104. Ibn Jarir writes that there is no definite report about why Dhu al-Qarnayn (“the Two-Horned One”) was so named. Some people have said that he had two bumps on his head and so won the nickname. (Others have said that he wore a crown, out of which protruded two horns: Zamakhshari). Yet others have said that he let his long hair hang down in two plaits. Asad expresses the possibility that he could have belonged to two epochs since Qarn is also used for epoch. Majid comments and quotes: “Horn in the Bible is ‘a symbol of strength’, and ‘is frequently mentioned to signify power and glory’ (CD p. 457). In Hebrew usage ‘raising the horn of a people or an individual signifies victory or pride, ‘breaking it’ signifies ‘defeat.’ (ERE. VI, p.792). Even Moses, (peace be on him) was represented with horns. ‘It has become a widespread belief that Moses, when he came down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of Law, had two horns on his forehead.’ (JE, VI, p. 463).”

His identity is also covered in obscurity. Reports of Jewish or Christian origin say he was a conqueror who subdued Rome and Persia. (Hence perhaps “the controller of two horns”: Au.). Ibn Jarir reports a few other conjectures. Another report from Wahab b. Munabbih, also of Jewish and Christian origin, says he was a Roman. ‘Ali’s opinion was that he was not a Prophet, merely a righteous man.

Shawkani says that a few have thought he was an Egyptian; others that he was one of the sons of Kahlan b. Saba’ (of the Yemen). Qurtubi records Suhayli that perhaps there were two of them involved, one at the time of ‘Isa b. Maryam and the other at the times of Ibrahim (asws). Razi is inclined to believe that the allusion is to the Macedonian Alexander. However, he thinks there is a hitch. Alexander was a student of Aristotle but a student who was far from being a righteous man. Ibn Kathir also believes there were two: one of the times of Ibrahim, and the other, the Macedonian Alexander. He thinks that the one Qur’an spoke of here, was of the times of Ibrahim. Ibn Kathir strongly refutes the idea that Alexander the Macedonian could have been Dhu al-Qarnayn. Alusi says that some scholars have identified him with Faridun b. Ithfiyan, one of the Persian emperors (Cyrus), while Abu Rayhan al-Bayruni thought that the allusion was to a Himyari (Yemeni) ruler of the past who had conquered vast areas of land. He quoted a few classical poetical pieces to prove his point. In short, he could not be identified.

Muhammad Asad has a useful remark, “..it is precisely the Qur’anic stress on his faith in God that makes it impossible to identify Dhu al-Qarnayn, .. with Alexander the Great (who is represented on some of his coins with two horns on his head) or one another of pre-Islamic, Himyarite kings of Yemen. All those historical personages were pagans and worshipped a plurality of deities as a matter of course, whereas our Dhu al-Qarnayn is depicted as a firm believer in the One God..”

Commentary books then have as many suggestions about Dhu al-Qarnayn’s identity as there are commentators. Ibn Kathir has ruled them all as unworthy of serious consideration. Only a few of them say that according to Jewish and Christian sources the allusion is to Alexander the Macedonian. No one has ever reported it as a statement of the Prophet.

105. The textual “sabab” of the first occurrence here has been interpreted by Ibn ‘Abbas, Qatadah, Dahhak, Ibn Zayd and others as “knowledge” (of means) while the latter three occurrences have been interpreted as “target” or “way through the lands” (or “course”) - Ibn Jarir.

The meaning adopted by us at this point (as “means”) is the understanding of later day commentators (Au.). Ibn Kathir thinks the allusion is to the usual means of power provided to kings viz., a large army, weapons, siege equipment, et al.

106. “Muddy (pool)” is the commonly accepted meaning. But a second opinion about “hami’ah” of the original, coming down from Ibn ‘Abbas and Hasan, is that it means “warm (waters).” Both could be right, one and at the same time (Ibn Jarir). As for what place it was, Ibn Jarir has no report. But Ibn Kathir points out that anyone who travelled to the edge of a land will find the sun setting in a pool of water. Ibn Kathir also points out that the hadith as in Ahmed and other books that when the sun sets it dips into waters, is an untrustworthy one (Au.).

