Verse:83 Commentary Commentary

Verse 84 opens with the statement: يَسْأَلُونَكَ (They ask you). Who is asking? Related narratives show that they were the Quraysh of Makkah, those who were coached to ask three questions from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . The purpose was to test his prophethood and veracity. The questions were about Ruh (spirit), Ashab al-Kahf (People of Kahf) and Dhul-Qarnain. Two of these have already been answered. The story of the People of Kahf has appeared earlier in this Surah, 9-26. The question about 'Ruh' has appeared towards the later part of the previous Surah (Bani Isra'il 17:85). Who was Dhul-Qarnain and what happened to him? This is the third question. (Al-Bahr al-Muhit)

Dhul-Qarnain: His identity, period and country and the reason why he was so named

Why was he named Dhul-Qarnain? (the one having two horns) Regarding its reason, there are numerous sayings, and strong differences. Some said that he had two curly locks of hair, therefore, he was called Dhul-Qarnain. Some others said that he ruled countries of the East and West, therefore, he was named Dhul-Qarnain. There was someone who also said that he had marks on his head that resembled those of horns. It appears in some narratives that he had wound marks on both sides of his head, therefore, he was identified as Dhul-Qarnain. Allah knows best. But, this much already stands determined that the Qur' an has certainly not given him the name of Dhul-Qarnain. In fact, this name came from the Jews. He may have been known by this name with them. Whatever part of the event of Dhul-Qarnain has been mentioned by the Holy Qur'an is no more than what is described below:

He was a righteous and just king who reached the East and the West and conquered countries in between and ruled there justly. All sorts of means had been provided to him by Allah Ta` ala in order to help him achieve his objectives. On the route of his conquests, he traveled in three directions: to the far West, to the far East and then to the mountain range in the North. At the last mentioned place, he closed the pass in between two mountains by a wall cast in molten metal which made it possible for the people of the area to stay protected against the pillage of Gog and Magog."

As for the question posed by the Jews to test the veracity and prophet-hood of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، the answer given had left them satisfied.

They did not ask any_ more questions, such as: Why was he given the name, Dhul-Qarnain? Which country did he come from? What period of time did he belong to? This tells us that the Jews themselves took such questions to be unnecessary and redundant. And it is obvious that the Qur'an mentions only that part of history or stories which relates to what is beneficial in the present life or in the life to come, or on which depends the understanding of something necessary. Therefore, neither did the Qur'an take these things up nor were there any details about it described in any authentic Hadith. And it was for the same reason that the most righteous forbears of Islam, the Sahabah and the Tabi` in also paid no particular attention to it. Now the thing that remains to be addressed is this matter of historical narratives or that of the present Torah and Injil. Then it is also evident that perennial interpolations and alterations have not left even the present Torah and Injil intact as revealed Scriptures. Their status can now be that of history at the most. As for ancient historical narratives, they are overwhelmingly filled with Isra'ili tales, that come from no authentic source, nor have they been found trustworthy in the sight of the learned of any time. Whatever the commentators have said in this mat-ter is a compendium of these very historical narratives. Therefore, there are countless differences in them. Europeans have given great importance to history in modern times. No doubt, they have carried out pains-taking research in this field. Through archaeological excavations and collection of inscriptions and artifacts, they have tried to reach the reality behind past events and in this process, they have come up with achievements not matched in earlier times. But, archaeological finds, inscriptions etc., can certainly help support an event but it is not possible to read a whole event through these. For it, therefore, historical narratives alone have become the basis. As for the validity of old historical narratives in these matters, we have just now learnt that their status is no more than that of a story. In their books, scholars of Tafsir, classical or modern, have reported these narratives in their historical status only - no Qur'anic objective depends on the element of their authenticity. Here too, that which is necessary is being written with the same status in view. A comprehensive research relating to this event appears in 'Qasas al-Qur'an' by Maulana Hifzur-Rahman (رح) . Readers with a taste for history may see it there.

In some narratives, it appears that there have been four kings who ruled over the whole world - two believers, and two, disbelievers. The believing kings are Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) and Dhul-Qarnain while the disbelieving ones are Nimrod (Namrud) and Nebuchadnezzar (Bukht Nassar).

About Dhul-Qarnain, it is a strange coincidence that several men have been famous in the world while bearing the same name. And it is equally strange that the title Sikandar (Alexander) is also attached with the Dhul-Qarnain of every period of time.

Approximately three hundred years before Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) ، there is a king known as Sikandar (Alexander). He is identified with the appellations of the Greek, the Macedonian, the Roman etc. He was the one who had Aristotle (Arastu) as his minister, who fought a war against Dara (Darius) and who conquered his country after killing him. This was the very last person to have become known in the world by the name Sikandar (Alexander). Stories relating to him are comparatively more famous around the world, so some people have also equated him with the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur' an. This is totally wrong because this person was a fire-worshipping polytheist. As for the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned by the Qur'an, he may not be a prophet for ` Ulama' have differed about his being a prophet. But, everyone unanimously agrees that he was a righteous believer - then, there is the textual authority of the Qur'an in its own right which bears testimony to it.

Quoting Ibn ` Asakir, Hafiz Ibn Kathir has given his complete family tree in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah which ascends to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . He has said, this is the Sikandar who is recognized as the Greek, the Egyptian and the Macedonian, who founded the city of Iskandariyah (Alexandria) after his name and the Roman calendar dates back to his time. This Sikandar Dhul-Qarnain appeared after a long passage of time from the first one. This time has been identified as being more than two thousand years. He was the one who killed Dara (Darius), overpowered the Persian monarchy and conquered their country. But, this person was a polytheist. Declaring him to be the one mentioned in the Qur' an is totally wrong. Ibn Kathir's own words are being quoted below:

فاما ذولقرنین فھوا سکندر بن فیلبس بن مصریح بن برس بن مبطون بن رومی بن نعطی بن یونانبن یافث بن بونہ بن شرخون بن رومہ بن شرخط بن توفیل بن رومی بن لاصفر بن یقزبن العیص بن اسحٰق بن ابرٰھیم خلیل علیہ الصلوٰۃ والسلام ۔ کذا نسبہ الحافظ ابن عساکر فی تاریخہ المقدونی، الیونانی المصری بانی الاسکندریۃ الذی یؤرخ بایامہ الروم ، وکان متاٌخراً عن الاول بدھر طویل، وکان ھٰذی قبن المسیح بنحو من ثلثمایٔۃ سنۃ و کان ارسطا طالیس الفیلسوف وزیرہ و ھو الذی قتل دارا و اذل ملوک الفرس واوطاٌ ارضھم وانما نبھنا علیہ ، لان کثیرا من الناس یعتقد انھما واحد ، وان المذکور فی القران ھو الذی کان ارطاطلیس وزیرہ، فیقع بسبب ذلک خطاء کبیروفساد عریض طویل، فان الاوَّل کان عبداً مؤمنا صالحاوملکا عادلاً ، وکان وزیرہ الخضر، وقد کان بین زمانیھما ازید من الفی سنۃ، فاین ھذامن ھذا ؟ لا یستویان ولا یشتبھان الا علی غبی لا یعرف حقایٔق الامور (البدایۃ والنھایۃ ص 106/ج 2)

First of all, this research of Imam ibn Kathir, the great scholar of Hadith and history, helps remove a misconception. It clarifies that this Iskandar, who lived three hundred years before Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) who fought Dara (Darius) and the Persian kings, and who is the founder of Alexandria, is not the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur' an. This misconception seems to have affected some leading commentators as well. Abu Hayyan in al-Bahr al-Muhit and ` Allamah 'Alusi in Ruh al-Ma'ani have said that this very Dhul-Qarnain is the one mentioned in the Qur' an.

