Message for Muslims

Sura 15. Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) (Mecca)

Similar events which occurred in the two previous suras continue here. Muhammad continues to warn the Qurraish against idolatry but they scoff at him while he, on his part, identifies himself with the former prophets who were also rejected. The title is taken from the fate of the tribes of Thamud who dwelt in the territory of Al-Hijr (verses 81-84). The companions of the rocky tract, Al-Hijr, also rejected the messengers. Of particular interest are verses 26-42 which relate to the proud refusal of Satan to fall down and worship Adam when ordered to do so by Allah.

Every nation has its day

“Never did We destroy a population that had not a term decreed and assigned beforehand.

neither can a people anticipate its term, nor delay it “(v 4, 5).

Muslims say everything is set in writing and decreed by God

Muhammad accused of being possessed by a devil

“They say: O thou to whom the message is being revealed! truly thou art mad (or possessed)!” (v 6)

All prophets scorned

“We did send messengers before thee amongst the religious sects of old: But never came a messenger to them but they mocked him. Even so do we let it creep into the hearts of the sinners. That they should not believe in the (message); but the ways of the ancients have passed away” (v 10-13).

The Quarraish became more hostile and the believers more discouraged. To meet these adverse circumstances Muhammad produced a whole series of revelations to seek to show that the former prophets had been treated in the same way as he was being treated this was therefore made out to be a clear proof of his divine mission .

Satan (Iblis) to worship man on his creation

“We created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape; And the jinn, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind. Behold! Thy Lord said to the angels: I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape; When I have fashioned him and breathed into him of my spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him. So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together: Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves. (Allah) said: O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves? (Iblis) said: I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape. (Allah) said: Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed. And the curse shall be on thee till the day of judgement. (Iblis) said: O my Lord! give me then respite till the day the (dead) are raised. (Allah) said: Respite is granted thee “Till the day of the time appointed. (Iblis) said: O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong, “Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified.” (Allah) said: This is indeed a way that leads straight to Me. For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee. “(v 26-42)

In the Bible, Satan fell before Adam was created. God forbids the worship of any other than Himself, and would never require angels to worship men. The story is a Jewish legend.

Hell has seven gates

“And verily, hell is the promised abode for them all! To it are seven gates: for each of those gates is a class assigned” (v 43, 44).

Muslims believe that there are seven hells, below each other. The first is called Jahannum, this is for wicked Muslims, who will in time be relieved; the second is for Jews; the third for Christians; the fourth for Sabians; the fifth for Magians; the sixth for idolaters; and the seventh for hypocrites. Over each hell there is a guard of nineteen angels.

Punishment of the people of Al-Hijr

“The companions of the rocky tract Al-Hijr also rejected the messengers: We sent them Our signs, but they persisted in turning away from them. Out of the mountains did they hew (their) edifices, But the (mighty) blast seized them of a morning, And of no avail to them was all that they did !” (v 81-84)

The prophet Salih is said to have been sent to the tribe of Thamud who lived in the rocks of al-Hijr. They had cut out their dwellings from the rocks. The mighty blast was said to be caused by the angel Gabriel.

Command to repeat the seven verses

“And We have bestowed upon thee the seven oft-repeated and the grand Quran” (v 87).

This may refer to the first chapter of the Quran, which contains seven verses which were often recited. Others say it refers to the seven longest suras.

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Sura 16  An-Nahl (The Bee) (Mecca)

One aspect of this chapter is Allah’s creation and the title comes from verse 68 which comments on the usefulness of the bee. As in other Meccan chapters, the unbelieving Qurraish continue to reject Allah’s signs and oppose believers. They accuse Muhammad of forgery and that he received assistance in writing the Quran, Muhammad counters by saying his revelations were was sent down by the Holy Spirit.

Allah’s creation (vv 3-18)

“He has created the heavens and the earth for just ends” (v 3)

“He has created man from a sperm-drop” (v 4)

“And cattle He has created for you” (v 5)

“(He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show” (verse eight)

“It is He who sends down rain from the sky: from it ye drink, and out of it (grows) the vegetation on which ye feed your cattle and (other) things of which ye have no knowledge” (v 10).

Muhammad ch arged with forgery

“When it is said to them, What is it that your Lord has revealed? they say, tales of the ancients!” (v 24)

This was probably because the Quran contains tales from Jewish, Arab and Magian traditions.

