قال الله تعالى:

Allah the Almighty says:

{وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرًا ۝ إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا ۝ فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا ۝ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ}

{And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: "I shall recite to you something of his story." Verily, We established him in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything. So he followed a way. Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water.

وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا ۝ قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا ۝ وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُ جَزَاءً الْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا

And he found near it a people. We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness." He said: "As for him (a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah) who does wrong, we shall punish him, and then- he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell)."But as for him who believes (in Allah's Oneness) and works righteousness he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain)

"فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا" ثم سلك طريقًا آخر، حتى إذا بلغ مطلع الشمس وجدها تطلع على قوم لم نجعل لهم من دونها سترًا. كذلك، وقد أحطنا بما لديه خبرًا. ثم أتبع سببًا.

shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)." Then he followed another way. Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allah) had provided no shelter against the sun. So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnain). Then he followed (another) way.

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا. قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا. قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا. آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انفُخُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا. فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا. قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ ۖ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا.

Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog) are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?" He said: "That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men),] will erect between you and them a barrier. "Give me pieces (blocks) of iron;" then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: "Blow;" then when he had made them (red as) fire, he said: "Bring me molten copper to pour over them." So they (Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog))) could not scale it or dig through it. Dhul- Qarnain) said: "This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true. "}. (Al-Kahf, 83-98)

أثنى الله سبحانه وتعالى على ذي القرنين في القرآن الكريم لعدله. فقد حكم المشارق والمغارب وبلادًا كثيرة أخضع أهلها وحكمهم بعدل تام. والراجح أنه كان ملكًا عادلًا فحسب.

Allah the Almighty praised Dhul-Qarnain in the Glorious Qur'an for his justice. He ruled over the easts and wests and many regions where he subjected their peoples and ruled them with perfect justice. The most likely opinion is that he was just a king.

وقيل إنه كان نبيًّا أو رسولًا. أما الرأي الأبعد احتمالًا فهو أنه كان ملَكًا، وقد رُوي ذلك عن أمير المؤمنين عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه.

Also, he was said to be a Prophet, or a Messenger. However, the most unlikely opinion thereof was that he was an Angel. The latter was narrated after the Leader of the Faithful, 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him)

حَتَّى سَمِعَ رَجُلًا يُنَادِي آخَرَ: يَا ذَا القَرْنَيْنِ! فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: اسْكُتْ! أَلَمْ يَكْفِكُمْ أَنْ تُسَمُّوا بِأَسْمَاءِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ، حَتَّى تَتَسَمَّوْا بِأَسْمَاءِ المَلَائِكَةِ؟ وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: كَانَ ذُو القَرْنَيْنِ نَبِيًّا.

who heard a man calling another saying: 0 Dhul-Qarnain! He ('Umar) said: Shut up! Was it not enough with you to name yourselves after the Prophets, that you take names after those of the Angels?" It is reported that' Abdullah Ibn 'Amr said: Dhul-Qarnain was a Prophet.

وَعَلَى الْعَكْسِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، رَوَى أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ

Conversely, Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him)

قال النبيُّ ﷺ: «لا أدري أكان تُبَّعٌ لعينًا أم لا؟ ولا أدري أتكون الحدودُ كفارةً لأهلها أم لا؟ ولا أدري أكان ذو القرنين نبيًّا أم لا؟» (وهذا الحديث غريب عجيب)

said: "I do not know whether Tubba' was a cursed one or not? And, I do not know whether Hudud (the Prescribed Penalties) are expiatory for their people or not? And, I do not know whether Dhul-Qarnain was a Prophet or not?" (This Hadith is Odd and Strange)

وفي رواية أخرى، رَوى ابنُ عبّاسٍ (رضي الله عنه) حديثًا يَنتهي إلى القولِ بأنّ ذا القرنين كان مَلكًا صالحًا أُثنيَ على عملِه في كتابِ الله (القرآنِ الكريمِ)، وأنّه نُصِرَ، وأنّ الخضرَ كان وزيرَه، وقائدَ جيشِه، ومُستشارَه.

