What does « Anchor / To stabilize » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Anchor / To stabilize (رسا) in the Quran, with 14 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

رسا

Anchor / To stabilize

Root: ر - س

Quranic language 14 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Anchor / To stabilize

One says 'rasâ al-shay' yarsû' (the thing became stable).

Arsâhu ghayruhû (another stabilized it).

Allah says: 'And the mountains, He anchored them (arsâhâ)' (An-Nâzi'ât: 32).

Mountains stabilize the earth.

Anchor / To stabilize in the Quran (14)

Meccan: 13 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

An-Nazi'at 2

Al-A'raf 1

Hud 1

Ar-Ra'd 1

Al-Hijr 1

An-Nahl 1

Al-Anbiya 1

An-Naml 1

Luqman 1

Saba 1

+ 3 more surahs

Surah Al-A'raf : 187 Meccan

﴿يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَتْ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةًۭ ۗ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival? Say, "Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly." They ask you as if you are familiar with it. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most of the people do not know."

Surah Hud : 41 Meccan

﴿۞ وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ﴾

And [Noah] said, "Embark therein; in the name of Allah is its course and its anchorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."

Surah Ar-Ra'd : 3 Medinan

﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَدَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنْهَـٰرًۭا ۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾

And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

Surah Al-Hijr : 19 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَـٰهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مَّوْزُونٍۢ﴾

And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.

Surah An-Nahl : 15 Meccan

﴿وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْهَـٰرًۭا وَسُبُلًۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ﴾

And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,

Surah Al-Anbiya : 31 Meccan

﴿وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًۭا سُبُلًۭا لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ﴾

And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with them, and We made therein [mountain] passes [as] roads that they might be guided.

Surah An-Naml : 61 Meccan

﴿أَمَّن جَعَلَ ٱلْأَرْضَ قَرَارًۭا وَجَعَلَ خِلَـٰلَهَآ أَنْهَـٰرًۭا وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزًا ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌۭ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

Is He [not best] who made the earth a stable ground and placed within it rivers and made for it firmly set mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier? Is there a deity with Allah? [No], but most of them do not know.

Surah Luqman : 10 Meccan

﴿خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍۢ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍۢ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍۢ كَرِيمٍ﴾

He created the heavens without pillars that you see and has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with you, and dispersed therein from every creature. And We sent down rain from the sky and made grow therein [plants] of every noble kind.

Surah Saba : 13 Meccan

﴿يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِيبَ وَتَمَـٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍۢ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍۢ رَّاسِيَـٰتٍ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًۭا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌۭ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ﴾

They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.

Surah Fussilat : 10 Meccan

﴿وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَٰتَهَا فِىٓ أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ سَوَآءًۭ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ﴾

And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information] of those who ask.

Surah Qaf : 7 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَـٰهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍۭ بَهِيجٍۢ﴾

And the earth - We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind,

Surah Al-Mursalat : 27 Meccan

﴿وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ شَـٰمِخَـٰتٍۢ وَأَسْقَيْنَـٰكُم مَّآءًۭ فُرَاتًۭا﴾

And We placed therein lofty, firmly set mountains and have given you to drink sweet water.

Surah An-Nazi'at : 32 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَرْسَىٰهَا﴾

And the mountains He set firmly

Surah An-Nazi'at : 42 Meccan

﴿يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا﴾

They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?