The Quran

Preface

وَجَعَلَ فيها رَواسِيَ مِن فَوقِها وَبارَكَ فيها وَقَدَّرَ فيها أَقواتَها في أَربَعَةِ أَيّامٍ سَواءً لِلسّائِلينَ

Yusuf Ali

He set on the (earth), mountains standing firm,¹ high above it, and bestowed blessings on the earth, and measure therein all things to give them nourishment in due proportion, in four Days,² in accordance with (the needs of) those who seek (Sustenance).³

Cf. 13:3 and 16:15, n. 2038. High above it: the highest mountains are 29,000 feet above sea level, and the lowest depths of the bottom of the ocean are 31,600 feet below sea level, so that the vertical difference between the highest and lowest points on the solid crust of the earth is about 11.5 miles. The highland areas are the main sources of the water supply in all the regions of the earth, and vegetable and animal life depends on water supply.
See n. 4470 above.
Sa'ilin may mean either (1) those who seek, or (2) those who ask or enquire.
If the former meaning-is adopted, the clause means that everything is apportioned to the needs and appetites of God’s creatures, If the latter, it means that the needs of enquirers are sufficiently met by what is stated here.