The Muhajirun

To those who leave their homes in the cause of Allah, after suffering oppression, We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world; but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater. If they only realised (this)! (v 41)

But verily thy Lord, to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions, and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently persevere, Thy Lord, after all this is oft-forgiving, most merciful. (v 110)

This sura is a late Meccan one some say this verse refers to the refugees who went to Abyysinia, others that it refers to the Muhajirun who left Mecca as immigrants to Medina. If it is the latter it must be a composite sura.

Doubters to inquire from Jews and Christians

“And before thee also the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration:

if ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the message” (v 43).

The Qurraish had taunted Muhammad with being only a man. He replied that God only sent men, and that they should enquire whether this was the case or not from those who had the scripture. It should be noted that the Bible is acknowledged to be the word of God.

The Quran to be proclaimed

“(We sent them) with clear signs and books of dark prophecies; and We have sent down unto thee the message;

that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for th em, and that they may give thought” (v 44).

The Qurraish attribute daughters to God

“And they assign daughters for Allah! Glory be to Him! and for themselves (sons) they desire! When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil they decide on?” (v 57-59)

“The idolatrous Arabians regarded angels as females and identified them as the daughters of God. Yet in the world their preference was always towards male offspring. It was said that the only time ‘Uthman ever shed a tear was when he wiped the dust of the grave-earth from his beard as he buried his little daughter alive.

Additional acts of creation

“And Allah sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death: verily in this is a sign for those who listen. And verily in cattle will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it. And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, ye get out wholesome drink and food” (v 65-67)

The bee taught by Allah

“And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men’s) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a sign for those who give thought” (v 68, 69).

The varying colours of honey are said to differ according to the different plants on which the bees feed. Honey is useful in some cases as a medicine. Here is a hadith in which the Prophet encourages the use of honey: A man came to the Prophet and said, My brother has some abdominal trouble. The Prophet said to him Let him drink honey. The man came for the second time and the Prophet said to him, ‘Let him drink honey. He came for the third time and the Prophet said, Let him drink honey. He returned again and said, I have done that ‘ The Prophet then said, Allah has said the truth, but your brother’s abdomen has told a lie. Let him drink honey. So he made him drink honey and he was cured. (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 71, Number 588)

Covenants not to be broken

“Fulfil the covenant of Allah when ye have entered into it, and break not your oaths after ye have confirmed them;

indeed ye have made Allah your surety; for Allah knoweth all that ye do (v 91).

The Qurraish, when they were superior in numbers to those with whom they had made their treaty, thought they could disregard it, but this is condemned.

Seeking Allah’s protection from Satan before reading the Quran

“When thou dost read the Quran, seek Allah’s protection from Satan the rejected one” (v 98).

Before reading any part of the Quran pious Muslims say. ’I have recourse unto God for assistance against Satan, driven away with stones.’

Muhammad accused of forgery – The doctrine of abrogation

“When We substitute one revelation for another, and Allah knows best what He reveals, they say, Thou art but a forger:

but most of them understand not” (v 101).

The Quran was delivered at different times, and Muhammad sometimes contradicted himself so the doctrine of abrogation was invented. It was on account of these changes that he was accused of forgery.

The Quran sent down by the Holy Spirit

“Say, the Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from thy Lord in truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a guide and glad tidings to Muslims” (v 102).

The ‘Holy Spirit’ is understood by Muslims to mean the angel Gabriel.

Muhammad accused of having assistance in writing the Quran

“We know indeed that they say, It is a man that teaches him.

The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear” (v 103).

Opinions have differed as to the persons who have allegedly assisted him (Salman the Persian, Suheib, son of Sinan, the monk Addas) but the stories from the Jewish Scriptures and traditions prove that some persons supplied him with the material.

Permission given to hide faith when under pressure

Any one who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters unbelief, except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith but such as open their breast to unbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful penalty. (v 106)

While some of Muhammad’s followers were free from personal danger because of their connections with influential families others who had no protector were ill-treated and imprisoned. Muhammad was much concerned about this, and even encouraged them to dissemble in order to escape punishment. This verse concerns ‘Ammar bin Yassar, who had been put under considerable pressure to abuse the Prophet and speak well of their gods.’

Muhammad told to invite, preach and graciously argue with unbelievers

“Invite to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious:

for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His path, and who receive guidance” (v 125).

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Sura 17 Al-Isra ( The Night Journey)

The chief subject of the chapter is the stubborness of the Qurraish in continuing to reject Muhammad and the ‘miraculous Quran.’ They are warned that Allah is recording all their faults and that they will meet the same fate as earlier rebellious unbelievers. This chapter also mentions responsibilities to parents and the poor as well as the establishing of prayer. The title of the sura comes from verse one which relates to Muhammad’s alleged night journey on the heavenly mount Buraq to the temple of Jerusalem from where he was caught up through the seven heavens into the presence of Allah, others prefer the title ‘the children of Israel’ as found in verse two.

