وہ درخت بھی (ہم ہی نے پیدا کیا) جو طور سینا میں پیدا ہوتا ہے (یعنی زیتون کا درخت کہ) کھانے کے لئے روغن اور سالن لئے ہوئے اُگتا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: وَشَجَرَ‌ةً تَخْرُ‌جُ مِن طُورِ‌ سَيْنَاءَ (And [ We produced ] a tree [ of olive ] that comes out from the [ mount ] Tur of Sinai. - 23:20). Sinai is the name of the area where the Tur Mountain is located. Olive oil can be used to massage the body, in lamps to provide light and in food as a curry o...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We produced a tree that grows on Mount of Sinai read Sīnā’ or Saynā’ indeclinable as it is a proper noun with the feminine ending denoting a location that produces read either as tunbitu from the fourth form anbata or as tanbutu from the trilateral form nabata oil bi’l-duhni in the case of the f...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Allah's Signs and Blessings in the Rain, Vegetation, Trees and Cattle Allah mentions His innumerable blessings to His servants, whereby He sends down rain in due measure, meaning, according to what is needed, not so much that it damages the lands and buildings, and not so little to be insufficient f...

وَطُورِ سِينِينَ

Wa toori sineen

And [by] Mount Sinai

اور طور سینین کی

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ (I swear by the Fig and the Olive...95:1). This verse takes an oath by four objects. Two of them are trees, the fig tree and the olive tree. [ The third object ] is Tur, the mount of Sinai, and the fourth object is the City of Makkah. The two trees have been spec...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: and by the Mount Sinai the mountain on which God exalted be He spoke to Moses sīnīn means ‘the one blessed’ or ‘the fair one with fruitful trees’
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Which was revealed in Makkah The Recitation of Surat At-Tin in the Prayer while traveling Malik and Shu`bah narrated from `Adi bin Thabit, who narrated that Al-Bara' bin `Azib said, "The Prophet used to recite in one of his Rak`ahs while traveling `At-Tin waz-Zaytun' (Surat At-Tin), and I have never...

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