The second point emerges from the sentence of Ibn Kathir: وَ اَنَّہ کان نَبِیِّاً (he was a prophet). It shows that, in the sight of Ibn Kathir, the weightier opinion was that he was a prophet. Although, according to the majority of scholars, the weightier opinion is what Ibn Kathir has himself reported on the authority Abi al-Tufayl from Sayyidna Ali ؓ that he was neither a prophet nor an angel, rather was a righteous believer. Therefore, some ` Ulama have explained it by saying that the pronoun in: اَنَّہ کان (he was) reverts to Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) and not to Dhul-Qarnain - which is closer in sense.

This leaves us with a problem. The Qur' an mentions Dhul-Qarnain. Who is he? Which period of time did he belong to? Regarding this, sayings of ` Ulama' differ. According to Ibn Kathir, his time was the time of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) two thousand years before the time of Alexander, the Greek, the Macedonian. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) was his minister. Ibn Kathir has also reported from the early righteous elders in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah that Dhul-Qarnain went for Hajj traveling on foot. When Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) found out about his arrival, he went out of Makkah to greet him. It is said that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) also prayed for him and passed out some good counsel to him. (Al-Bidayah, p. 108, v. 3) Tafsir Ibn Kathir reports from Adhraqi that he did tawaf with Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and offered sacrifice.

And Abu al-Raihan al-Bairuni has said in his book al-'Athar al-Baqiyah ` an al-Qurun al-Khaliyah that 'this Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur'an is Abu Bakr ibn Samma ibn ` Umar ibn Ifriqis al-Himyari, the one who conquered the East and West of the Earth. Tubba' al-Himyari al-Yamani has shown pride in his poetry that his grandfather, Dhul-Qarnain, was a believer. He says:

قد کان ذوالقرنین جدی مسلماً ملکاً علافی الرض غیر مبعَّد

بَلَغ المشارِقَ والمغارِبَ یَبتَغِی اسباب مُلکِ مَّن کَرِیمِ سَیِّدٖ

Dhul-Qarnain, my grandfather, was a believing Muslim

A king who conquered the non-believing Earth

He reached the Easts and the Wests seeking

Means of power from the noble Master.

Abu Hayyan has reported this narrative in al-Bahr al-Muhit. Ibn Kathir has also mentioned it in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah. Ibn Kathir adds that 'this Dhul-Qarnain is the first Tubba' (the title of the kings of Yaman). He was among the Tababi'ah (plural of Tubba' ) of Yaman and this is the same person who had ruled in favour of Sayyidna (علیہ السلام) in the case of Bi'r Sab' (seven wells) ' - (al-Bidayah, p. 105, v. 2). In all these narratives, irrespective of the difference regarding the elements of his identity, his time period has been identified as that of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) .

As for the detailed discussion relating to Dhul-Qarnain provided by Maulana Hifzur-Rahman in his book, Qasas a1-Qur'an, it can be stated in a nutshell. It can be said that the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur'an is the king of Persia who is called Khorus by the Jews, Cyrus by the Greeks, Gorush by the Persians and Kai-Khusro by the Arabs. His period is said to be the period of Daniyal (Daniel) from among the prophets of Bani Isra'i1 - much later than the time of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . This brings it closer to the time of Iskandar al-Maqduni (Alexander, the Macedonian), the killer of Dara (Darius). But, the learned Maulana - like Ibn Kathir - has also strongly maintained that Alexander, the Macedonian who had Aristotle as his minister cannot be the Dhul-Qarnain. The former was a fire-worshipping polytheist while the later, a righteous believer.

According to his research about the detailed description of Bani Isra'il falling into wrongdoing and rebellion twice, and of the respective punishment given to them twice, as in Surah Bani Isra'il (al-''Isra' ), the Qur' an says on the occasion of the first transgression of Bani Isra'il: بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ‌ (We sent upon you some of Our servants having strong aggressive power, who combed through the houses - 17:5). Here, the men with 'strong aggressive power' are Nebuchadnezzar and his supporting troops who killed forty thousand - seventy thousand in some narratives - men from the Bani Isra'il in Baytul-Maqdis, while taking more than one hundred thousand of them driven like a flock of sheep to his city of Babel. After that, as regards the second statement of the Qur' an: ثُمَّ رَ‌دَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّ‌ةَ عَلَيْهِمْ (Then We gave you your turn to overpower them - 17:6), this event transpired at the hands of the same king, Kai-Khusraw (Khorus or Cyrus). He was a righteous believer. He con-fronted Nebuchadnezzar, secured the release of Bani Isra'il held as captives by him and rehabilitated them back into Palestine. He even went on to resettle and repopulate the city of Baytul-Maqdis that was ran-sacked earlier to the limit that he managed to have all treasures and major effects of Baytul-Maqdis carried away by Nebuchadnezzar from there returned back into the possession of Bani Isra'il. Thus, this person proved to be the savior of Bani Isra'il (the Jews).

It is likely that of the questions the Jews of Madinah had set for the Quraysh of Makkah which they would ask the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to test his prophethood, was this question about Dhul-Qarnain and that it had an underlying reason. This question was special since the Jews took him to be their savior and respected him.

In short, Maulana Hifzur-Rahman has collected a sufficiently large number of evidences from the prophesies of the prophets of Bani Isra'il with reference to the present Old Testament as well as from historical narratives to present his research on this subject. Anyone who finds it imperative to proceed towards additional research may consult it. My purpose in reporting all these narratives was simply to bring into focus sayings of leading Muslim scholars, historians and commentators as they relate to the life and time of Dhul-Qarnain. To decide as to whose saying is weightier and worthier out of these is not part of my objective. The reason is that things not claimed by the Qur' an nor explained by Hadith are things we have not been obligated to fix and clarify on our own for that responsibility does not rest on our shoulders. Thus, whichever saying turns out to be regarded as more weighty, worthy and sound, the aim of the Qur'an will stand achieved after all. Allah knows best. Let us now proceed to the explanation of the verses.

Let us look at the first verse cited above: قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرً‌ا (I shall now recite to you a narration about him - 83). It prompts us to find out as to why the Holy Qur'an has elected to bypass the possible shorter expression ذِکرَہ dhikrahu (his narrations) at this place and has opted for two words: مِنہُ ذِکراً ('minhu dhikra' ) (some narration about him)? A little reflection would reveal that these two words have been used as indicators. They tell us that the Qur'an has not promised to narrate the entire story of Dhul-Qarnain in its historical setting. Instead, it has stated that it will mention it in part. This is evident from the use of the particle: مِن (min) and the nunnation (tanwin) of 'dhikra' - a distinct feature of Arabic grammar. As for the historical debate relating to the name, lineage and time period of Dhul-Qarnain reported earlier, the Holy Qur' an has already said in advance that it has skipped it as something unnecessary. Verse:84 Commentary The word: سَبَب (sabab) used in: وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا (and provided for him a way to everything - 84) is employed in the Arabic lexicon to denote everything harnessed to achieve an objective. It includes material instruments and resources as well as knowledge, insight and experience etc. (al-Bahr al-Muhit). As for the expression: مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ (to everything), it means all things needed by a ruler to run the state system. The sense of the verse is that Allah Ta` ala had provided for the righteous king Dhul-Qarnain practically everything needed at that time in order that he could maintain his just rule, establish universal peace and extend his area of influence to other countries. Verse:85 Commentary Verse 85: فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا So he followed a way) means that - though, the material means related to everything, even those that would facilitate his access to every region of the world - however, the first thing he did was to use his means to travel in the direction of the West. Verse:86 Commentary The statement in verse 86: حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِ‌بَ الشَّمْسِ (until when he reached where the sun sets) means that he reached the far limit towards the West beyond which there was no populated area.

