سورة البقرة

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): [This verse speaks of the time when] Allah commanded the Children of Israel in the Book [the Torah] to acknowledge the prophethood of Muhammad and his household (peace be upon them), and they did not accept it. So Allah raised Mount Tur over their heads, and then some of them acknowledged it with their tongues, without belief in their hearts.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): [This verse refers to the time when] Allah sent down the Torah upon the Children of Israel, and they did not accept it.

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): Remember the time when We took a covenant and pledges from you to act upon what is in the Torah and what is in the Furqan - that Furqan which I gave to Musa (peace be upon him) along with the Book of the Torah, devoted specifically to the mention of Muhammad and Ali (peace be upon him) and the pure household of the two of them (peace be upon them); that they are the masters of the worlds and the upholders of truth. [That is] the time when We took a covenant from you to acknowledge this and to convey it to your descendants, and to command them likewise to convey it to their descendants, [so that this proclamation would continue] until the end of what I have decreed in this world, [and We asked you to] believe in Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah, and to submit to the command (accepting his wilayah) that He gives concerning Ali, the Wali of Allah, and to the reports He gives concerning the successors after him, the upholders of Allah's truth. But you refused to accept this and were arrogant.

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): The mountain which We commanded Jibra'il (peace be upon him) to cut from the mountain of Palestine, the size of the camp of your forefathers, one farsakh by one farsakh - [Jibra'il (peace be upon him)] cut it, brought it, and raised it above their heads.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): The mountain on which Musa (peace be upon him) stood was called "Tur Sina", because upon that mountain there was an olive tree; and every mountain upon which there is useful vegetation, such as plants or trees, is called "Tur Sina" or "Tur Sinin". But if there is no useful vegetation, such as plants or trees, on a mountain, it is simply called "Tur", and it is not called "Tur Sina" or "Tur Sinin".

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The people [Children of Israel] looked at the mountain as it split into two halves; one piece of it became white like pearl and began to rise, ascending until, before their very eyes, it split open the heavens. As they watched, the mountain rose until their eyes could no longer follow it, while the other piece of the mountain turned to fire and fell to the ground before their feet; it split open the earth, sank into it, and vanished from their sight. They said, "What is the description of these two separated pieces of the mountain, that one part, shining, ascended while the other, fiery, descended?" Musa (peace be upon him) said, "As for the piece that ascended and went up to the sky and split it open until it reached Paradise, it multiplies many times over, a number known only to Allah. Allah has commanded that from this piece of the mountain, palaces, dwellings and houses be built for those who believe in this Book, containing every blessing that He has promised His Allah-fearing servants - such as trees, gardens, fruits, beautiful maidens and youths whose beauty is everlasting and who shine like scattered pearls, and the rest of the blessings and bounties of Paradise. As for the other piece, which fell to the earth, split it open, and sank down until it reached Hell, it likewise multiplies many times over, and Allah the Exalted commands that from it, for those who disbelieve in this Book, palaces, houses and dwellings be built, containing every kind of punishment that Allah has promised His disbelieving servants in this Book - such as seas of fire, pools of the pus and discharge of the people of Hell, valleys of decay, blood and pus from wounds, the guardians of Hell, the bitter trees of zaqqum and dari, wild creatures, scorpions and vipers, fetters, shackles and chains, and every other kind of calamity and punishment prepared therein."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah placed Mount Tur above the heads of the [Children of Israel]. Musa (peace be upon him) then said to them, "If you do not accept it, the mountain will fall upon your heads." So they accepted, and lowered their heads.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): [Allah] commanded every prophet to take up a way and a practice, and the law prohibiting hunting on the Sabbath (Saturday) was one of the ways and practices that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, had commanded Musa (peace be upon him).

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): One of the commands and prohibitions given to the Children of Israel at that time (when Mount Tur was placed over their heads) was the mention [and acceptance of the wilayah] of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and Ali (peace be upon him) and their pure household (peace be upon them).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): [Ishaq ibn Ammar and Yunus narrated:] We asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the words of Allah the Exalted, خُذُواْ مَا آتَیْنَاکُم بِقُوَّةٍ [Take hold of what We have given you with strength] — whether the strength meant was strength of the body or strength of the heart. He said: "Both together."

Fiqh Imam Rida (peace be upon him): I asked the Imam (peace be upon him) about خُذُوا ما آتَیْناکُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ — whether the strength meant was strength of the body or strength of the heart. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Both; a saying without a deed, a deed without intention, and an intention without conforming to the sunnah are of no worth or standing."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Remember what I have granted you. Be mindful of the great reward I have appointed for you for acting upon it, and also keep in mind the severe punishment that will befall you for refusing it.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Be mindful of the punishment and retribution that awaits its abandonment.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Guard against the disobedience that brings punishment, so that, having guarded against it, you become deserving of a great reward.

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): [Allah said to the Children of Israel:] Either take up what you have been commanded to do in it, or I will bring this mountain down upon you. So they were compelled, out of aversion, to accept it — except for the one whom Allah protected from obstinacy; he accepted it willingly and by choice. Then, once they accepted it, they fell into prostration and pressed their faces to the ground. Many of them, pressing both sides of their faces to the ground, did not do so out of a wish to submit to Allah but were watching the mountain to see whether it would fall or not; others prostrated by choice, in obedience.