They Ask Thee About Zul-Qarnain

And O Muhammad, they ask you about Zul-Qarnain^EN18:61:tell them, "I am going to recite to you an account of him".^EN18:62 18:83

EN18:61 - It is quite obvious that the conjunction "wao" joins this story with the previous story of Khidr. Thus it is a self-evident proof that the previous two stories of the "Sleepers of the Cave" and "Moses and Khidr" were also related in answer to the queries of the disbelievers of Makkah who, in consultation with the people of the Book, had put these questions to Muhammad (pbuh) as a test of his Prophethood.

EN18:62 -

Let us consider the characteristics of Zil-Qarnain in the light of his story in the Quran:

(1) The title Zul-Qarnain ("The Two-Horned") should have been quite familiar to the Jews, for it was at their instigation that the disbelievers of Makkah put this question to the Holy Prophet. Therefore we must turn to the Jewish literature in order to learn who was the person known as "The Two-Horned" or which was the kingdom known as "The Two-Horned."

(2) Zul-Qarnain must have been a great ruler and a great conqueror whose conquests might have spread from the East to the West and on the third side to the North or to the South. Before the revelation of the Quran there had been several persons, who were such great conquerors. So we must confine our search for the other characteristics of Zul-Qarnain to one of these persons.

(3) The title should be applicable to such a ruler who might have constructed a strong wall across a mountain pass to protect his kingdom from the incursions of Gog and Magog. In order to investigate this thing, we will have to determine as to who were Gog and Magog. We will also have to find out when such a wall was built and by whom and to which territory it was adjacent.

(4) Besides possessing the above-mentioned characteristics, he should also be a God-worshipper and a just ruler, for the Quran has brought into prominence these characteristics more than anything else.

First of these characteristics is easily applicable to Cyrus, for according to the Bible Prophet Daniel saw in his vision that the united kingdom of Media and Persia was like a two-horned ram before the rise of the Greeks. The Jews had a very high opinion of "Two-horned" one, because it was his invasion which brought about the downfall of kingdom of Babylon and the liberation of the Isarelites (EN42-9).

The second characteristics is applicable to him to a great extent but not completely. Though his conquests spread to Syria and Asia Minor in the West and to Bakhtar (Balkh) in the East, there is no trace of any of his great expeditions to the North or to the South, whereas the Quran makes an explicit mention of his third expedition. Nevertheless, this third expedition is not wholly out of the question for history tells us that his kingdom extended to Caucasia in the North.

As regards Gog and Magog, it has been nearly established that they were the wild tribes of Central Asia who were known by different names - Tartars, Mongols, Huns, and Scythians - who had been making inroads on settled kingdoms and empires from very ancient times. It is also known that strong bulwarks had been built in southern regions of Caucasia, though it has not been as yet historically established that these were built by Cyrus.

As regards the last characteristic, Cyrus is the only known conqueror among the ancient rulers, to whom this may be applicable, for even his enemies have been full of praise for him for his justice, and Ezra, a book of the Bible, asserts that he was a God-worshipper and a God-fearing king who set free the Israelites because of his God-worship, and ordered that the Temple of Solomon should be rebuilt for the worship of Allah, Who has no partner.

In light of the above, we admit that of all the conquerors, who had passed before the revelation of the Quran, Cyrus alone is the one to whom the characteristics of "Zul-Qarnain" are most applicable, but we need more evidence to determine specifically that Cyrus is definitely "Zul-Qarnain." Anyhow, there is no other conqueror to whom the characteristics stated in the Quran are as much applicable as to Cyrus.

Historically it is enough to say that Cyrus was a Persian ruler, whose rise began about 549 B.C. In a few years, he conquered the kingdom of Media and Lydia and afterwards conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. After this no powerful kingdom was left to oppose him. His conquests extended to Sind and the territory known as Turkistan on one side, and to Egypt and Lybia and to Thrace and Macedonia and Caucasia and Khawarzam in the North. In fact, the whole civilized world was under his sway.

We had established his powers on the Earth and had provided him with every kind of ways and means. 18:84

At first, he made preparations for an expedition (to the West and marched on) 18:85

till he reached the limit where the sun set,^EN18:63 and found it setting in black waters,^EN18:64 and there he saw a people. We said to him, "O Zul-Qarnain! You have the power to punish them and also the option to treat them generously".^EN18:65 18:86

EN18:63 “The limit where the sun set” does not mean the ”place” of the setting of the sun. It means that he marched to the West conquering one country after the other till he reached the last boundary of the land, beyond which there was ocean.

EN18:64 “He found the sun setting in black muddy waters of the sea”: if Zulqarnain was Cyrus, then that place would be the western limit of Asian Minor and the “black waters” would be the Aegean Sea. This interpretation is supported by the use of the word “ain” instead of “bahr” in the Quran.