The word: حَمِئَةٍ (Hami'ah) in the succeeding phrase: فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ (into a miry spring) literally means dark marsh or mud carrying the sense of water beneath which there is dark mud and which causes the water it-self to appear black. As for the sense of his seeing the Sun setting into such a spring, it means that an onlooker perceived it as setting into the spring because there was no habitation or dry land in sight. This is like being in an open field while the Sun is setting where as far as one can see there appears to be no mountain, tree, or structure, naturally one who looks at the sight would feel that the Sun was sinking into the land mass.

Said in the sentence which follows immediately was: وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًا (and found near it a people), that is, near this dark spring, Dhul-Qarnain found a people. The later part of the verse shows that these people were infidels. Therefore, as said in the next verses, Allah Ta' ala gave Dhul-Qarnain the choice of punishing them right away for their infidelity. Or, if he so wished, he could choose to deal with them benevolently by first asking them to consider the message of faith and bring them round to embrace it through dissemination of information and good counsel. After that, he could reward those who believe and punish those. who do not. In response, Dhul-Qarnain elected to go by the second option. He said that he would try to bring them to the straight path through good counsel and advice. Then, he would punish those who stood by their infidelity and reward those who believed and did what was good.

The statement: قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْ‌نَيْنِ (We said, 'O Dhul-Qarnain...) shows that Allah Ta` ala has Himself said this addressing Dhul-Qarnain. Now, if Dhul-Qarnain is taken to be a prophet, there is no problem here. It will mean that it was said to him through the medium of revelation. And if, his prophethood is not to be recognized, there is only one way to rationalize the statement: قُلْنَا (qulna: We said) and the address: يَا ذَا الْقَرْ‌نَيْنِ

Dhul-Qarnain). This way could be to take this address to have been made to Dhul-Qarnain through the medium of some prophet - as suggested by the reported presence of Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) with him. Then, it is also possible that this revelation is just not the kind of wahy that is peculiar to a prophet or messenger of Allah. May be, it is a wahy or revelation in the literal sense like the word: وَاَوحَینَا (awhaina: We revealed or put into the heart) used in the Qur' an for the mother of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) - though, there is no probability of her being a prophet or messenger of Allah. But, Abu Hayyan says in al-Bahr al-Muhit that the command given here to Dhul-Qarnain is a command to punish and kill those people. No such command can be given without the authority of a revelation to a prophet. This action cannot be taken on the authority of Kashf (illumination) and Ilham (inspiration), nor can it be activated through any other source without the authority of wahy (revelation) to a nabiyy (prophet). For this reason, no probability other than the one being mentioned here is sound: Either Dhul-Qarnain himself is taken to be a prophet, or that there may be a prophet present during his time and it is through him that Dhul-Qarnain is addressed. And Allah knows best. Verse:87 Commentary - - - Verse:88 Commentary - - - Verse:89 Commentary Commentary

The Holy Qur'an does describe this state of the people Dhul-Qarnain found living towards the East meaning thereby that they were not accustomed to the use of ways and means like houses, tents and dresses to seek protection against the Sun. But, it does not mention anything about their faith and deeds, nor does it say what Dhul-Qarnain did to them.

However, it is obvious that these people too were infidels and Dhul-Qarnain handled them the way he had handled the people he had found in the West as mentioned earlier. But, describing it again at this place was not considered necessary since finding it out is also possible on the analogy of the previous event. (As in al-Bahr al-Muhit from Ibn Atiyyah) Verse:90 Commentary - - - Verse:91 Commentary - - - Verse:92 Commentary - - - Verse:93 Commentary Explanation of Difficult Words

1. The word السَّدَّ used in the expression: بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ denotes what be-comes a barrier against something. It may be a wall or mountain and it may be natural or artificial. At this place, the word: السَّدَّيْنِ (as-saddain) means two mountains that stood as a barrier against the intrusion of Ya'juj and Ma'juj. But, they still attacked through the pass in between the two mountains and which was closed by Dhul-Qarnain.

2. The word: زُبَرَ‌ (zubar) in: زُبَرَ‌ الْحَدِيدِ (zubar al-hadid - 96) is the plural of: زُبرہ (zubrah) which means sheets in the sense of pieces, fragments or ingots of iron which were to be used in the wall designed to block the pass, obviously a stronger device as compared to bricks and rocks.

3. The word: الصَّدَفَيْنِ (as-sadafain - 96) signifies the two sides of the mountain facing each other.

4. According to most commentators, the last word: قِطْرً‌ا (qitr) in verse 96 means molten copper. There are some others who have explained 'qitr' as molten iron or pewter. (al-Qurtubi)

The expression: دَكَّاءَ (dakkaa'a - 98) used about the wall means what would crumble down to the level of the ground. Verse:94 Commentary Commentary

The Identity of Ya'juj Ma'juj and the Location of the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain

A lot of absurd and strange things disseminated through Isra'ili narratives and historical stories have found currency to the extent that some commentators have also reported them in terms of their historical status, though they themselves do not find them trustworthy. The truth of the matter is that the Qur'an has mentioned it briefly and the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has informed his community also about the details as and where necessary. What has to be believed in as part of one's faith is limited to what has been covered in the Qur' an, and Hadith. Beyond that, whatever historical and geographical information has been provided by commentators, Hadith experts and historians could be correct, or might as well prove incorrect. As for the variant sayings of historians from among those mentioned above, they are based on traces, analogies and conjectures. Whether they are true or false, it simply does not affect what the Qur'an says.

At this place, I would first quote Ahadith which, according to respected Hadith experts, are sound or trustworthy. After that, historical narratives will be taken up to the measure of their need in the present context.

Hadith Reports about Ya'juj Ma'juj

At least this much stands doubtlessly proved from the statements of Qur'an, and Sunnah that Ya'juj Ma'juj are national entities from among human beings. They are the progeny of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) very much like them because so says the categorical statement (nass) of the Qur'an: وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّ‌يَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَاقِينَ which means that all human beings surviving on the Earth after the Flood during the time of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) shall all be from among his progeny. Historical narratives converge on the fact that they are of the progeny of Yafith son of Nuh علیہ السلام۔ which is supported by a weak Hadith as well. Regarding the rest of their antecedents, the Hadith of Sayyidna an-Nawwas ibn Sam` an ؓ is most detailed and sound in authority. It has been reported in the Sahih of Muslim and in all books of Ahadith recognized for their authenticity. Hadith experts declare it to be sound and authentic. This Hadith carries details concerning the appearance of Dajjal (anti-Christ), the coming of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and then, the appearance of Ya'juj Ma' juj. A translation of this entire Hadith is being given below:

Sayyidna an-Nawwas ibn Sam` an ؓ says that one morning the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned Dajjal (anti-Christ) and while doing that he said a few things which showed the low and negative aspect of his profile (such as his being one-eyed). Then, he also said a few things about him to the effect that his emergence was a matter of ominous trial (such as Paradise and Hell being with him and other extra-ordinary aspects of his per-sona). His narration (gripped us with such fear) as if Dajjal was lurking somewhere (in the nearby) grooves of the date palms.