Asad adds: “..Razi and Ibn Kathir, both .. point out that we have here a metaphor based on the common optical illusion of the sun’s “disappearing into the sea;” and Razi explains this, correctly, by the fact that the earth is spherical. (It is interesting to note that, according to him, this explanation was already advanced in the – now lost – Qur’an commentary of Abu `Ali Jiba’i, the famous Mu`tazili scholar who died in 303 A.H., which corresponds to 916 or 916 of the Christian era).”

In other words, ancient Muslim scholars believed in the sphericity of the earth, although controversy remained to Razi’s days (d. 604 AH) who himself seemed to have been a believer in its sphericity (Au.).

107. That is, after you have over-powered them (Au.).

Asad once again explains, “This divine permission to choose between two possible courses of action is not only a metonymic statement of freedom of will accorded by God to man, but establishes also the important legal principle of istihsan (social or moral preference) open to a ruler or government in deciding as to what might be conducive to the greatest good (maslaha) of the community as a whole: and this is the first “lesson” of the parable of Dhu al-Qarnayn.”

It is educating to know how preconceived ideas lead to error after error.

A contemporary commentator first spends a good amount of energy to prove that Cyrus was definitely the Dhu al-Qarnayn of the Qur’an. But, since Cyrus neither received revelation, nor ilham, he had to assume that Dhu al-Qarnayn also did not receive either. Hence in reference to Allah’s words, “We said, ‘O Dhu al-Qarnayn..’, he adds the commentary, “It is quite possible that no actual communication took place ..”!

Perhaps the above does not need any criticism.

108. That is, if they insist on remaining pagans, associating with Allah (Ibn Jarir).

109. Qatadah thought the meaning is “we shall exterminate him” (Ibn Jarir).

110. The translation reflects a literal understanding. But Mujahid’s opinion was, as in Ibn Jarir, “we shall teach him, within our humble capacity, what will take him nearer to his Lord.”

111. Once again there is no definite opinion about the people or their place, except for personal opinions. Probably they were desert-dwellers. Some have conjectured that they lived in a barren land in which they had dug burrows to shield themselves from the sun. If so, it must have been quite a primitive tribe.

112. Asad notes that “..kadhalika [refers] the (implied) fact that Dhu al-Qarnayn left them as he had found them, being mindful not to upset their mode of life and thus to cause them misery.”

113. Although according to Ibn ‘Abbas the allusion by the two barriers is to the mountain ranges of Armenia and Azerbaijan (Ibn Jarir), there is no hadith to this effect.

114. That is, they did not understand Dhu al-Qarnayn’s language (Ibn Jarir).

115. The Qur’an did not speak of these people but at two places. The second instance being (21: 96),

وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ [الأنبياء : 96]

“And they will descend from every elevation.” Hadith literature gives us quite some details. They are as follows.

Ya’juj and Ma’juj

Ibn Kathir writes: They have not been identified, but are definitely sons of Adam. A hadith of Sunan al-Kubra of Nasa’i says,

إن يأجوج ومأجوج لهم نساء يجامعون ما شاؤوا وشجر يلقحون ما شاؤوا فلا يموت منهم رجل إلا ترك من ذريته ألفا فصاعدا

“Ya’juj and Ma’juj have women with whom they have intercourse as they wish, have trees that they cross-pollinate as they wish, and, one of their men does not die but leaves a thousand or more behind him.”