EN18:65 “We said to him” does not necessarily mean that Allah directly revealed to him these words, and that Zul-Qarnain was a Prophet or was the one who received inspiration from Allah, and the same is the reasonable conjecture. This concerns the time when Zul-Qarnain had taken possession of the land as a conqueror and the conquered people were utterly at his mercy. Then Allah posed a question before his conscience, as if to say, “Now is the time of your trial. These people are utterly at your mercy, and you have the option either to behave unjustly towards them or to treat them generously.”

He said, "We will punish that one of them who will commit iniquity; then he shall be returned to his Lord and He will inflict on him a grievous torment: 18:87

And as for the one, who will believe and do righteous deeds, there is a generous recompense and We will prescribe for him easy tasks." 18:88

Then he made preparations (for another expedition and marched on) till he reached the limit where the sun rose. 18:89

There he saw the sun rising on a people, whom We had not given any shelter from sun shine.^EN18:66 18:90

EN18:66 That is, “When he advanced towards the East, conquering one country after the other, he reached a territory where the limits of the civilized world had come to an end and beyond which was the territory of barbaric people, who had no shelter at all of tents or buildings.”

This was their condition and We know well whatever Zul-Qarnain possessed. 18:91

Then he made preparations (for another expedition and marched on) 18:92

till he reached between two mountains,^EN18:67 where he found a people who could hardly understand any language.^EN18:68 18:93

EN18:67 The “two mountains” must have been parts of that mountain range which runs between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea (as stated in 18:96). This must be so because beyond them was the territory of Gog and Magog.

EN18:68 That is, “It was too difficult to communicate with them: their language was almost foreign to Zul-Qarnain and his companions, and as they were quite barbaric, none could understand their language, nor were they acquainted with any foreign language.”

They said, “O Zul-Qarnain, Gog and Magog^EN18:69 spread chaos in this land; should we then pay a tribute to you so that you may build a bulwark between us and them?” 18:94

EN18:69 As has already been pointed out in EN18:62, Gog and Magog were the wild tribes of North Eastern Asia which, from the very early times had been making inroads on settled kingdoms and empires in Asia and Europe and ravaging them. According to Genesis (Chapter 10), they were the descendents of Japheth, the son of Noah, and the Muslim historians have also accepted this. And according to the book of Ezekiel (Chapter 38, 39), they inhabited the territories of Meshech (Moscow) and Tubal (Tubalsek). According to the Israelite historian Josephus, they were the Scythians and their territory spread to the north and the east of the Black Sea. According to Jerome, Magog inhabited the territory to the north of Caucasia near the Caspian Sea.

He said, “What may Allah has granted me is more than enough. You should help me only with manual labor and I will build a barrier between you and them.^EN18:70 18:95

EN18:70 That is, “As a ruler it is my duty to protect you from the ravages of your enemies: therefore it is not lawful for me to levy any extra taxes on you for this purpose. The treasury that Allah has placed in my custody suffices for this purpose. You shall, however, help me with your manual labor.”

Come, bring sheets of iron for me.” When he had filled the space between the two mountains, he said to the people, “Now ply your bellows.” They did so till that (iron-wall) became redhot and he said, “Now let me pour molten brass upon it”. 18:96

This was such a barrier that Gog and Magog could not scale over it, nor were they able to dig through it. 18:97

Zul-Qarnain said, “This is mercy from my Lord; but when the time of my Lord’s promise shall come, He will level it to dust^EN18:71 and the promise of my Lord is true.”^EN18:72 18:98

EN18:71 That is “Though I have built a very strong iron-wall, as far as it was possible for me, it is not ever-lasting, for it will last only as long as Allah wills, and will fall down to peaces when the time of my Lord’s promise shall come. Then no power in the world shall be able to keep it safe and secure.” As regards the time of Allah’s promise, it has two meanings: (1) It may mean the time of the destruction of the wall, and (2) it may also mean the time of death and destruction of everything destined by Allah at the end of the world i.e., the Hour of Resurrection.

EN18:72 Here the story of Zul-Qarnain comes to an end. Though this story has been related in answer to the questions put by the disbelievers of Makkah as a test along with the stories of the “Sleepers of the Cave” and “Moses and Khidr”, the Quran has utilized this story, too, for its own aim and object, as if to say, “Zul-Qarnain, about whose glory you have heard from the people of the Book, was not merely a conqueror, but also a believer of the doctrines of Tauhid and the life-after-death and acted upon the principles of justice and generosity. He was not a mean person like you who have been puffed up by the possession of petty estates, and give yourselves airs of superiority.”