When we presented ourselves before him in the evening, he read our confused inner condition and asked, 'What is the matter with you?' (What did you conclude from what I had said?). We submitted, 'You talked about Dajjal in the morning. Of things you said about him some seemed to belittle the matter of his emergence while you also said other things which seemed to highlight his matter to proportions of a great trial to the extent that we thought he was present close to us in the grooves of the date-palms!' Then he said, 'Not just the Dajjal, there are other trials I fear may afflict you more (that is, the trial of Dajjal is not as great as you have taken it to be). If he appears - and I am among you - I shall confront him personally without you. And if he appears - and I am not among you - everyone will try to confront him in terms of his courage. And Allah is, in my absence, the guardian and protector of all Muslims. (You will recognize him as) a young man - hard curly hair, one eye protruding upwards (blind in the other as in other narratives). And if I can liken him (in this ugly profile) with someone, it is ` Abd al-'Uzza ibn Qatan (an ugly person from the tribe of Banu Khuza` ah during the Jahiliyyah). If a Muslim from among you runs into him, he should recite the initial verses of Surah al-Kahf against him (which will keep him protected from Dajjal). Dajjal will emerge from the empty space between Syria and ` Iraq creating havoc right and left. 0 servants of Allah, you then stay firm against him.' We said, 'Ya RasulAllah, and how long will he tarry on the Earth?' He said, 'Forty days. But, the first day will be equal to one year, and the second day to one month, and the rest of the days equal to the usual.' We said, 'Ya RasulAllah, so on that day which will be equal to one year, shall we be offering (the five-timed) Salah for one day only?' He said, 'No. You will, rather, go by estimating time and offering prayers for the whole year.' We said, 'Ya RasulAllah, how fast will he be moving about the Earth?' He said, 'Fast like the cloud being followed by wind. Then he will pass by a people and ask them to rally round his false beliefs. They will believe in him and respond to his call. Then he will commission the clouds. They will start raining. He will order the Earth. It will turn green and verdant (and herds of cattle will graze therein) and when they return in the evening, their humps shall be much higher than before and their udders shall be full of milk and their waists shall be plumb. Then, Dajjal will pass by another people and invite them to his disbelief. But, they will turn down his invitation. Losing hope, when he goes away from them, these believers will be stricken with famine and nothing of what once belonged to them will remain in their hands. And when Dajjal will walk by this wasteland, he will address it, saying: 'Bring your treasures out.' So, its treasures will start following him like the honeybees follow their queen. Then Dajjal will call a man whose youth shall be in full bloom, strike him with a sword and cut him into two pieces and the two pieces will be placed as far apart as the distance between an archer and his target. Then he will call him. He will come (alive) to Dajjal beaming with joy over his feat. In the meantime, Allah Ta` ala will send down Al-Masih ibn Maryam (Sayyidna ` Isa علیہ السلام). He will alight at the white tower in the eastern part of Dimashq (Damascus) clad in two colored sheets with both hands resting on the wings of angels. When he bows his blessed head, drops of water will drip down from there (as if one has just come out of the shower). And when he raises his head up, from it drop silvery globules like genuine pearls. Any disbeliever who breathes the air from his breath will die that very instant and his breath will reach as far as reaches his glance. Then he will look for him until he will overtake him at the gate of Ludd (still there in Baytul-Maqdis by the same name) and kill him. After that, ` Isa ibn Maryam (علیہما السلام) will come to people whom Allah protected from Dajjal. He will then touch their faces (with compassion for them) and give them the good news of having high ranks in Paradise.

While he would still be in the same state, Allah will reveal to ` Isa (علیہ السلام) : 'Verily, I am going to send forth the kind of men from among servants belonging to Me against whom no two hands will dare fight. So, you assemble and take My servants to the sanctuary of Mount Tur (which Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) will do) and would send out Ya'juj and Ma'juj and they will be seen hurtling down from every side. The first wave of them will pass by Bulhairah Tabariyyah. They would drink out everything in it and when others of them will pass by it, (and seeing it dry) they will say: 'Surely, in this, there must have been water earlier in time.'

The prophet of Allah, ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، and his companions will take refuge on the Mount Tur. Other believers will find sanctuaries in their own fortified places. Food supplies will be there, but it would run short where-upon the head of a bull will be considered better than a hundred dinar. Then, the prophet of Allah, ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، and his companions will turn to Allah (and pray for the removal of their distress which will be answered) and He will send an epidemic (worm in neck) and they will be annihilated en masse to the last person. Then, the prophet of Allah, ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، and his companions will come down from the Mount of Tur and see not a hand-span worth of land remaining unfilled with corpses and (because of their decomposition) the place will be reeking with a strong stench. (Seeing this state of affairs) the prophet of Allah, 'Isa, and his companions will turn to Allah (praying for the removal of this distress as well which Allah will answer). He will send birds with necks like the neck of a camel. They will haul these corpses and throw them at the place where Allah wills (according to some narratives, they will put them away into the sea).

After that, Allah Ta' ala will send rains. No clay home in the villages and no Bedouin tent in the desert will remain without it. Lands will be washed clean and left like mirror. Then, Allah Ta' ala will tell the Earth, 'Grow your fruits and unravel the abundance of your blessings.' (And so it shall be and such shall be the bliss of increase that) one pomegranate will suffice as food for a group of people. And its shell will be used to make canopies for protection against the Sun and milk will be so blessed as to suffice for a large number of people. Milk from one cow will be enough for everyone in a tribe and milk from one goat will be adequate for a whole clan. (After forty years of this period of extra-ordinary abundance, peace and protection, when the time due for Qiyamah will draw near) Allah Ta` ala will send a pleasant wind which will cause their armpits to be benumbed and the soul of every believer and every Muslim will be taken away. Left there will be the worst among human beings, the wicked and the disbelieving ones, who will indulge in shame and outrage on the Earth like donkeys. And it is against them that the Hour will stand activated.'

As for the story of Ya'juj and Ma'juj, the narration of Sayyidna ` Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid ؓ deals with it in greater detail. It says that once they pass by Buhairah Tabariyyah, Ya' juj and Ma' juj will climb Jabal al-Khamar, a mountain from among the mountains of Baytul-Maqdis, and say, 'We have killed whoever there was on the Earth. Come, let us now kill whoever there is out in the skies." So they will shoot their arrows towards the sky and Allah will make their arrows return back to them smeared with blood (so that those dim-witted people are pleased with the prospect that they have done away with whoever there was in the skies).

About the story of Dajjal, the narration of Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ adds that Dajjal will stay away from al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. When it will not be possible for him to reach even the link roads leading to it, he will come to a saline tract of land close to Madinah. At that time, a man will come out to confront him and this man will be the best of men at that time (or, among the best of men). Addressing him, he will say, 'I am certain that you are the Dajjal about whom the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had told us.' (Hearing this), Dajjal will start saying, 'Tell me, O people, if I kill this man, then make him alive, will you still doubt the thing (about my being God)?' They said, 'No.' So he will kill him and then bring him back to life whereupon he will tell Dajjal, 'By Allah, now I have become more certain that you are the Dajjal.' Hence, Dajjal would want to kill him (all over again), but he will remain unable to enforce it. (Sahih Muslim)

According to a narration of Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ appearing in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "On the day of Qiyamah, Allah Ta` ala will ask Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) ، 'raise the Hell-bound from your progeny.' He will wonder, 'my Lord, who are they?' Then, the Divine command will go forth that nine hundred and ninety nine of every one thousand are Hell-bound with only one bound to go to Paradise. Scared, the noble Sahabah asked, 'Ya Rasulallah, 'who from among us shall be the one bound to go to Paradise?' Thereupon, he said, 'do not worry because out of these nine hundred and ninety nine Hell-bound people, there will be only one from among you while, ratio-wise, there will be a thousand from among the Ya'juj Ma'juj.' According to a narration of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ in the Mustadrak of al-Hakim, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah Ta` ala divided all human beings into ten parts. Nine of these belong to Ya'juj Ma'juj while the remaining one part covers the human beings of the whole world. (Ruh al-Ma` ani)

After having quoted these narrations in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah, Ibn Kathir has written that it tells us that the number of Ya'juj Ma'juj is significantly higher than the entire human population.