God praised for the Night Journey

“Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless, in order that We might show him some of Our signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth” (v 1)

Before Muhammad broke off relations with the Jews, the temple of Jerusalem was the qibla to which he prayed. In this verse Muhammad claimed that he was carried one night on a white animal called Buraq from Mecca to Jerusalem. This journey is called the Mi’raj or ’ascent.’ In the morning, Muhammad told everyone around him that during the night he had been praying in the temple in Jerusalem. The story was ridiculed until Abu Bakr, his father-in-law, declared his belief in the journey. Upon the rock on which the mosque of ‘Umar stands in Jerusalem, there is claimed to be the print of Muhammad’s foot as he leaped down from Buraq. The following three hadiths refer to this subject:

E very man’s fate bound about his neck

“Every man’s fate We have fastened on his own neck:

On the day of judgement We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open.

(It will be said to him) Read thine (own) record: sufficient is thy soul this day to make out an account against thee”. (v 13, 14)

Every man’s fate is supposed to be tied to his neck like a collar which he cannot remove. Muslims believe in God’s absolute decree an d predestination both of good and evil; whatever has or shall come to pass in this world, whether good or bad proceeds entirely from the divine will, and is fixed and recorded from all eternity in the ‘preserved tablet’; God having secretly predetermined not only the adverse and prosperous fortune of every person in this world, in the most minute detail, but also his faith or infidelity, his obedience or his disobedience, and consequently his everlasting happiness or misery after death, it is not possible by any foresight or wisdom to avoid this fate or predesti nation.’

Cities destroyed which rejected their messengers

“Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our wrath until We had sent an messenger (to give warning). When We decide to destroy a population, We send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them: then We destroy them utterly” (v 15, 16).

The purpose of these two verses is to show that the Qurraish would be destroyed if they rejected Muhammad, just as unbelievers had been destroyed in earlier times.

Duty to Parents

“Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents.

Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour.

And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say:

My Lord! bestow on them thy mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (v 23, 24).

Duty to the poor

“Make not thy hand tied to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute” (v 29).

Muhammad said to be a man deprived of reason

“We know best why it is they listen, when they listen to thee; and when they meet in private conference, behold, the wicked say, Ye follow none other than a man bewitched! what similes they strike for thee: but they have gone astray, and never can they find a way ” (v 47, 48).

Why Muhammad was not allowed to work miracles

“And We refrain from sending the signs, only because the men of former generations treated them as false: We sent the she-camel to the Thamud to open their eyes, but they treated her wrongfully: We only send the signs by way of terror (and warning from evil).” (v 59)

This verse is emphatic in saying that Allah did not assign to Muhammad the working of miracles. The reason given is that such a gift had practically produced no results in the case of the former prophets. An example is put forward in respect of the prophet Salih who went to the Thamud tribe and on the insistence of this tribe he showed them a miracle as he caused a she-camel, big with young, to come out of a rock, but most did not believe this miracle. The Quarraish continued to press their point and later on Muhammad had to maintain that the Quran was the only one special miracle which attested his mission. Yet still, Muslims contend that not only is the Quran a miracle but that there are three principal miracles of Muhammad recorded in the Quran: 1. the splitting of the moon; 2. the night journey; 3. the conversion of the jinns. The traditions ascribe numerous miracles to Muhammad but this is directly opposed to the teaching of the Quran.

The Day of Judgement

“One day We shall call together all human beings with their Imams: those who are given their record in their right hand will read it, and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least. But those who were blind in this world, will be blind in the hereafter, and most astray from the path” (v 71, 72).

At the day of judgement, it is said, each man will receive a book containing all the actions of his life. The righteous will receive it in their right hand, but the ungodly will be obliged to receive it with their left, which will be bound behind their backs, their right hand being tied up to their necks.

The temptations of Muhammad

And their purpose was to tempt thee away from that which We had revealed unto thee, to substitute in our name something quite different; Behold! they would certainly have made thee (their) friend! And had We not given thee strength, thou wouldst nearly have inclined to them a little. (v 73,74)

Various authorities put forward their views as to the context of these verses. Some suggest that it refers to Muhammad’s lapse in respect of the intercession of idols (Sura 53 An-Najm) and here he is warned never to seek such a compromise again. Others hold that that this refers to a temptation placed before the Prophet by the people of Ta’if when they sought certain concessions when considering accepting Islam such as freedom from legal alms and the stated times of prayer and permission to retain their idol Al-Lat for a period. The majority it seems, like Zamakhsari hold that it refers to the time when Ta’if was besieged (8/9 A.H).

