Likewise, there is a report transmitted from Ibn ʿAbbās in which he said: “In every earth there are creatures like those on this one—even an Adam like your Adam and an Abraham like your Abraham.” Ibn Jarīr cited it in abridged form (1), while al-Bayhaqī reproduced it at length in his work Al-Asmāʾ wa’l-Ṣifāt (2). If the attribution to Ibn ʿAbbās is authentic, it is taken to mean that he derived it from the Israelite traditions—Allah knows best.

Imām Aḥmad said: “Yazīd related to us; al-ʿAwwām ibn Ḥawshab related to us, from Sulaymān ibn Abī Sulaymān, from Anas ibn Mālik, that the Prophet ﷺ said:

‘When Allah created the earth it began to sway (3), so He created the mountains and set them upon it, and it became steady. The angels were amazed at the creation of the mountains and said, “Our Lord, is there anything in Your creation stronger than the mountains?” He said, “Yes—iron.” They said, “Our Lord, is there anything in Your creation stronger than iron?” He said, “Yes—fire.” They said, “Our Lord, is there anything in Your creation stronger than fire?” He said, “Yes—water.” They said, “Our Lord, is there anything in Your creation stronger than water?” (4) He said, “Yes—the wind.” They said, “Our Lord, is there anything in Your creation stronger than the wind?” He said, “Yes—the son of Adam who gives charity with his right hand, concealing it from his left.”’ Aḥmad alone related this ḥadīth (5).

The scholars of cosmography have enumerated the mountains of the earth in every region, east and west, recording their lengths, the extent of their ranges, and their elevations, and have spoken at length on the subject—far more than can be detailed here.

Allah, Exalted is He, says: “And among the mountains are streaks—white and red, of varying hues, and intensely black.” [Fāṭir: 27] Ibn ʿAbbās and others explained that al-judad means “bands” or “strata,” while ʿIkrimah and others said that al-gharābīb are the tall, pitch-black mountains (6). This is exactly what is observed in mountain ranges across the earth, differing according to their locations and their colors.

Allah, Exalted is He, has also singled out the name al-Jūdī in His Book [Hūd: 44] (7). It is a vast mountain (8) to the east of Jazīrat Ibn ʿUmar, beside the Tigris near Mosul. It stretches from south to north a distance of three days’ travel, and its height requires half a day’s journey to ascend. The mountain is verdant, for it is covered with oak trees, and beside it lies a village known as the “Village of the Eighty” (9).