Mountains stabilize the earth
On the authority of Anas ibn Malik (A.S.) who said: the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“When Allah created the earth, it started to shake. So He created the mountains, fixing them into it, therefore it stabilized. The angels then wondered about the hardness of the mountains asking: “Allah, is there anything in Your creation which is harderthan the mountains? He said: “Yes, iron “. Then they asked: “O Allah, is there anything in Your creation which is harder than iron?’ He said: “Yes, fire.” They asked: ‘O Allah, is there anything in Your creation which is harder than fire? He said:” Yes, water.” They asked: ‘O Allah is there anything in Your creation which is harder than water? He said: “Yes, the wind.” They then asked:” Is there anything in Your creation which is harder than the wind?” He said: Yes, a man who gives charity with his right hand, concealing it so that no one can see him.”
This noble Hadith, saying of the prophet, coincides, both in form and in content with saying of the Ever- Truthful.
“And the mountains He has fixed, to be provision and benefit for you and your cattle.” (Quran 79: 32)
Scientists have differed greatly in their understanding of the role of the mountains above the earth’s surface in stabilizing the earth.
This difference arises because the total agglomerate of the mountains above the earth’s surface, gigantic as it is, amounts to nothing when compared to the whole mass of the earth, which amounts to about six million trillion tons. Besides, the length of the mountains, great as it is, does not amount to much in relation to the radius of the earth.
A logical question therefore arises: how the mountains stabilize the earth, while their mass and dimension are so small when compared to the earth’s mass and dimension?
It was not until the mid sixties that the answer became known. The answer they found was connected to deepness of the mountain under the ground. Mountains vary between 65 and 150 km in depth. For example, mountain Everest the summit of which stands approx. 9 km above the surface of the earth of the earth has a root deeper than 125 km.
In conclusion, this is a clear example of the scientific inimitability in the prophet’s Hadith in which he says, “When Allah has created , it started to shake. So He created the mountains, fixing them into it, therefore it stabilized.” Moreover, this Hadith(Saying of the prophet) proves nothing but the truthfulness of the prophet (Peace and blessing be upon him) and divinity of His source.
