Tur Sinai: Difference between revisions

Tur Sinai [Mount Sinai] is a mountain or a group of mountains in the Sinai desert of Egypt, which is mentioned in the Qur’an and the Torah. Various events happened in Sinai, such as God talking to Prophet Moses (a), the forty-day period, (the forty-night) period with seventy people from Bani Israel, and the demise of Prophet Moses (a). The Prophet of Islam (a) considered the reason for the sacredness of Mount Sinai to be issues such as talking of God with Prophet Moses (a) there.

'''Geographical location'''

Mount Sinai is located in the south of the Sinai desert, which is in the northeast of Egypt and borders Palestine, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. There are many mountains in that area, and Mount Sinai is among them. Ibn Manzur considered Tur Sinai a mountain in Syria.

Some people have suggested that Tur Sinai is a set of mountains and various events have occurred in these mountains; it does not refer to one specific mountain. It has also been said that the Qur’an’s use of the terms “Sinai” and “Sinin” refers to the mentioned point, and Tur Sinin is a part of Tur Sinai.

Mount Sinai is a mountain south of the Sinai desert near Saint Catherine’s Monastery.

The Qur’an once used the title “Tur Sinai” to refer to a tree that grows there and gives oil. It also swore to Tur Sinin, which some commentators believed to refer to Tur Sinai. In other verses, there is “al-Tur,” which commentators have considered referring to Tur Sinai.

Shaykh Saduq narrates a hadith from Ibn Abbas, according to which the naming of Tur as “Sinai” is due to the existence of a tree there.

Mount Sinai is where God spoke to Prophet Moses (a). According to verse 12 of Surah Taha, there God ordered Prophet Moses (a) to take off his shoes because he (a) was in a sacred land, “You are indeed in the sacred valley of Tuwa.” Some scholars have cited this verse regarding the sacredness of Sinai. Also, God has sworn to this mountain in Surah at-Tur.

In answer to a question about the reason for the sacredness of Sinai, the Prophet of Islam (a) said:

“Because in that valley, souls are sanctified, and the angels are lined up there, and God spoke to Moses (a) there.”

According to the verses and traditions, some events happened to Prophet Moses (a) and Bani Israel in Sinai:

'''The departure to Egypt and the initial revelation:''' after his commitment to Prophet Shuaib (a) in Midian ended and he (a) left for Egypt with his wife, children, and belongings, Prophet Moses (a) lost his route and saw a fire on a mountain and went there. There, he (a) received a revelation, which was the beginning of Prophet Moses’ (a) mission. The Qur’an mentions where this event occurred with the names “al-Tur” and “Tuwa”. Some commentators have considered the meaning of “al-Tur” to be Sinai and “Tuwa” to be the valley at the foot of this mountain.