According to a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ appearing in the Musnad of Ahmad and Abu Dawud with sound chains of authority, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that ` Isa (علیہ السلام) will live on the Earth for forty years after his descension. As for the narration in Muslim which puts this duration of stay at seven years, it has been rated as less in strength or having some unapparent meaning (marjuh or mu'awwal) by Hafiz in Fath al-Bari who has declared the very period of forty years as correct. Then there are clarifications in Ahadith which report that this whole period will be marked with peace and blessings. Absolutely no malice and hostility will exist among people, none even between any two of them. (Muslim and Ahmad)

Al-Bukhari reports from Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the Hajj and ` Umrah of Baytullah will continue even after the emergence of Ya'juj Ma'juj. (Tafsir Mazhari)

Al-Bukhari and Muslim report from Umm al-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh ؓ that one day the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم woke up from sleep with his blessed face red while he was saying:

لا الٰہ اِلاَّ اللہ ویل للعرب من شرقد اقترب فتح الیوم من ردم یأجوج ومأجوج مثل ھذہ و حلّق تسعین

'La ilaha Wallah. Alas for Arabia! Evil is drawing near. To-day, a part of the Wall of Ya'juj Ma'juj has opened up like this' and he made a ring by joining the tips of his thumb and index finger (to indicate the size of the hole in the Wall).

Umm al-Mu'minin, Sayyidah Zainab ؓ says that following his statement, we submitted, 'Ya RasulAllah, is our destruction possible even when we have righteous people among us?' He said, 'Yes, it is - (particularly) when evil (khabath) abounds' (similar reports appear in the two Sahihs from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، as in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah of Ibn Kathir). That a hole was made into the Wall of Ya'juj Ma'juj to the measure shown in the Hadith could be taken in the real sense and also in a figurative one which would indicate the weakening of the Wall made by Dhul-Qarnain. (Ibn Kathir, Abu Hayyan)

The Musnad of Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah report from a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Ya'juj Ma'juj keep digging through the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. Doing it every day they reach the farthest part of this iron Wall so close as would make the light on the other side become visible to them. But, at that point, they say that they would dig all the way through it the next day, and return. However, Allah Ta' ala makes it as strong as it was all over again. Then comes the next day and they start anew to dig through it. This cycle of their effort to dig and demolish and that of mending and fortifying from Allah's side will continue until such time up to which Allah Ta' ala intends to hold back Ya'juj Ma'juj. And when He intends to release them, they will dig, reach the farthest limit and say, 'If Allah wills, we shall go across it tomorrow.' (By making their effort dependent on the name and will of Allah, they will have the taufiq to succeed) So, when they return the next day as usual, they will find the remaining non-dug portion of the Wall as they had left it and this they will demolish and go across.

Tirmidhi has reported this narration on the authority of Abu ` Aw nah, Qatadah, Abi Rafi', Abu Hurairah ؓ ، in that order, and then he has said: غریب لا نعرفہ الا من ھذا الوجہ (Unfamiliar. We do not know it except from this source). Ibn Kathir has also reported this narration in his Tafsir and then he has this to say:

اسنادہ جِیّد قوی ولکن متنہ فی رفعہ

Its chains of narrators are good and strong, but its text in the matter of its ascension (the effort to raise the channel of transmission up to attribute it the Holy Prophet is not supported by stronger sources).

Ibn Kathir comments on this Hadith in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah: If it is held to be correct that this Hadith is not marfu' (traceable in ascending order to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم), instead, is a narration from Ka'b al-Ahbar, then, it becomes clear that it is not worthy of trust. Now there is another possibility. The narration is regarded to be free from any error made by the narrator. It is given the status of the very saying of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، then, it would mean that this action of digging the Wall by Ya'juj Ma'juj will start at the time when the hour of their emergence draws close. And as for the statement of the Qur'an, that is, no hole can be made in this Wall, it refers to the time when Dhul-Qarnain had made it. This leaves no contradiction here. Moreover, it could also be said that breaking a hole into the Wall means a hole which goes all the way through it - and this narration states it clearly that this hole does not go all the way through it. (Al-Bidayah, p. 12, v. 2)

In Fath al-Basri, (رح) . Hafiz ibn Hajar has reported this Hadith with reference to ` Abd ibn Humaid and Ibn Hibban as well and said that they all narrate from Qatadah and some of their narrators are the authorities of the Sahih of al-Bukhari. Then, he has not entertained any doubt about the Hadith being rated as mares` (ascending to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم). Then he says with reference to Ibn al-Arabi that this Hadith contains three Divine signs, that is, miracles: (1) That Allah Ta' ala did not let their minds think of the alternative of continuing their digging operation round the clock including the day and night both. If so, it would have not been at all difficult for a people with so many of them to work in shifts of day and night with specified assignment of duties. (2) That their minds were turned away from taking the option of scaling over the Wall by using artifices and devices. Although, from a narration of Wahb ibn Munabbih, it becomes clear that these people tilled the land which also yielded fruits and they used instruments of many kinds in this process. It should have not been difficult for them under these circumstances to assemble together the means of scaling the Wall. (3) That for such a long time it never occurred to them that they should have said, Insha'Allah: If Allah wills, and that this statement will issue forth through their speech only when the time of their emergence will come close.

Ibn al-Arabi has said that this Hadith also tells us that there are people among the Ya'juj Ma'juj who believe in the existence of Allah and in His Will. Then, it is also possible that Allah Ta` ala may cause this statement to issue forth through their speech without having any belief and they find their job all done with its barakah (ashrat as-saah by as-Sayyid Muhammad, p. 154). But, what is obvious here is that they too have received the call of the blessed prophets. Otherwise, according to the textual authority of the Qur'an (nass), they should not be subjected to the punishment of Jahannam: وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَ‌سُولًا (And it is not Our way to punish [ anyone ] unless We send a messenger - al-Isra', 17:15). This tells us that the invitation to believe has reached them too. But, they chose to stick by their denial. However, there will also be some people among them who would be subscribing to the view that Allah exists and that He has intention and will - though, having this much of a belief is not sufficient for 'Iman or faith, unless there is the essential faith in Prophet-hood and Hereafter. However, the saying of 'Insha'Allah': If Allah wills, despite Kufr (disbelief), is not a far out possibility.

Conclusions drawn from the narrations of Hadith

That which stands proved about Ya'juj Ma'juj from the statements of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as in the Ahadith cited above is given below:

(1) Yajuj Ma'juj are the progeny of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) like the rest of human beings. The majority of Hadith experts and historians identify them as the progeny of Yafith, the son of Nuh (علیہ السلام) . And it is also obvious that the progeny of Yafith son of Nuh (علیہ السلام) had spread itself out far and wide among different tribes, nationalities and many a populated areas between the period of Sayyidna Nub (علیہ السلام) and that of Dhul-Qarnain. Thus, it is not necessary that the races known as Ya' juj Ma' juj were pinned down as a whole exclusively behind the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. There must have been some of their tribes and nationalities living on the other side of the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. However, it can be said that the savage killers and destroyers among them were restrained through the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. Historians refer to them generally as Turks, Mangkhol or Mongols. But, from among these, the name of Yajuj Ma' juj applies only to the savage, uncivilized, blood-thirsty tyrants who remained untouched by civilization. The Turks, Mangkhols or Mongols who became civilized stand unsubstantiated by this name.