In other narration, Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) transmitted a report that goes to the saying that Dhul-Qarnain was a good king whose work was praised in Allah's Book (the Glorious Qur'an); he was made victorious; and Al-Khadir was his minister, leader of his army, and his consultant.

هذه مسألة خلافية، إذ لا يُعرف سبب محدد لذلك على وجه القطع. قال بعضهم: كان على رأسه شيء يشبه قرنين. وقال وهب بن منبه: كان على رأسه قرنان من نحاس. (وهذا التفسير ضعيف جدًا)

This is a controversial issue, that there is not a definite known reason behind this. Some said: he had something on his head that looked like two horns. Wahb Ibn Munabih said: He had two horns of brass on his head. (This interpretation is very weak)

بعضُ العلماء من أهل الكتاب (النصارى واليهود)

Some scholars from among the People of the Book (Christians and Jews)

قيل: لأنه ملك البلاد الفارسية والرومية. وقيل أيضاً: إنه بلغ مطلع الشمس الأول من جهة المشرق ومغربها من جهة المغرب، وملك ما بين ذلك، والقول الأخير أرجح، وهو قول الزهري.

said: This is because he ruled over Persian and Roman territories. It was also said: that he reached the first ray of the rising sun on the east and that on the west and he ruled over all that was in between. (The latter opinion is more likely true, which is the saying of Az-Zuhari)

قال الحسن البصري: كان له ضفيرتان من الشعر كان يلويهما، ولذلك سُمّي «ذا القرنين». وروى إسحاق بن بشر أن جد عمرو بن شعيب قال: دعا ذو القرنين مرةً ملكًا جبارًا إلى سبيل الله، فضربه الملك على رأسه فكسر أحد قرنيه.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: He had two braids of hair that he used to fold up and thus was called "Dhul-Qarnain". And, Ishaq Ibn Bishr narrated that the grandfather of 'Umar Ibn Shu' aib said: DhulQarnain, once, invited a tyrant king to the way of Allah. The king hit him on the head and broke one of his horns.

ودعاه ذو القرنين مرة أخرى فكسر الطاغية القرن الثاني، ولذلك سُمّي "ذا القرنين".

Dhul-Qarnain invited him again and the tyrant broke the second horn. Thus, he was called "Dhul-Qarnain" .

عن الثوري، أن علي بن أبي طالب (رضي الله عنه)

Narrated Ath-Thawri that 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him)

سُئل عن ذي القرنين فقال: كان رجلاً صالحاً تقياً، دعا قومه إلى الله، فضربوه على قرنه، فمات، فبعثه الله تعالى، فدعاهم فضربوه على قرنه الآخر، فمات، فأحياه الله تعالى، فلذلك سُمّي "ذا القرنين". وفي روايات أخرى، روى أبو الطفيل عن علي بن أبي طالب أنه قال: لم يكن نبياً ولا رسولاً ولا ملكاً، بل كان عبداً صالحاً مؤمناً بالله.

was once asked about Dhul-Qarnain. He replied saying: He was a rightly-guided and pious man. He invited his people to Allah, but they hit him on his horn (side of the head) and he was killed. Allah the Almighty resurrected him and he invited them again, again they hit him on his second horn and he was killed (for the second time). Allah the Almighty revived him and thus he was called "Dhul- Qarnain". In other narrations, it was narrated by Abu At-Tufail after 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib that he said: He was neither a Prophet, nor a Messenger, nor an Angel, but was a godly, pious worshipper.

اختلف العلماء في اسمه. فقد روى الزبير بن بكار عن عبد الله بن عباس رضي الله عنه: كان اسمه عبد الله بن الضحاك بن معد، أو مصعب بن عبد الله بن قِنان بن منصور بن عبد الله بن الأزد بن غوث بن نبت بن مالك بن زيد بن كهلان بن سبأ بن قحطان.

Scholars disagreed regarding his name. Az Zubair Ibn Bakkar narrated after' Abdullah Ibn, Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him): His name was 'Abdullah IbnAd-Dahhak Ibn Ma'd; or Mus'ab Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn Qinan Ibn Mansur Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn Al-Azd Ibn Ghauth Ibn Nabt Ibn Malik Ibn Zaid Ibn Kahlan Ibn Saba' Ibn Qahtan.

