The Other Side of the Mountain: Mountain Metaphor in Sufi Exegesis

Abstract

In the Qur'an, it is reported that the mountains, which are described as piles that nailed the Earth for the earth to stand still without shaking, were created as balance elements. In addition, to that, mountains have added material value to human life and have an important role because they function as natural water tanks and contain many natural riches in them. Mountains have an important function in the history of religions with the spiritual value they carry. The mountains, which are considered as sacred centers, also stand out as the places where revelation descends. They are also seen as places endowed with divine power manifested by God. The mountains, which are the symbol of power and Glory, are manifested as the power that emphasizes the greatness of Allah with their height and glory and are shown as examples at the point of breaking man's arrogance. Except for this, the mountains, which are mentioned in the Qur'an in other features, were offered trust, but they refused to undertake it being afraid thereof. They felt awe and feared from the revelation of the Qur'an. Moses was honored with revelation on the mountain, and the mountain was chosen for him as a place of the covenant with Allah. Likewise, the mountain hosted the first revelation to the Prophet. The mountains, which are the symbol of Allah's greatness, have been used in the Qur'an to form nuance with various words in different contexts. These mentioned features of the mountains brought about the formation of metaphorical interpretations in the understanding of the verses about them. In this article, the conceptual area of the mountain in the Qur'an and the metaphorical interpretations that make themselves clear in the Sufi explanation will be given.