(2) The number of Ya' juj Ma' juj is several times higher than the number of the human beings of the whole world, at least at the ratio of one to ten. (Hadith #2)

(3) The tribes and nationalities of Ya' juj Ma'juj stopped from crossing over to the other side of the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain will remain so restrained right through the close of the zero Hour of the Last Day of Qiyamah. The time destined for their emergence will be preceded by the appearance of Mahdi and Masih (علیہم السلام) and that of Dajjal (the anti-Christ). They will be released exactly after 'Isa (علیہ السلام) has descended and has killed Dajjal. (Hadith #1)

(4) At the time Ya'juj Ma'juj are to be released, the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain will crumble down all leveled to the ground (verse 18:98). The merciless hordes of Ya'juj Ma'juj would present an spectacle when, coming down from the mountain slopes all simultaneously, the speed of their descent would give the impression that they are sliding down to the ground en masse. These countless savage humans will hit the whole earth and its population. No one would be able to stand up against the killing and plunder by them. The apostle of Allah, Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) will, under Divine command, take refuge on Mount Tur along with his believing companions. People in other habitations of the world will seek asylum in available safe places. When supplies run out, necessities of life will become highly expensive. As for the rest of human population, these savages will finish them off and lick out their rivers. (Hadith #1)

(5) Then, it will be through the prayer of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and his companions that these countless locust like peoples will be destroyed simultaneously. The earth will be covered up with their dead bodies and the stench from which would make human rehabilitation on the earth difficult. (Hadith #1)

(6) Then, it will be through the prayer of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and his companions once again that their dead bodies would be disposed of into the sea or made to disappear altogether and the whole earth will be washed clean through a universal rain. (Hadith #1)

(7) After that, there shall come a reign of peace lasting for nearly forty years. The earth will open the gates of its blessings. No one will re-main poor and needy. No one will hurt or harass anyone. Peace and comfort shall prevail universally. (Hadith #3)

(8) During this period of peace, the Hajj and ` Umrah of Baytullah will continue. (Hadith #4) As for the death of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and his burial in the Sacred Mausoleum, it already stands proved from the narrations of Hadith. This too will transpire when he will travel to Hijaz for Hajj or ` Umrah. (As reported by Muslim from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ - explanatory note). After that, he will die in al-Madinah al-Taibah and buried in the Sacred Mausoleum.

(9) During the later period of the life of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، he was shown a dream activated through a revelation (wally) that a hole had opened up in the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain, which he declared to be a sign of impending evil for Arabia. Some Hadith experts (al-mulhaddithin) have interpreted the opening of a hole in this Wall as real. Some others have taken it figuratively in the sense that this Wall of Dhul-Qarnain has become weak, the time of the emergence of Ya'juj Ma'juj has come close and its effects will show up in the form of Arab decline. Allah knows best.

(10) After his descent, he will stay on the earth for forty years. (Hadith #3) Earlier than him, the period of Mahdi (علیہ السلام) will also be that of forty years, part of which will feature the confluence and cooperation of both. In his book, Ashrat al-Sa` ah (p.145), Sayyid Sharif Barzanji has said that the period of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) will follow the killing of Dajjal and the peace prevailing thereafter and extend to forty years. This will make his total stay in the world for a period of forty-five years. And, it has been mentioned on page 112 that Mahdi (علیہ السلام) will appear a thirty plus years before Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and the total period credited to him will be that of forty years. Thus, the presence of the two blessed souls shall coincide for a number of five, or seven years, and both their periods will be marked by a reign of justice throughout the world. The earth will open up the gates of its blessings, neither will anyone remain poor, nor will anyone bear malice and hostility against anyone else. Of course, the great trial of the appearance of Dajjal will hit the whole world during the later period of Mahdi (علیہ السلام) - with the exception of Makkah, Madinah, Baytul-Maqdis and the Mount of Tur. This trial will be the greatest as compared to the rest of the trials the world has faced. Dajjal and his disorder will last for forty days only. But, out of these forty days, the first day will be that of one year, the second day that of one week and the rest of days will be like they usually are. One way this can happen is that these days are really made to be that long - because, during those later times, nearly all events will be extraordinary and miraculous in nature. Then, it is also possible that the days and nights keep alternating as they usually do. But, it stands proved from Hadith that Dajjal would be a great magician. When so, it is also possible that, under the spell of his magic, common people remain unable to notice this revolutionary change in the alternation of days and nights and continue seeing this phenomena as nothing but one usual day. As for the injunction in Hadith of performing Salah during that day on the estimated analogy of usual days, it also seems to support the assumption that the days and nights would be changing really, but people would not realize it cognitively. Therefore, in this day of one year, the order given was to perform Salah for three hundred sixty days. Otherwise, had the day been really one day only, the rules of the Shari` ah would have required only five Salahs as obligatory for one day as such. In short, the total period of Dajjal will have forty such days.

After that, Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) will descend, kill the Dajjal and put an end to the disorder created by him. However, quite close to that the Ya'juj Ma'juj will emerge unleashing another spate of disorder, pillage and killing. But, the period of their presence will not go beyond a few days when they too will be destroyed all simultaneously as a result of the prayer of Sayyidna Isa (علیہ السلام) . In short, there will be two ominous trials of Dajjal and Ya'juj Ma'juj during the later period of Sayyidna Mahdi (علیہ السلام) and the early period of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) which will shake the people of the entire earth upside down. Before and after these counted few days, however, the whole world will experience justice, peace and blessings. During the period of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، there will remain on the earth no creed and religion other than Islam. The earth will start sending forth its hidden treasures. No one will remain poor and needy. Even beasts and poisonous life forms will not hurt anyone.

An essential point of guidance:

As far as the information given above about the Ya'juj Ma'juj and the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain, these have been communicated to the Muslim Ummah by the Qur' an, and the Ahadith of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . Believing in it as such is necessary and opposition, impermissible. Now there remains the area of geographical and racial investigation as to questions like - Where is the wall of Dhul-Qarnain located? Who are these people called Ya'juj Ma'juj? Where do they live now? Here, it can be said that no Islamic 'Aqidah (article of faith) depends on knowing this, nor does the understanding of any verse of the Qur' an hinge on it. But, the religious scholars of the Muslim Ummah, only in order to answer the absurdities dished out by antagonists and to provide additional insight, have discussed this subject in details. A part of it is being reported here.

Views of Muslim scholars

In his Tafsir, al-Qurtubi has reported from as-Suddiyy that twenty-one of the twenty-two tribes of Ya'juj Ma'juj were shut off by the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. One of their tribes was left out on the inner side of the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. They are Turks. After that, al-Qurtubi says that the sayings of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about the Turks resemble the Ya'juj Ma'juj and that the incidence of a war between them and Muslims during the later times appears in a hadith of the Sahih of Muslim. At present, he continues: A large number of Turk people are arrayed against Muslims. Only Allah knows their exact number and only He can save Muslims from their evil. It appears as if they are the Ya' juj Ma'juj - or, at least, are their forerunners. (Al-Qurtubi, p. 58, v.11) (Al-Qurtubi belongs to the sixth century of Hijrah when the Tatar onslaught came and destroyed the Islamic Caliphate. This great upheaval is well known in Islamic history and the Tatars are reputed to be from the Mongol or Mongkhol Turks). But, as for al-Qurtubi, he has simply said that they resembled the Ya'juj Ma'juj and could be their forerunners. He has not identified the havoc caused by the Tatars as the emergence of the Ya'juj Ma'juj which is one of the signs of the coming of the last day of Qiyamah. The reason is that the Hadith of the Sahih of Muslim mentioned above makes it clear that this emergence will come to pass after the descent of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) during his period.

