39. ZUL-QARNAYN AND YAJOOJ MAJOOJ
Zul-Qarnayn’s name is Sikandar and he is the maternal cousin of Sayyiduna Khidr. Sayyiduna Khidr had served as his minister and flag-bearer in forests. He is from the descendants of Sayyiduna Saam Bin Nuh and is the only son of an old woman. He embraced Islam on the hands of Sayyiduna Ibraheem and remained in his blissful company for a long time. Sayyiduna Ibraheem also bequeathed him with some of his testaments. He was not a Prophet. He was a devout and a holy person who was blessed with the rank of sainthood.
Why was he called Zul-Qarnayn
The Beloved Prophet has narrated that he became famous with the title of Zul-Qarnayn (the one with two horns) because he made the journey of the two horns of the world meaning, the two corners of the world. Some are of the opinion that during his age, two Qarn (period of time) passed and one Qarn is of a hundred years. Some have reported that he had two locks (Zulfayn) so he is known as Zul-Qarnayn and another opinion is that there were two horns on his crown. Some are of the opinion that there was a bulging on the both sides of his head which looked like horns, while some have mentioned the reason that his father and mother both belong to a noble lineage. Therefore, people started calling him ‘Zul-Qarnayn’.
Allah blessed him with the kingship of the whole world. There have been four such kings in the world who have had the kingship of the entire world. Two among them were the believers and two were unbelievers. Among the believers were Sayyiduna Sulayman and Zul-Qarnayn; whilst among the unbelievers were Bakht Nasr and Namrood. A fifth king who will rule the entire world will be from this Ummah and his blessed name is Imam Mahdi
Three journeys of Sikandar Zul-Qarnayn
In the Holy Quran, three journeys of Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn have been mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf. Let us narrate these three journeys from the Holy Quran that are very strange.
1. First journey
Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn had read in old scriptures that a person from the progeny of Saam Bin Nuh will drink water from the spring of eternity (Aab-e-Hayat) and hence he will never die. For this reason, Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn travelled towards the west along with Sayyiduna Khidr . Sayyiduna Khidr reached the spring of eternity and drank from it, but Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn could not avail the opportunity. During this journey towards the west, he traversed all the land until he reached a place where at the time of sunset; it seemed as if the sun was drowning in waters.
There he met people who were wearing the animal hides. There was no other dress over their bodies other than that and they had nothing to eat except for the dead animals of the sea. These people were called ‘Naasik’. Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn noticed that they had huge armies and these people were very powerful warriors. Sayyiduna Zul- Qarnayn surrounded them with his army and made them helpless. Therefore, some among them embraced Islam while others were killed by his army.
2. Second journey
Then Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn travelled towards the east. When he reached the place where the sun rises from, he came across such people who had no homes or buildings. At the time of sunrise, they would hide themselves in the caves and after the sunset, they would come out of the caves for searching their livelihood. These people were known as ‘Mansik’. Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn also fought a war against these people. Those who embraced the true faith were dealt with compassion and those who remained stuck with their unbelief were killed.
3.Third journey
After this, Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn travelled towards the north and reached ‘Sadain’ (in the midst of two mountains). The inhabitants of this area spoke a very strange language. He could hardly communicate with them through gestures and sign language. These people complained to Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn about tyrannies of the Yajooj Majooj and sought help from him.
Yajooj Majooj (Gog Magog)
It was a rebellious group among the progeny of Yaafas Bin Nuh and these people were very huge in number. They were brutal and wild and lived just like animals. During the spring season, these people would come out of their caves, eat away all the crops and vegetables and carry away the dry items with them. They would eat humans, wild animals and even snakes, scorpions, chameleons and every small or big animal.
Alexandrian wall (Sad-e-Sikandari)
The people requested Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn to save them from the mischief and tyrannies of Yajooj Majooj (Gog and Magog) and they also offered money in exchange for this. But Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn told them, ‘I do not need your wealth. Allah has
bestowed me with everything. Just help me by providing physical assistance.’ Therefore, he asked for a foundation to be dug in the middle of the two mountains. When water emerged out, stones were placed firmly with the help of molten copper; then iron planks were firmly placed over and under those rocks and the interior surface
was filled with coal and wood. Then it was all lit with fire. This way, the wall was erected up to the height of the mountains and no space was left between the two mountains. Then melted copper was poured into the wall. All this combined together to make a very strong wall.
In the Surah Al-Kahf of the Holy Quran, from to is the mention of the first journey, then from to is the mention of the second journey and from to is the mention of the third journey.
When will Sad-e-Sikandari break
It has been mentioned in a Hadees that Yajooj Majooj daily try to break this wall and striving hard, when they reach close to breaking it, then someone among them says that leave it now, we will break the remaining part tomorrow. When these people arrive the next day, then by the command of Allah, the wall becomes even stronger than before. When the time of the failure of this wall would come, someone among them will say we will break the remaining part tomorrow. Due to reward of saying the wall will break down the next day. This will be the time when the Day of Judgement will be close.
After the breakage of the wall, Gog and Magog will rush out and will commit bloodshed and devastation everywhere. They will gulp the water of springs and ponds, eat away trees and animals and will spread out everywhere in the earth. However, they will be unable to enter three cities; Makka-tul-Mukarramah, Madina-tul-Munawwarah and Bayt-ul-Muqaddas. Then by the supplication of Sayyiduna ‘Isa, worms will grow in their necks and they all will perish. It has been mentioned in the Holy Quran:
Till the time when Yajooj and Majooj are released, and they will be coming down from every height.
Source: (QURANIC WONDERS) by ‘ABDUL MUSTAFA A’ZAMI.
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