3وَهٰذَا البَلَدِ الأَمينِAli UnalAnd this City secure –1The fig and olive, two highly prized fruits, also symbolize, as indicated in sūrah 23: 20, the eastern part of the Mediterranean where many of the Prophets lived. In particular, the three great predecessors of the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, namely the Prophets Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, upon them all be peace, lived in these lands, though Abraham, upon him be peace, was born and started his mission in Iraq. It is well known that the mountain where Jesus, upon him be peace, gave his famous sermon is Mount Zaytūn (Olive). And Mount Sinai is the mountain where Moses, upon him be peace, received the Torah. Makkah is indicated by the phrase “this City secure” (see sūrah 106). These verses resemble a verse in the Old Testament: The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran (Deuteromony, 33: 2). In fact, this verse of the Bible refers to the Prophethood of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, respectively, upon them be peace. Sinai is the place where the Prophet Moses, upon him be peace, spoke to God and received the Torah. Seir, a place in Palestine, is where the Prophet Jesus, upon him be peace, received Divine Revelation. And the last place mentioned, Paran, is the place where God revealed His will to humankind for the last time through His Revelation to Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings. Paran, mentioned in the Old Testament (Genesis, 21: 14–21), is the area in the desert where, upon the order of God, Hagar was left by her husband Abraham to live with her son Ishmael, upon them both be peace. They found a well of water there. As stated explicitly in the Qur’ān (14: 35–37), and as is well known, Abraham, upon him be peace, left Hagar and his son in the valley of Makkah, which was then an uninhabited place within the mountain ranges of Paran; and the well of water described is the famous well known as Zamzam.