Therefore, ` Allamah 'Alusi has, in his Tafsir Ruh al-Ma` ani, strongly refuted the position of those who have taken the Tatars as the Ya' juj Ma'juj. According to him, the very thought is a flagrant error and certainly an opposition to the textual authority of Hadith. However, this much he too said that this havoc, no doubt, did resemble the havoc to be caused by the Ya'juj Ma'juj. (Ruh, p. 44, v. 16) It proves that the view of some contemporary historians who take modern Russia or China or both as the Ya'juj and Ma'juj would have not been really wrong. However, the condition is that they should have meant by it the same thing said by al-Qurtubi and al-'Alusi, that is, the upheaval caused by them resembled that of the Ya' juj and Ma'juj. But, declaring it to be the very emergence of the Ya' juj Ma'juj - something reported in the Qur'an, and Hadith as signs of Qiyamah and which was due to come after the descent of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) - is absolutely wrong. The approach is erroneous and it betrays a rejection of the textual authority (nusus) of Hadith.

Famous historian, Ibn Khaldun has taken up this subject in the prolegomena of his history. As part of his description of the sixth kingdom, he has alluded to the geographical location of the Ya'juj Ma'juj and the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain as follows:

"Inhabiting towards the west, in the ninth part of the seventh kingdom, there are tribes of Turks called قنجاق (qinjaq) [ Qipcaq or Qypchaq as in Bertold Spuler ] and چرکس (Cherkess) [ Circassians, the Caucasian people, as in Spuler ]. The eastern side is populated by the Ya'juj Ma'juj. In between the two, Mount Caucasus draws the line of demarcation. It has been mentioned earlier that it begins from al-bahr al-muhit located in the east of the fourth kingdom and goes up to the northern end of the kingdom. Then, receding away from al-bahr al-muhit, it continues in a north-western direction and enters the ninth part of the fifth kingdom. From here, it reverts to its first direction until it enters the ninth part of the seventh kingdom. Once it reaches there, it goes from the south in a north-western direction. Located in between this mountain range is the 'Wall of Alexander.' It is situated in the middle of the ninth part of the seventh kingdom as we have identified earlier and the Qur'an too informs us about it.

In his book of geography, ` Abdullah ibn Khurdazbih has reported the dream of the ` Abbasi Khalifah, Wathiq Billah in which he had seen that the Wall had opened up. As a result, he woke up all upset and sent his emissary, Sallam on a fact-finding mission. On his return, he reported the condition and distinct features of this very Wall." (Muqaddimah ibn Khaldun, p. 79)

That Wathiq Billah, the Abbasi Khalifah sent an observer group to investigate the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain and that it did return after having made the investigation has been mentioned by Ibn Kathir too in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah. Also said there is that this Wall has been made in iron with huge locked gates and is located towards the north-east. After narrating the event, Tafsir Kabir and al-Tabari add: One who comes back after having seen the Wall reaches the barren fields facing Samarkand in the company of guides. (Tafsir Kabir, v. 5, p. 513)

The great scholar of Islam and my revered teacher, Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri has mentioned Ya' juj Ma' juj and the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain in his book, عقیدہ الاسلام فی حیاۃ عیسٰی (علیہ السلام) . Though it is an adjunct of his book yet, whatever he has mentioned there measures up to the highest level of investigation and Tradition. He said: To remain protected against the plunder and devastation by mischievous and savage human beings walls have been built on the earth, not simply at one place but at several places. Different kings have built these at various places during different ages. Most famous and the largest among these is the Great Wall of China. Its length given by Abu Hayyan al-Andulusi (the royal historian of the Iranian Court) is twelve hundred miles. It was founded by Faghfur, the Emperor of China, and that the date of its inception goes back to three thousand four hundred and sixty years after the advent of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) ، and also that the Moghul people (Mongol or Mongkhol) call this Great Wall, 'atkuwah', and the Turks, 'burqurqah. Then he has acknowledged that several walls of this nature are found at other places as well.

Our leading fellow-servant of the Faith, Maulana Hifzur-Rahman Sihwarwi, may he rest in peace, has given a well-documented historical detail elaborating the statement of Shaykh Kashmiri in his well-known book, Qasas al-Qur'an. A gist is given below:

The range of the evil savagery of Ya'juj Ma'juj was so extensive that, on the one hand, the people of southern Caucasia suffered from their tyrannical onslaughts while on the other hand, the inhabitants of Tibet and China also served as sitting targets of their savagery. It was to stay safe from these very Ya'juj Ma'juj that protective walls were built at various place during different ages. The largest among these is the Great Wall of China mentioned earlier.

The second Wall is located near Bukhara and Tirmidhi in Central Asia. It is situated at a place called Darband (meaning 'blocked passage' ). This Wall was there during the time of the famous Moghul king, Taimur Lang (Timur, the Lame; Tamerlane). The German confidant of the Roman King, Cella Berger, has mentioned him in his book. Kilafchu, the emissary of Castille, the King of Andulusia has also referred to him in his travelogue. When he presented himself as the emissary of his King before Taimur, he had passed by this spot. He writes that the Wall of Bab al-Hadid (Iron Gate) is situated on the route coming from Mousel and which lies in between Samarkand and India. (From Tafsir Jawahir al-Qur'an by al-Tantawi, v. 9. p. 198)

The third Wall is located in Daghistan in Russia. This too is famous by the name of Darband (blocked passage) and Bab al-Abwab (The Gate of gates). Yaqut al-Hamawi in Mu'jim al-Buldan, al-Idrisi in al-Jughrafiah and Bustani in Dairatul-Ma' arif have described these in great details, a gist of which is as follows:

"In Daghistan, 'Darband' is a Russian city. It is situated on the western shore of Bahr Khadir (Caspian Sea), latitude 43.3 North and longitude 48.15 east. It is also called 'Darband Nausherwan'. Another name for it, 'Bab al-Abwab,' is also famous."

The fourth Wall is located in the higher parts of Caucasia towards the west of this very 'Bab al-Abwab where, in between two mountains, there is a pass well known as the Daryal Pass. This fourth Wall is right here and is known as the Wall of Qafqaz or Mount Qoqa or Koh Qaf (Caucasus). About it, Bustani writes:

"And close to it (the Wall of Bab al-Abwab), there is another Wall which goes on extending towards the West. In all likelihood, this may have been built by the people of Faris (Persia) as a measure of defense against the northern Berbers. Since the identity of its founder was not authentically known, some people have attributed it to Alexander while some others have ascribed it to Cyrus and Nausherwan. And Yaqut says that it has been constructed with molten copper." (Da'iratul-Ma` arif, v. 7, p. 651; Mu` jimul-Buldan, v. 8, p. 9)

Since all these Walls are in the North and have been built for a single need, therefore, difficulties have come up in determining as to which of these is the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. And the major confusion has showed up in the case of the last two Walls because the name of both the places is Darband and there is a Wall also present at both. Out of the four Walls mentioned above, the Great Wall of China is the longest and the oldest. About it, no one says that it is the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. Then, instead of being in the North, it is in the Far East - and that it is in the North is clear as indicated by the Qur'an al-Karim.

Now, the thing revolves between the remaining three Walls which happen to be but in the North. Out of these, speaking generally, historians - Mas' udi, Istakhri, Hamawi and others - identify the Wall located in Daghistan, or at Darband in the Caucasian territory of Bab al-Abwab by the Caspian Sea as the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain. Historians who have called the Wall and Darband of Bukhara and Tirmidh as being the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain have, most likely, been confused because of the common factor of the word, Darband. At this point, its location stands nearly fixed. Now, it can be said that it is situated in Bab al-Abwab by the Darband of Caucasia in the territory of Daghistan, or is located even at a higher altitude of the Mountain of Qafqaz or Qaf (Caucasus). As for a Wall being there on both these places is a fact proved by historians.

