Pax Qarnain – the enigmatic third journey

METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

Pax Qarnain – the enigmatic third journey

After describing the two journeys to West and East, and thus answering the question overtly posed by the Jewish Rabbis, the Qur’ān then proceeded to describe a third journey which was the real target of the question, although it had not been overtly posed by the Rabbis. It was while describing the third journey that Sūrah al-Kahf mentioned, for the first time, the names of Gog and Magog. Their release into the world would herald a major Sign of the Last Day. Knowledge of the Signs of the Last Day is a subject that lies beyond the reach of human intellect. Indeed such knowledge cannot but be the exclusive preserve of the Prophets of Allah Most High. The Sūrah informs us that, in his third journey, Dhūl Qarnain came upon a people living in a pass between two mountain ranges. This has to be a pass in-between the Caucasus range of mountains which stretch from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. (See my book entitled An Islamic View of Gog and Magog in the Modern World for a detailed exposition of this subject).  

They complained to him about Gog and Magog’s Fasād in their territory. They requested him to build a barrier that could contain Gog and Magog and thus protect them. They were prepared to pay Dhūl Qarnain to build the barrier for them.  

Gog and Magog are two communities of human beings who, according to Nabī Muhammad (s) are descended from Nabī Nūh (i.e., Noah (a)). As mentioned above, they are agents of Fasād. But the blessed Prophet went on to disclose a communication from Allah Most High reported in His direct speech (Hadīth al-Qudsi) to the effect that, “I have created creatures of Mine (i.e., Gog and Magog) so powerful that none but I can destroy them.” (Sahih Muslim). With their invincible power they can thus destroy peace on earth. Hence their conduct is the opposite to that of Dhūl Qarnain.  

Dhūl Qarnain built a barrier of blocks of iron and coated it with molten copper. The barrier blocked the entire pass like a dam, and as a consequence, Gog and Magog were contained since they could neither penetrate nor scale the barrier. He then declared the construction of the barrier, and the consequent containment of Gog and Magog, to be a manifestation of Divine Mercy. But he went on to disclose that Allah Himself would destroy the wall and release Gog and Magog into the world at a time of the Last Age. The Sūrah concluded with a description of what the world would witness when Gog and Magog are released into the world: 

“On that day We shall leave them to surge l ike waves on one another; the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together. And We shall present Hell that day for Unbelievers to see, all spread out, (Unbelievers) whose eyes had been under a veil from Remembrance of Me, and who had been unable even to hear.” 

(Qur’ān, al-Kahf,18:99-101)  

When Gog and Magog are eventually released into the world (in the Last Age) mankind would witness the emergence of a world-order that would be the opposite of what Truth would have delivered to mankind. Mankind would witness power in the hands of those who have no faith in Allah Most High. Instead of using power to liberate the oppressed and to punish the oppressor, that essentially godless age would witness power used to oppress (in particular) those who have faith in Allah Most High and whose conduct is righteous. We have argued in our book entitled ‘Jerusalem in the Qur’ān’ (see Ch. 10) that Allah Most High released Gog and Magog into the world during the lifetime of Nabī Muhammad (s). The Qur’ān provided believers with a momentous sign by which they would not only have concrete evidence of the release of Gog and Magog, but more than that, they would have the evidence that the world was now in the control of Gog and Magog. They would thus be able to identify Gog and Magog as the ruling power in the world. This is located in the reference to Gog and Magog in Sūrah al-Anbiyāh: 
“But there is a ban on a town which We have destroyed: that they (the residents) shall not return – until Gog and Magog are let through (their barrier) and they swiftly spread out in every direction.” 

(Qur’ān, al-Anbiyāh, 21:956).

When Gog and Magog have been released and, in addition, “have spread out in every direction”, then at that time the people of the town who were punished by Allah Most High, and had been banished from their town (which was destroyed by Allah Most High), would be brought back to that town. There is only one such town (which was destroyed by Allah Most High) which is mentioned in the Ahādīth pertaining to Gog and Magog, and it is Jerusalem. (See pp. 91-92 for the Hadīth). Since no other town (destroyed by Allah Most High) other than Jerusalem is mentioned in the Ahādīth pertaining to Gog and Magog, we have come to the conclusion that the town mentioned in Sūrah al-Anbiyāh (verse 95 and 96) above can only be Jerusalem. From this conclusion and identification of the town, now emerges the implication that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land was made possible through the intervention of Gog and Magog. In other words, the Judeo-Christian Zionist Euro-world order that now rules the world from Washington is the world-order of Gog and Magog.  