Where are they now? This is also not certain. However, many scholars have thought that they are somewhere behind the Caucuses region of Central Asia. A hadith runs like this: “Allah will address Adam. He will say, ‘Here I am O Lord.’ He will say, ‘Separate out those of the Fire.’ He will ask, ‘Who are those of the Fire?” He will reply, ‘Nine hundred and ninety-nine from every thousand to the Fire, and one to Paradise.’ It is then that that when a child will turn grey (will become old) and every pregnant will suffer miscarriage.’ [The Companions were frightened]. They asked in anguish, ‘Who that one will be from amongst us meant for Paradise?’ He replied, “Do not worry, you will be like one against a thousand of the Ya’juj and Ma’juj. Then he added, ‘Among you will be two communities that will not come to a thing but will overwhelm it: Ya’juj and Ma’juj.”

The first part of the hadith (up to ‘who that one will be ..’) is in Bukhari, but the latter part is from Abu Ya`la’s Musnad which, according to Husayn Saleem, is weak.

In any case, wherever they are now, they are behind a barrier unable to breach it. Ibn ‘Abbas is reported by Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn abi Hatim and Hakim (who declared the report Sahih), as saying that although sons of Adam, they will measure in height no more than the span of a hand or two. The tallest of them will measure maybe three hand spans (Shawkani).

The above is not a hadith (Au.).

A hadith (in Ahmed, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, declared Sahih by Albani: S. Ibrahim) says,

لَيَحْفِرُونَ السَّدَّ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كَادُوا يَرَوْنَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمْ ارْجِعُوا فَسَتَحْفِرُونَهُ غَدًا فَيَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ كَأَشَدِّ مَا كَانَ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتْ مُدَّتُهُمْ وَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُمْ إِلَى النَّاسِ حَفَرُوا حَتَّى إِذَا كَادُوا يَرَوْنَ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمْ ارْجِعُوا فَسَتَحْفِرُونَهُ غَدًا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَيَسْتَثْنِي فَيَعُودُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ حِينَ تَرَكُوهُ فَيَحْفِرُونَهُ وَيَخْرُجُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ

“They make a hole in the barrier everyday, until they are almost able to see sunlight through it. Their overseer tells them, ‘Enough for today. Tomorrow we shall open it.’ But when they come back the next day, they find it plugged more strongly; until, when the time comes for their release, and Allah wishes to release them against the people, they will dig and are almost able to see the sunlight. Their overseer says, ‘Let us return, tomorrow we shall open it, Allah willing.’ Thus he leaves it to Allah’s will. Then they return to it, and it is like they left it the previous day. They will complete the digging and come out against the people.”

Ibn Hajr has shown that the hadith has good narrators.

Ibn al-‘Arabiyy has pointed out that their saying, “If Allah wills” demonstrates that Prophets would have been raised among them but could have been rejected except for a few of them (leaving behind practices such as saying “If Allah wills”).

After quoting Ibn al-Arabiyy, Mufti Shafi` adds that some scholars think that the opening in the barrier referred to above could be symbolical. In fact, it is possible that the barrier has already been rendered severely weak, to come down completely anytime. It has also been conjectured that a party of them might have already been let loose, who could be, at the moment, a civilized people. At some time in future the rest of the great mass will be released. As for how is it that explorers have not been able to find the barrier? The answer is, Some Muslim historians have mentioned that a delegation sent by the Abbasids three hundred years after the Prophet actually saw it. But they have nothing in evidence, and therefore Qur’anic verse cannot be said to be definitely referring to it. Sheikh Anwar Shah Kashmiri, the Indian Sheikh al-Hadith, has suggested that perhaps the barrier got hidden within newly appearing mountain ranges.

