METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN
by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein
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?
to be continued .....
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