The Qur’ān proceeded to warn that when these events take place the world would witness the countdown to the Last Day: 

“Then will the true warning (of the Day of Accounts) draw close (to fulfillment): then behold! (on that day) the eyes of the Kuffār will stare in horror: Ah! Woe to us!  We were indeed heedless of this; nay, we were truly wicked!” 

(Qur’ān, al Anbiyāh, 21:98)

(NB: A Kāfir is not someone who declines to accept Islam. Rather he is someone who knowingly rejects the claim of the Qur’ān to be the Word of the One God, and rejects the claim of Muhammad (s) to be His Prophet, and then adopts a posture of hostility to the Qur’ān, to the Prophet and to his message.)  

When Gog and Magog are released they would ‘spread out in every direction’. This indicates that with their invincible power they will take control of the whole world and that, for the first time in history, one set of people would rule all of mankind. That is precisely our present world. The world order of Gog and Magog would be one of Fasād (i.e., oppression and wickedness). Sūrah al-Kahf has described the two defining characteristics of the Fasād of that world order as being the opposite of the two defining characteristics of the world order of Dhūl Qarnain. 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....

Pax Qarnain – the journey to the East

METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

Pax Qarnain –  the journey to the East

After describing the journey to the West, Sūrah al-Kahf then proceeded to describe Dhūl Qarnain’s journey to the East, or to the ‘rising of the sun’. Since he travelled to two ends of the land, and the first journey ended at a body of water, the implication would be that the second journey also ended the same way. If the first journey ended at the Black Sea, it would be clear that the second journey in the opposite direction would have to end at the Caspian Sea.  

There he found a people concerning whom Allah Most High declared, “We did not provide for them, as a covering, other than it.” The Qur’anic narrative described Dhūl Qarnain’s response to those people in language that is extremely difficult to interpret. “Kadhālika” was the first part of the response. And this could mean: thus did he find them and thus did he leave them (undisturbed).

The second part of the response described Allah’s response to Dhūl Qarnain’s conduct with those people. Allah Most High recognized (and approved of) Dhūl Qarnain’s wise and compassionate treatment of those people.  

What was that ‘covering’ provided to the people by Allah Most High, other than which they had no other ‘covering’? And how do we interpret Dhūl Qarnain’s enigmatic response to their situation? Our view, which we venture to explain with the proviso that Allah Knows best, is that Sūrah al-Kahf is here preparing the believers for the age of Fitan, when the modern world’s hunger for exploitation of all resources of the earth and, in particular, oil, would result in callous disregard for human life and suffering. Primitive people, whose only possessions are land and homes, but whose territory is oil-rich (for example), would find themselves dispossessed of both land and homes. This blatant rape of innocent people who lived in wondrous harmony with the natural order had to take place in order for North America and Australia for example, to become a modern paradise.  

Dhūl Qarnain recognized the human person and human rights to be superior to resources, and so he left those people undisturbed in their possession of their land and homes. When the Last Age comes, and the masses are reduced through Ribā to biting poverty, the second of the two Qarns would be recognized through its respect for the human person and human rights while it seeks to exploit (for example) resources of the earth. 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....

Pax Qarnain – the journey to the West

METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

Pax Qarnain –  the journey to the West

The Qur’ān informed us that Dhūl Qarnain traveled westwards until he reached a point in his travels where he came upon a body of dark, murky water and saw the sun go down beneath that sea of water (in the poetic sense ofcourse). The implication was that this was the farthest point westwards that he could travel. It was perhaps for this reason that the Rabbis had described him as someone who travelled to the two ends of the land. The famous commentator of the Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr, recognized that body of dark murky water to be the Black Sea. We have also come to the same conclusion using a different method of analysis (See my book entitled An Islamic View of Gog and Magog in the Modern World).  

