The narration of Al Kahf (Surah 18:47 - 50) provides a clear path to understanding what Allah mentioned in the Quran as mountains that will be crushed and made dust.

The Quran mention these kinds of mountains referencing an authority that will require an authority to cause their removal. The mention of these mountains starts from Surah 13:31. The Surah (Al Kahf) 18:47 indicate that Allah will remove the mountains ending it at Surah 47:50 indicating that ibliss is a jin - thus a mountain to be crushed.

The mountains are the jin associates of ibliss, a team that ibliss created to administer his project of altering and destroying the children of Adam. as well as making them join in the fire.

In Surah (Taa Haa) 20:107 "And they ask thee concerning the mountains. Say, 'My lord will break them into pieces and scatter them as dust".

The above-mentioned depictions of mountains in the Quran should not be confused with the mountains mentioned elsewhere in the Quran that Allah has indicated as serving as pillars to avoid any quaking of the earth as well as those used by individual groups to create their dwellings among others.

Team Creation:

The leadership of the earth has been assigned to Adam and no other creature, and Adam is the King of Kings.

Adam has had forty children (each set a twin of a male, and a female). Ibliss on his part also had eight agents each with four associates thus all numbering forty in a bid to rival Adam's team. The ibliss team of forty jin make up what the Quran mentions as mountains. They run the affairs of the earth inclusive of all religions except Islam.

Final Take Away:

Allah has set up earth's leadership but ibliss has rivaled what had been created and overthrown it. To reinstate the required authority, Allah has indicated that the ibliss created leadership and powers will be treated as indicated in Surah (An-Naba) 78:20 "And the mountains shall be made to move and shall become as if they were a mirage".

Do not see ibliss as being powerful, but it's all due to the respite that Allah gave, and when this respite elapse ibliss will be as useless as ordained by Allah.

In the Name of Allah

Happy Islam Team