According to classical Islamic scholarship, the 'lifting and crushing of mountains' is a literal and monumental sign of the Day of Judgment. Tafsir Ibn Kathir, commenting on the referenced verses, explains that this event will occur after the first blowing of the trumpet by the Angel Israfil. The mountains, symbols of earthly permanence and stability, will be uprooted and smashed into one another with a single, cataclysmic blow, reducing them to dust and leveling the earth. This dramatic upheaval signifies the end of the current world order and the absolute power of Allah over His creation. The Quran uses various powerful imageries to describe this, such as mountains becoming like 'carded wool' or a 'mirage', which scholars interpret as different stages of this final destruction. This event serves as a stark reminder of the ephemeral nature of this world and the certainty of accountability in the Hereafter.