By way of further refinement in between the two probabilities given above, my revered teacher, Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Anwar Shah has, in ` Aqidatul-Islam,' given preference to the Wall of Koh Qaf (Qafqaz: Caucasus) as being the Wall built by Dhul-Qarnain. (` Aqidatul-Islam, p. 297)

The Wall of Dhul-Qarnain: Is it still there? Will it be there until Qiyamah? Or, has it disintegrated?

Historians and geographers of Europe do not recognize the presence of any of these northern Walls in our time, nor do they admit that the passage of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj is still blocked. On that basis, some Muslim historians have also started saying and writing that the event of the emergence of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj mentioned in the Qur' an, and Hadith has already taken place. Some of them have declared the great onslaught of Tatars in the sixth century Hijrah as being the emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj mentioned by the Qur' an and Hadith. Still others have found it sufficient to equate the contemporary rise of the Russian, Chinese and European peoples with the emergence of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj and have thereby closed the case conveniently. But, all this is - as stated earlier with reference to Ruh al-Ma` ani - totally wrong. To say that the particular emergence of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj mentioned by the Qur'an was a sign of Qiyamah translates as a denial of Sahih Ahadith. The Sahih Hadith of Muslim narrated by al-Naas ibn Sam` an, and others says that Qiyamah will come after three events have taken place. These events will be the emergence of Dajjal (anti-Christ), the descent of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and the killing of Dajjal. How can it be said that it has already come to pass! The reason is obvious. The Dajjal has not emerged. Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) has yet to descend. And there is no doubt about it.

Nevertheless, it is not counter to any textual authority (pass) of Qur' an, and Sunnah that the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain may have disintegrated now and some people from among the Ya'juj Ma'juj may have come on this side. However, this will remain subject to the condition that one admits that their last and the most massive onslaught, which will prove to be the destroyer of the entire human population, has not come yet. In fact, it will come after the great manifestation of the signs of Qiyamah mentioned earlier, that is, the appearance of the Dajjal and the descent of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) etc.

The considered view of ` Allamah Kashmiri (رح) in this matter is that the European assertion that they have scanned the whole world and have found no trace of this Wall bears no weight. First of all, the reason is that they themselves have clearly admitted that, despite having reached the zenith of travel and research, there remain many forests, rivers and islands about which they had been unable to collect information. Then, not too remote is the probability that the Wall, despite being present, may now have taken the form of a mountain because of mountains crumbling and joining together. But, no absolute textual authority (nass) contradicts the fact of this Wall disintegrating before Qiyamah, or of some people from the Ya'juj Ma' juj crossing over to this side by taking some distant and long-winding route.

The strongest argument put forward in favor of this Wall of Dhul-Qarnain surviving until the last day of Qiyamah is based on the statement of the Qur' an: فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَ‌بِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ (98). Here, Dhul-Qarnain says, 'when the promise of my Lord will materialize (that is, the time will come for the Ya'juj Ma'juj to appear), Allah Ta` ala will make this Wall crumble down to ground level.' The proponents of this argument have interpreted the words: وَعْدُ رَ‌بِّي (the promise of my Lord) in this verse in the sense of Qiyamah, the Last Day - although, the words of the Qur'an are not definite and categorical about it. The reason is that the Qur' anic words: وَعْدُ رَ‌بِّي (the promise of my Lord) carry a very clear sense of their own. So, what is meant here is that the arrangement made by Dhul-Qarnain to block the entry of the Ya'juj Ma'juj may not necessarily remain there, as is, forever. When Allah Ta' ala wills to have the passage open to them, this Wall will lie demolished. Therefore, it is not necessary that it would happen precisely close to the Qiyamah. Accordingly, all commentators have mentioned both probabilities in the sense of: وَعْدُ رَ‌بِّي (the promise of my Lord). It appears in Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit:

وَالوعد یحتمل ان یراد بہ یوم القیٰمۃ ، وان یرادبہ وقت خروج یاجوج و ماجوج

And the promise has the probability that meant by it is the Day of Qiyamah and that meant by it is the time of the emergence of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj.

One way of verifying this could be the eventuality that the Wall lies demolished, the passage has opened up and the onslaught of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj has begun. It does not matter whether its beginning is taken to be from the havoc caused by the Tatar in the sixth century Hijrah, or from the present ascendancy of the peoples of Europe, Russia and China. But, it is evident that the aggressive emergence of these civilized peoples - something taking place in a constitutional and legal framework - cannot be classed as rank disorder which is being particularly pointed out by the Qur' an and Hadith. The anatomy of havoc given there is that it will unfold in the form of such a magnitude of merciless bloodshed and devastation that it will eliminate the entire human population. Rather, the outcome will, then, be that some nationalities of these very Ya'juj Ma'juj had turned civilized after having moved to this side. They certainly turned out to be the source of great disorder and trial for Islamic coun-tries. But, till now, their savage counterparts who know nothing but bloodshed have not come to this side as destined - and the majority of them are of that kind. These will emerge very close to Qiyamah.

The source of the second argument is the Hadith of Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad where it is said that the Ya'juj Ma'juj keep digging this Wall every day. But, first of all, Ibn Kathir has declared this Hadith to be ma' lul (defective despite its apparently correct chain of narrators). Secondly, in the Hadith itself, there is no clarification that the day Ya'juj and Ma'juj will cross over the Wall by virtue of saying Insha'Allah the thing will happen necessarily close to the Qiyamah. Then, the Hadith does not provide any proof either that the whole lot of the Ya'juj and Ma'juj will remain restrained behind the Wall. Even if some groups, or nationalities, from among them were to come to this side by taking some distant and long-winding route, it will still not be too far out an eventuality in the presence of powerful modern ships. In fact, some historians have mentioned that the Ya'juj Ma'juj have found the way to reach this side via long sea travel. If so, the Hadith does not contradict that either.

In short, there is no clear and definite proof in the Qur' an and Sunnah that goes on to establish that the Wall of Dhul-Qarnain will remain standing right through the last day of Qiyamah. Or, their elementary and insignificant attacks against the human population on this side will not be possible. However, in all certainty, the time of that horrific and devastating onslaught which will destroy the entire human population will be but close to the Qiyamah as has been mentioned repeatedly. To sum up, it can be said that based on the textual authority (nusus) of the Qur'an, and Sunnah, it is not possible to give an absolute verdict that the Wall against the Ya'juj and Ma'juj has disintegrated leaving the passage open. Nor can it be said that, according to the Qur'an, and Sunnah, it is necessary that it survives up to the Qiyamah. Both probabilities exist. And Pure and High is Allah who knows reality best. Verse:95 Commentary - - - Verse:96 Commentary - - - Verse:97 Commentary - - - Verse:98 Commentary - - - Verse:99 Commentary Commentary

As for the pronoun of the word: بَعْضَهُمْ (ba` dahum) in بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ (And on that day, We will leave them [ Ya' juj and Ma'juj ] surging over one another - 99), it is obvious that it reverts back to Ya'juj Ma juj. Then, as for their condition described therein - 'surging over one another' - it is also obvious that this will be their state when the passage lies open for them and they will be hastening their way from the hilly heights down to the ground. Commentators have suggested other probabilities as well.

The pronoun in: فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ (fajama'nahum: Then We shall gather them together - 99) is reverting back to the creation at large, human beings and the Jinn. The sense is that the entire creation of human beings and the Jinn who have been obligated with the percepts of the Shari` ah (mukallaf) shall be gathered together on the plains of Resurrection (al-Hashr). Verse:100 Commentary - - - Verse:101 Commentary - - -