Dhu-L-ḲArneyn.

They (namely, the Jews) will ask thee concerning Dhu-l- Ḳarneyn . ²⁰⁶ (His name was El-Iskender, and he was not a prophet?) Answer, I will recite unto you an account of him. We gave him ability in the earth, by facilitating his journeying therein, and gave him a way to attain everything that he required. And he followed a way towards a place where the sun setteth, until, when he came to the place where the sun setteth, he found that it set in a spring of black mud, as it appeared to the eye; but really that spring was greater than the world ; and he found near it a people who were unbelievers. ²⁰⁷ We said, by inspiration, O Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn. either punish the people by slaughter, or proceed against them gently, taking them captive. He said, As to him who offendeth by polytheism, we will punish him by slaughter: then he shall be taken back to his Lord, and He will punish him with a severe punishment, in the fire of hell. But as to him who believeth, and doeth that which is right, he shall have as a reward paradise, and We will say unto him, in Our command, that which will be easy unto him.–Then he followed a way towards the place where the sun riseth, until, when he came to the place where the sun riseth, he found that it rose upon a people (namely, the Zenj) unto whom We had not given anything wherewith to shelter themselves therefrom, neither clothing nor roof; for their land bore no building; but they had subterranean dwellings, into which they retired at sunrise, and they came forth when the sun was high. Thus was the case ; and We comprehended with Our knowledge what were with him (namely, Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn), of weapons and forces and other things.–Then he followed a way until, when he came between the two barriers (or mountains, at the confines of the country of the Turks, between which is the barrier of El-Iskender, as will be related presently), he found before them a people who could scarce understand speech. They said, O Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn, verily Y ájooj and M ájooj [Gog and Magog ²⁰⁸ ] are corrupting in the earth, by plunder and tyranny, when they came forth unto us. Shall we therefore pay thee tribute, on the condition that thou make a barrier between us and them ?–He answered, The ability which my Lord hath given me, by wealth and other things, is better than your tribute, which I need not. I will make the barrier for you gratuitously: but assist me strenuously by doing that which I desire: I will make between you and them a strong barrier. Bring me pieces of iron of the size of the blocks of stone used in building.–And he built with them, and placed amid them firewood and charcoal, until, when it [the mass] filled up the space between the upper parts of the two mountains, and he had put the bellows and fire around that mass, he said, Blow ye [with the bellows]. So they blew until, when he had made it (that is, the iron) like fire, he said, Bring me molten brass, that I may pour upon it. And he poured the molten brass upon the heated iron, so that it entered between its pieces and the whole became one mass. And they (namely, Y ájooj and M ájooj) were not able to ascend to its top by reason of its height and smoothness; nor were they able to perforate it by reason of its hardness and thickness. Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn said, This (namely, the barrier, or the gift of the ability to construct it) is a mercy from my Lord: but when the promise of my Lord, as to the eruption of Y ájooj and M ájooj shortly before the resurrection, shall come to be fulfilled, He will reduce it (namely, the barrier) to dust; and the promise of my Lord concerning their eruption and other events is true. And We will suffer some of them, on that day (the day of their eruption), to pour tumultuously among others: and the trumpet shall be blown for the resurrection, and We will gather them (namely, all creatures) together in a body, in one place. And We will set hell, on that day, near before the unbelievers, whose eyes have been veiled from my admonition (the Ḳur- án), and who, being blind, have not been directed by it, and who could not hear what the prophet recited unto them, by reason of their hatred of him ; wherefore they believed not in him. (xviii. 82–101.)