According to some reports, they will breach the barrier only after ‘Isa b. Maryam will have finished off Dajjal. He will be told, “I am releasing a creation that no one can withstand.” So ‘Isa (asws) will take his followers and withdraw to Mount Tur. Ya’juj and Ma’juj will raid the people and subdue them all. They will drink off waters of the earth until some of them will pass by a lake and drink off its water leaving it dry. Someone passing by after them will say, ‘Once there used to be a lake here.’ People will withdraw into their cities and forts taking away their flock with them. When they run out of provision, a bull’s head will be worth a hundred Dinar. Ya’juj and Ma’juj will shoot an arrow or one of their weapons towards the sky. It will come back laced with blood. They will say, ‘We have subdued those on the earth and those in the heaven.’ The people will finally complain to ‘Isa of their hardship. He will pray to Allah who will release an insect (bacteria?) into their necks, which will kill them all. They will lie motionless in the fields.” According to another report in Ibn Jarir, “Muslims will say, ‘Will not someone risk his life for us and find out what happened to them?’ So one of them will volunteer to go, but quite sure that he will lose his life. He will find them all dead, piled up, one upon another. He will cry out, ‘O Muslims! Rejoice. Allah has delivered you from their evil.’ So the Muslims will come out with their cattle. And their cattle will have nothing but their flesh to feed on. And, by Allah, they will fatten on their flesh, like they never fattened on grass ever before.” According to other reports, people will go to ‘Isa to complain of the stink of their corpses. He will pray to Allah. He will send huge birds whose necks will be similar to camel’s neck. They will pick up their corpses and dump them away.

Some narratives say that heavy rains will follow and the lands will be rendered clean. Allah will then command the earth to throw out its produce. It will, and in those times a pomegranate will be so large as to suffice a group of people. A goat’s milk will be enough for a whole family. That situation of plenty will prevail for forty years. Then Allah will send a wind that will cause some kind of sickness to the believers and they will all die. Thereafter, the worst of creatures will remain in the land who will intercourse in the streets. It is upon them that the Hour will be called.

The above combines more than one report. The following from Muslim covers most of the above text but not all:

فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى عِيسَى إِنِّى قَدْ أَخْرَجْتُ عِبَادًا لِى لاَ يَدَانِ لأَحَدٍ بِقِتَالِهِمْ فَحَرِّزْ عِبَادِى إِلَى الطُّورِ. وَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ فَيَمُرُّ أَوَائِلُهُمْ عَلَى بُحَيْرَةِ طَبَرِيَّةَ فَيَشْرَبُونَ مَا فِيهَا وَيَمُرُّ آخِرُهُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ لَقَدْ كَانَ بِهَذِهِ مَرَّةً مَاءٌ. وَيُحْصَرُ نَبِىُّ اللَّهُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ رَأْسُ الثَّوْرِ لأَحَدِهِمْ خَيْرًا مِنْ مِائَةِ دِينَارٍ لأَحَدِكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَيَرْغَبُ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهُمُ النَّغَفَ فِى رِقَابِهِمْ فَيُصْبِحُونَ فَرْسَى كَمَوْتِ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ يَهْبِطُ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِى الأَرْضِ مَوْضِعَ شِبْرٍ إِلاَّ مَلأَهُ زَهَمُهُمْ وَنَتْنُهُمْ فَيَرْغَبُ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ طَيْرًا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْبُخْتِ فَتَحْمِلُهُمْ فَتَطْرَحُهُمْ حَيْثُ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ مَطَرًا لاَ يَكُنُّ مِنْهُ بَيْتُ مَدَرٍ وَلاَ وَبَرٍ فَيَغْسِلُ الأَرْضَ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهَا كَالزَّلَفَةِ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لِلأَرْضِ أَنْبِتِى ثَمَرَتَكِ وَرُدِّى بَرَكَتَكِ.