He came across a community of people at that place and Allah Most High gave him the choice of using his power either to punish or to reward them. Dhūl Qarnain’s reply delivered the heart and substance of a world-order based on revealed Truth. He declared that he would use his power and authority to punish the oppressor, and that when he was finished with punishing him, the oppressor would then face additional punishment from his Lord-God when he returned to Him. This is the kind of world-order that the Lord-God wants mankind to establish and sustain. 

Such a world-order, established by those who possess faith in Allah Most High, would witness an essential harmony between the heavenly order above and the world-order below. The implication is that whenever oppression is banished and justice is established, mankind would enjoy a blessed state in which peace and happiness would prevail. It is for this reason that true religion has zero tolerance for oppression. The greatest of all oppression is, of course, the monetary oppression of the bogus Zionist-created monetary system which has been imposed on mankind by brute force.   

Dhūl Qarnain also declared that whoever had faith (in the One God), and was righteous in conduct, he would be rewarded, and easy would be such a person’s task as ordered by his Command. 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....

Ayah Mutashabiha Pax Qarnain (i.e., the world-order of Dhul Qarnain)

METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

Āyah Mutashabiha: Pax Qarnain (i.e., the world-order of Dhul Qarnain)

The polytheist Arabs of the tribe of Quraish, resident in Makkah, were astonished when an Arab named Muhammad (s), who was born, and had lived all his life in their midst, and was so well-known for his truthfulness that they called him Al-Amīn (the truthful and trustworthy one), suddenly declared, at the age of 40, that he was a Prophet of One God, and that beside Him there was no other God. The Arabs in Makkah were familiar with monotheist Jews who lived not far away from Makkah in the northern city of Yathrib (now renamed Madīna). They were also aware that the Jews claimed to have a special status with their One God Who continuously sent Prophets in their midst.  They therefore decided to send a delegation to meet with the Rabbis in Madīna and to consult with them how to determine the validity of Al-Amīn’s claim to prophethood.

The Rabbis gave the Arab delegation three questions to put before Nabī Muhammad (s) in order to test whether or not he was indeed a true Prophet of Allah Most High. They declared of the questions, that only a true Prophet of the One God could possibly answer them. One of the three questions concerned a great traveler who traveled to the two ends of the land. When the answer to that question was revealed in the Qur’ān, we were informed of a third journey, in addition to the two concerning which the Rabbis had questioned, and that third journey led to Gog and Magog. Since Gog and Magog are a major sign of the Last Day, of which only a Prophet would have knowledge, it was clear that the Rabbis posed the question to determine whether or not Nabī Muhammad (s) knew about that major Sign of the Last Day, namely, Gog and Magog. Before we attempt an interpretation of the verses of the Qur’ān pertaining to the subject, let us first review the Qur’anic response to the question posed by the Rabbis concerning the great traveler. The answer commences with verse 83 of Sūrah al-Kahf and continues until verse 101: 

They ask you concerning Dhūl-Qarnain. Say, “I will provide you  with some information concerning him.” (18:83)  

Verily We established him with power in the land, and We gave him the capacity to pursue whatever goal he chose. (18:84)

He then decided (to travel) on a way (18:85)  

until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a spring/lake/sea of dark/murky water. Near it he found a people, and We said to him:  “O Dhūl-Qarnain! (you have the authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness.” (18:86)  

He replied: “Whoever acts unjustly/wickedly, we will punish him, and when he returns to his Lord-God, He will also punish him with a punishment unheard-of (before). (18:87)  

But whoever has faith (in the One God), and is righteous in conduct, he will be rewarded, and easy will be his task as We order it by our Command.” (18:88)  

He then decided to travel on another way (18:89)  

until, when he came to the rising of the sun,  he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering (that could offer protection against the sun). (18:90)  

He (wisely and compassionately respected their indigenous way of life and) left them as they were, and We completely understood his response. (18:91) 

He then decided to travel on (a third) way (18:92) 

until, when he reached (a pass) between two mountains, he found, at that pass, a people who could scarcely understand a word (he spoke) (because their language was completely different and unrelated to all other languages in that geographical region). (18:93)  

They said: “O Dhūl-Qarnain! Gog and Magog are (wickedly) perpetrating corruption and destruction in (our) land: can we pay you to erect a barrier between us and them (to protect us from their wickedness)? 18:94 

