Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL A'RAAF [171]

171. And (remember) when We Nataqna the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said): ”Hold firmly to what We have given you ﴿the Tawrah﴾, and remember that which is therein (act on its commandments), so that you may fear Allah and obey Him.'' `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,

(And (remember) when We Nataqna the mountain over them), ”We raised the mountain, as Allah's other statement testifies,

(And for their covenant, We raised over them the mountain) ﴿4:154﴾.'' Also, Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated that Al-A`mash said that, Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, ”The angels raised the Mount over their heads, as reiterated by Allah's statement,

(We raised over them the mountain) ﴿4:154﴾.'' Al-Qasim bin Abi Ayyub narrated that Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, ”Musa later on proceeded with them to the Sacred Land. He took along the Tablets, after his anger subsided, and commanded them to adhere to the orders that Allah ordained to be delivered to them. But these orders became heavy on them and they did not want to implement them until Allah raised the mountain over them,

(as if it had been a canopy), that is, when the angels raised the mountain over their heads.'' An-Nasa'i collected it.