Times of prayer

“Establish regular prayers at the sun’s decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.And pray in the small watches of the morning: an additional prayer for thee: soon will thy Lord raise thee to a station of praise and glory!” (v 78, 79)

Here is a relevant hadith: Narrated Ibn Al-Musaiyab:Abu Huraira said, The Prophet said, ‘A prayer performed in congregation is twenty-five times more superior in reward to a prayer performed by a single person. The angels of the night and the angels of the day are assembled at the time of the Fajr (Morning) prayer. Abu Huraira added, If you wish, you can recite: ‘Verily! The recitation of the Quran in the early dawn (morning prayer) is ever witnessed (attended by the angels of the day and the night).’ (Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Number 241)

At first Muhammad observed the three Jewish times of prayer (daybreak, noon and dusk). Two additions were made, at first optional, afterwards compulsory. The tradition is that in heaven fifty prayers a day were ordered but he got them reduced to five as the following hadith describes:   Narrated Abu Dhar: Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet said, Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, ‘What has Allah enjoined on your followers?’ I replied, ‘He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.’ Moses said, ‘Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.’ (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, ‘Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.’ So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: ‘Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.’ (Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345)

Men and jinn could not produce a book like the Quran

“Say: If the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.” (v 88).

Unbelievers continue to ask for a miracle

They say: “We shall not believe in thee, until thou cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth, “Or (until) thou have a garden of date trees and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst, carrying abundant water; “Or thou cause the sky to fall in pieces, as thou sayest (will happen), against us; or thou bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face: “Or thou have a house adorned with gold, or thou mount a ladder right into the skies. (v 90-92)

The people of Mecca had been threatened with future punishment and temporal punishment but as no great calamity has happened they passed from curiosity to incredulity. They challenged Muhammad’s message, derided his denunciations and demanded miraculous signs of his authority.

The Most Beautiful Names

Say: “Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between.” (v 110)

While in Mecca Muhammad spoke comfortably to the Jews with whom he was on friendly terms. It is suggested that the Jews said to him that God was often called the Merciful (Ar-Rahman) in the Pentateuch, and that they noticed he did not use the term.

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Sura 18 Al-Kahf (The Cave) (Mecca)

The story connected with the title of this chapter is believed by westerners to have derived its name from the legend of the Seven Sleepers in a cave. The story told in verses 9-20 is Greek in origin and found in the Latin work ‘Story of Martyrs’ (1:95) by Gregory of Tours. It goes back to the age of Emperor Decius (249-251 A.D.) when Christians received terrible persecution. In order to escape with their lives, seven men from Ephesus found refuge in a cave near their city and fell asleep for a hundred years. When they emerged from the cave they found a completely changed scene; the emperor and most of his subjects were now Christians. The story was composed to highlight how the suffering of the martyrs eventually was rewarded. No Christian ever believed it was a factual story. Muslims point to a tradition saying that it was revealed to Muhammad in order for him to answer difficult questions put to him by Jews while he was in Medina. The same they say is possibly the reason for the inclusion of two other strange stories related in this chapter namely the story of Moses and the fish verses 60-64 and the story of Dhu’l-Qarnein, the ‘Two-Horned One’ verses 83-98. The mention of Gog an Magog verses 92-97 leads us to mention some brief comments about Muslim eschatology.

The sleepers in the cave

“Or dost thou reflect that the companions of the cave and of the inscription were wonders among Our sign?  Behold, the youths betook themselves to the cave: they said, Our Lord! bestow on us mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way! Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the cave, (so that they heard not): Then We roused them, in order to test which of ho doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah? When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease. Thou wouldst have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the open space in the midst of the cave. Such are among the signs of Allah: He whom Allah, guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah leaves to stray, – for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the right way. Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them. Such (being their state), we raised them up (from sleep), that they might question each other. Said one of them, How long have ye stayed (here)? the two parties was best at calculating the term of years they had tarried! We relate to thee their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance: We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity! These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him: why do they not bring forward an authority clear for what they do? WThey said, We have stayed a day, or part of a day. they (all) said, Allah knows best how long ye have stayed here. Now send ye then one of you with this money of yours to the town: let him find out which is the best food and bring some to you, that (ye may) satisfy your hunger therewith: And let him behave with care and courtesy, and let him not inform any one about you.  For if they should come upon you, they would stone you or force you to return to their cult, and in that case ye would never attain prosperity. (v  9-20) So they stayed in their cave three hundred years, and (some) add nine (v 25)

The sufferings in hell

Say, The truth is from your Lord: Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject: for the wrong-doers We have prepared a fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent, will hem them in: if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!” (v 29)

Satan (Iblis) one of the jinn

“Behold! We said to the angels, Bow down to Adam:

They bowed down except Iblis. he was one of the Jinns, and he broke the command of his Lord.

Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you!

Evil would be the exchange for the wrong-doers!” (v 50)

Muhammad appears, according to this text, to have considered Iblis not only as the father of the jinn but as one of them. Muhammad seems to have derived his doctrines of genii from Persian and Indian mythology – they represent the principle of Evil.

Moses and the fish

“Beho ld, Moses said to his attendant, I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or I spend years and years in travel. But when they reached the junction, they forgot (about) their fish, which took its course through the sea as in a tunnel. When they had passed on, Moses said to his attendant: Bring us our early meal; truly we have suffered much fatigue at this our journey. He replied: Sawest thou when we betook ourselves to the rock? I did indeed forget the fish: none but Satan made me forget to tell about it: it took its course through the sea in a marvellous way! Moses said: That was what we were seeking after: So they went back on their footsteps” (v 60-64).

The two seas are said to be the sea of Greece and the sea of Persia. There is no trace of this legend in the Rabbinical writings. As commentators find no literal interpretation satisfactory they have devised a metaphorical or spiritual interpretation explaining that the two seas are natural and supernatural knowledge. The legend is that al-Khizr had disappeared in search of the water of immortality.

Hearing that he had drunk from this water of life and become immortal Moses was inspired to search for him. Taking along with him his servant, Moses was told th at he would find al-Khizr by a rock where two seas met. Here he would lose a fish which he had been directed to take with him; the loss of the fish was a sign that they would soon find al-Khizr.

Dhu’l-Qarnein

“They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, I will rehearse to you something of his story.

Veril y We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and the means to all ends” (v 83, 84).

Dhu’l-Qarnein, ‘the two horned.’ The Arabs have suggested that this refers to a number of persons but the most frequent suggestions are connected with Alexander the Great, he is known in Arabic literature as al-Iskander. On coins he is represented with two horns, these may denote his bravery. Some suggest that Dhu’l-Qarnein is to be identified with an ancient person contemporary with Abraham. The additional verses which refer to him seem to suggest that he was invested with divine authority to remove impiety and idolatry.

Dhu’l-Qarnein travels to the setting sun and finds unbelievers

“One way he followed, until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a people: We said: O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness. He said: Whoever doth wrong, him shall we punish; then shall he be sent back to his Lord; and He will punish him with a punishment unheard of (before). But whoever believes, and works righteousness, he shall have a goodly reward, and easy will be his task as We order it by our command.” (v 85-88)

Living by the ocean (represented by ‘the murky water), he found an unbelieving people. It appears Dhu’l-Qarnein chose to invite them to the true religion those who rejected his offer were punished. The verses seem to suggest that he was invested with divine authority to remove impiety and idolatry.

Dhu’l-Qarnein builds a rampart – Gog and Magog

“Then followed he (another) way, until, when he reached (a tract) between two mountains, he found, beneath them, a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: O Zul-qarnain! the Gog and Magog do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them?  He said: (the power) in which my Lord has established me is better : Help me therefore with strength: I will erect a strong barrier between you and them: Bring me blocks of iron. At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, Blow (with your bello ws) Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: Bring me that I may pour over it, molten lead. Thus were they (Gog and Magog) made powerless to scale it or to dig through it” (v  92-97).

The Quran legend states Dhu’l-Qarnein, possibly Alexander, built this dam which shut up Gog and Magog until the last day. Tabari, Tafsir 17:64, states that every night they will try to dig under the barrier in order to escape, and every night the sound of their tools is heard. But God repairs the breach before the morning. In sura 21:96 the breach is finally made hastening in the last days until Gog and Magog are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. The story may come from ‘the two horned’, a Nestorian Syriac romance of Alexander the Great.

In Muslim eschatology various details in respect of Gog and Magog are connected with the return of ‘Isa. They will become so numerous that they shall drink all the water of the Euphrates and Tigris. When they have destroyed the earth they will shoot their arrows at heaven but God will destroy every one of them.

The big losers on the day of judgement

“Say: Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?” T hose whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works? They are those who deny the signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the day of judgment, give them any weight.” (v 103-105)

If the ocean were ink it would not be sufficient to write God’s words

“Say: If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid.” (v 109)

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