He replied: “(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than what you offer): Help me therefore with man-power: I will erect a strong barrier (in the form of a dam) between you and them (and you will be safe from their wickedness) 18:95  

“Bring me blocks of iron.” At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, “Blow (with your bellows)” Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper that I might pour over it.” 18:96  

Thus were they (Gog and Magog) made powerless to scale (over) it or to dig through it. 18:97  

He (Dhūl Qarnain) said:  “The (construction of this barrier) is a mercy from my Lord-God. But when that time comes, of which my Lord-God has warned (i.e., the End-time) He will reduce this (iron barrier) to dust; and the warning of my Lord-God will come to pass.” 18:98  

At that time We will cause them (i.e., Gog and Magog) to surge like waves on one another (as they wreak havoc in the world): the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together (in one godless global society). 18:99   

And We shall present Hell that day for Kuffār (i.e., those who reject the truth and its righteous way of life) to see, all spread out, (i.e., the godless global society will live the way of the people of the hell-fire) 18:100  

(That global society will be comprised of people) whose eyes had been under a veil from remembrance of Me, and who had been unable even to hear (the cries, for example, of the oppressed).  

(Qur’ān, al-Kahf, 18:83-101)  

Dhūl Qarnain in Arabic refers to someone who possesses two Qarns. This can mean either two ‘horns’ or two ‘ages’. But since the Qur’ān has always used the word Qarn to refer to an age, epoch, or page of the book of history (see, for example, Qur’ān, al-An’ām, 6:6; Maryam, 19:74; Sād, 38:3; Qāf, 50:36; al-Mu’minūn, 23:31 etc.) and never as ‘horn’, we choose to translate Dhūl Qarnain as one who impacts on two different pages of the book of history.

And since we locate the true target of the question posed by the Jewish Rabbis in that major Sign of the Last Day, namely, Gog and Magog, we are of the view that Qarnain, i.e., the two ages, refer to an age in the distant past, and to an age which is to come, which would be the Last Age or the Age of Fitan. We hold the view that we now live in that Last Age, and hence, that this event in the Qur’ān has direct relevance to the world today.  

Those, on the other hand, who choose to believe that Dhūl Qarnain refers to someone who possesses two horns, would explain this subject differently from us. This writer cannot, for obvious reasons, offer any assistance to the reader in respect of such an explanation of the subject. 

Who was Dhūl Qarnain? This writer has not found any compelling necessity to devote attention to identifying Dhūl Qarnain, the historical personality. Rather we believe that attention should be directed to the conduct displayed by Dhūl Qarnain in his exercise of power and authority, for therein lies the very substance of the divine guidance being conveyed in the narrative, and therein lies the hidden message through which the discerning student of the Qur’ān can recognize the second of the two ages in the Qarnain. Those who insist on locating the identity of Dhūl Qarnain would therefore have to seek guidance and assistance elsewhere.  

Sūrah al-Kahf has introduced us in this story to the subject of power and its relation to faith in Allah Most High. Dhūl Qarnain possessed faith in the One God, and this is something common to believing Muslims as well as to those described in the Qur’ān as Ahl al-Kitāb (i.e., believing Christians and believing Jews), although there are Muslims today (and may Allah protect this writer from such people) who dismiss the possibility that a Christian or a Jew can have faith in the One God.  

He was endowed by Allah with the power to pursue whatever objective he chose. He therefore had the capacity to establish what may be described as Pax Qarnain (i.e., Dhūl Qarnain’s world-order). At the heart of this allegorical narrative is a description of a world order constructed once upon a time by one who possessed faith in the One God. We are presented with a critically important description of that world-order. It is one in which power rests on the foundations of faith in the One God, and is used to respond to oppression by punishing the oppressor and by protecting, assisting and rewarding those who have faith and whose conduct is righteous.  

The Qur’ān then warned of the emergence of a Gog and Magog world-order that would witness power resting on foundations that would be essentially godless, and power being wickedly used to oppress in exactly the opposite way from that of Dhūl Qarnain. Finally the promise was delivered that history would not end without that page of history being revisited in the second of the two Qarns, and a world-order being restored in which power would be used as it was used by Dhūl Qarnain.

When will the second of two Qarns come to pass? 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....