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ تَأْكُلُ الْعِصَابَةُ مِنَ الرُّمَّانَةِ وَيَسْتَظِلُّونَ بِقِحْفِهَا وَيُبَارَكُ فِى الرِّسْلِ حَتَّى أَنَّ اللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الإِبِلِ لَتَكْفِى الْفِئَامَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَاللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ لَتَكْفِى الْقَبِيلَةَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَاللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ لَتَكْفِى الْفَخِذَ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رِيحًا طَيِّبَةً فَتَأْخُذُهُمْ تَحْتَ آبَاطِهِمْ فَتَقْبِضُ رُوحَ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ وَيَبْقَى شِرَارُ النَّاسِ يَتَهَارَجُونَ فِيهَا تَهَارُجَ الْحُمُرِ فَعَلَيْهِمْ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ

A hadith in the Sahihayn says,

اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مِنْ نَوْمٍ وَهُوَ مُحْمَرٌّ وَجْهُهُ فَقَالَ :« لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ ». وَعَقَدَ تِسْعِينَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَهْلِكُ وَفِينَا الصَّالِحُونَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ.

“The Prophet woke up from a sleep with his face flushed red. He said, ‘There is no deity but Allah. Woe unto the Arabs from the evil that has drawn nigh. Today, a hole has been made in the barrier against Ya’juj and Ma’juj the size of this.’ He made a sign with his thumb and index finger. (Zaynab bint Jahsh the reporter says she asked him), ‘Messenger of Allah, shall we be destroyed while there are good men among us?’ He replied, ‘Yes, when the wicked are overwhelming’” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani, Shafi`).

116. The textual “radm” is used for a barrier, but something stronger than a mere “sadd” (Ibn Jarir).

Qurtubi points out that this verse helps derive the rule that those men whose evil is feared can be imprisoned. It can be also be deduced that providing safety to the people is the responsibility of a government. Further, the government should not levy taxes when not required. Although offered, Dhu al-Qarnayn refused tribute, but only sought what he was short of, i.e., manpower.

117. “Zubar” is used both for pieces of iron as well as for sheets, and Dhu al-Qarnayn might have used both sheets as well as ingots. It is also likely that he would have first got rocks placed and then covered the wall with iron (Au.).

118. Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, Dahhak and others have understood “qitr” as meaning molten copper (Ibn Jarir). Some others have said it is lead (Qurtubi and others).

If it involves copper or brass, the process of welding the iron sheets together is technically known as brazing and it is the strongest way of joining two pieces of steel, having an advantage of strength over the simpler iron to iron welding (Au.).

119. “When my Lord’s promise comes to pass” – when will that be? The prevailing opinion is that, “when the Lord’s command to release Ya’juj and Ma’juj is pronounced.”

120. Ibn Mas`ud reported the Prophet:

عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَقِيتُ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى قَالَ فَتَذَاكَرُوا أَمْرَ السَّاعَةِ فَرَدُّوا أَمْرَهُمْ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَقَالَ لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا فَرَدُّوا الْأَمْرَ إِلَى مُوسَى فَقَالَ لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا فَرَدُّوا الْأَمْرَ إِلَى عِيسَى فَقَالَ أَمَّا وَجْبَتُهَا فَلَا يَعْلَمُهَا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ وَفِيمَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ الدَّجَّالَ خَارِجٌ قَالَ وَمَعِي قَضِيبَانِ فَإِذَا رَآنِي ذَابَ كَمَا يَذُوبُ الرَّصَاصُ قَالَ فَيُهْلِكُهُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى إِنَّ الْحَجَرَ وَالشَّجَرَ لَيَقُولُ يَا مُسْلِمُ إِنَّ تَحْتِي كَافِرًا فَتَعَالَ فَاقْتُلْهُ قَالَ فَيُهْلِكُهُمْ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ النَّاسُ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ وَأَوْطَانِهِمْ قَالَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَخْرُجُ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ فَيَطَئُونَ بِلَادَهُمْ لَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَهْلَكُوهُ وَلَا يَمُرُّونَ عَلَى مَاءٍ إِلَّا شَرِبُوهُ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ النَّاسُ إِلَيَّ فَيَشْكُونَهُمْ فَأَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيُهْلِكُهُمْ اللَّهُ وَيُمِيتُهُمْ حَتَّى تَجْوَى الْأَرْضُ مِنْ نَتْنِ رِيحِهِمْ قَالَ فَيُنْزِلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمَطَرَ فَتَجْرُفُ أَجْسَادَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْذِفَهُمْ فِي الْبَحْرِ قَالَ أَبِي ذَهَبَ عَلَيَّ هَاهُنَا شَيْءٌ لَمْ أَفْهَمْهُ كَأَدِيمٍ وَقَالَ يَزِيدُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ هَارُونَ ثُمَّ تُنْسَفُ الْجِبَالُ وَتُمَدُّ الْأَرْضُ مَدَّ الْأَدِيمِ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ هُشَيْمٍ قَالَ فَفِيمَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ فَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ كَالْحَامِلِ الْمُتِمِّ الَّتِي لَا يَدْرِي أَهْلُهَا مَتَى تَفْجَؤُهُمْ بِوِلَادِهَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا

“I met Ibrahim, Musa and ‘Isa the night I was raised up. They were discussing the Hour. Ibrahim was asked about it. He said, ‘I know nothing about it.’ Then Musa was asked. He too said he knew nothing about it. Then ‘Isa was asked. He said, ‘No one knows when the Hour will be struck. But my Lord has told me about things that will happen, without telling me when. He told me that Dajjal will appear. He will send me down to him. When he sees me, he will start dissolving like lead. Until, even rocks and trees will call out, “O Muslim, here is an unbeliever. Come and kill him.” Thus they will be destroyed and the people will return to their native lands. But then Ya’juj and Ma’juj will confront them, descending from every elevation. They will not pass by anything but eat it off and will not pass by any water but drink it off. So the people will come to me complaining of them. I will supplicate to Allah. He will destroy them until the earth will stink because of them. Then rains will come down and floods will carry their bodies to the seas. Then the mountains will be brought down, until the earth will be like a piece of leather spread out. This is my Lord’s promise to me. At that moment the world will be like a pregnant female that has completed the period of pregnancy so that people do not know when it will give birth, by evening or morning’” (Ibn Jarir).

121. Suddi’s opinion is that the allusion is to the time when the barrier will be breached and Ya’juj and Ma’juj will be let loose surging into mankind, destroying life and property – a little before the Last Hour is struck. Another Qur’anic verse says (21: 96),

حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ (96) وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ [الأنبياء : 96 ، 97]

“Until, when Ya’juj and Ma’juj are let loose, they will sweep down from every high place, and the True Promise will draw nigh” (Ibn Kathir).

However, some others, including Ibn ‘Abbas have said that the allusion is to the Jinn and Mankind being let loose surging into each other before the Last Hour is struck (Qurtubi, Shawkani and others).

122. The Prophet has said in a hadith of Tirmidhi (Tuhfah),

كيف أنعم وصاحب القرن قد التقم القرن وحنى جبهته يسمع متى يؤمر ، [ فينفخ ] ، فقال أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : كيف نقول ؟ قال : قولوا : حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل على الله توكلنا

“How can I relax when the one with the Trumpet has placed it on his lips, has bent down his head and is all attentive to the word of command (to blow).” They asked, “What shall we say O Messenger of Allah?” He answered, “Say: ‘Allah is sufficient for us, the best to rely on; in Him we place our trust.’” (Ibn Kathir).

123. That is, collect them together for Reckoning.

124. That is, Jahannum will be brought close to the unbelievers. A hadith of Muslim says,

يُؤْتَى بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَهَا سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ زِمَامٍ مَعَ كُلِّ زِمَامٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ يَجُرُّونَهَا

“On Judgment-day Jahannum will be brought nigh pulled by seventy thousand reins, each rein pulled by seventy thousand angels (Ibn Kathir).

125. To say that they were not able to hear, rather than saying that they were deaf, bears greater eloquence, since the unbelievers were not deaf. In fact, they had heard, and known the truth. But, in their pride and insolence, they could not bear to hear a thing about the truth (Razi, Qurtubi, Shawkani).