ورد في حديثٍ أنه كان من قبيلة حِمْيَر، وأن أمه كانت رومية، وكان يُسمّى الفيلسوف لجودة عقليته. غير أن السُّهَيلي قال: اسمه مَرْزُبَان بن مَرْزُبَة. وذكر ذلك ابن هشام، وذكر في موضع آخر أن اسمه: السَّعْب بن ذي مَرَاثد، وهو جدّ التُّبَّعيّة، وهو الذي قضى لإبراهيم ﷺ بالحكم في بئر السَّبع.

It has been narrated in a Hadith that he was from the tribe of Himyar and that his mQther was Roman, and he was called the Philosopher for the excellence of his mentality. However, As-Suhaili said: his name was Marzaban Ibn Marzabah. This was mentioned by Ibn Hisham who mentioned in another location that his name was: As-Sa'b Ibn Dhi Mara'id who was the grandfather of the Tababi'ah and it was him who gave the verdict to the benefit of Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) pertaining to the well of As-Sab' .

قيل: إنه أفريدون بن أسفيان الذي قتل الضحاك. وقال القس بن ساعدة الإيادي في خطبته المشهورة: يا معشر إياد بن الصعب! ذو القرنين ملك المغرب والمشرق، وقهر الجن والإنس، وعاش ألفي سنة، ومع ذلك كان كل ذلك كلمح البصر.

It was said: He was Afridun Ibn Asfiyan who killed Ad-Dahhak. Al-Qass Ibn Sa' idah Al-Iyadi said in his famous sermon: 0 folk of Ayad Ibn As-Sa'b! Dhul- Qarnain ruled over the west. and east, subjugated the Jinn and mankind, and he lived for two thousand years. However, all this was just like a twinkle of the eye.

قال الدارقطني وابن ماكولا: اسمه حرميس، أو حرويس بن قطون بن رومي بن لنطي بن كشوخين بن يونان بن يافث بن نوح (عليه السلام)، والله أعلم! وروى إسحاق بن بشر عن سعيد بن بشير عن قتادة قال: كان الإسكندر ذا القرنين، وكان أبوه قيصر الأول، وكان من ولد سام بن نوح (عليه السلام).

Ad- Daraqutni and Ibn Makula mentioned that his name was Hirmis, or Hirwis Ibn Qitun Ibn Rumi Ibn Lanti Ibn Kashaukhin Ibn Yunan Ibn Yafith Ibn Nuh (Noah (Peace be upon him)), and Allah knows best! Ishaq Ibn Bishr narrated after Sa'id Ibn Bashir on the authority of Qatadah as saying: Alexander was (called) Dhul-Qarnain, his father was the first Caesar, and he was from among the offspring of Sam Ibn Nuh (Noah (Peace be upon him)).

في هذا الموضع ينبغي التمييز بين شخصين لُقِّبا بذي القرنين. الأول هو ذو القرنين الصالح، أما الثاني فهو الإسكندر بن فيليب بن مصريم بن حرميس بن ميتون بن رومي بن لانطي بن يونان بن يافث بن يونه بن شرخون بن رومه بن شرفات بن طوفيل بن رومي بن الأصفر بن يقز بن العيص بن إسحاق بن إبراهيم (عليه السلام). وقد ذكر هذا النسب الحافظ ابن عساكر في تاريخه.

أخرج ابنُ عساكر حديثًا طويلًا فيه أنّ ذا القرنين كان له صديقٌ من الملائكة يُدعى رَنَاقِل. فسأله ذو القرنين: هل تعرف المكانَ الذي على الأرض يُقال له «عينُ الحياة»؟ فوصف له الملَكُ موضعه. فخرج ذو القرنين في طلبها، وجعل الخضرَ بين يديه بشيرًا (مقدِّمةً له).

Ibn 'Asakir reported a lengthy narration in which: Dhul-Qarnain had a friend from among the Angels called Ranaqil. Dhul-Qarnain asked him: Do you know the place on earth called "the Eye of Life"? The Angel described to him its location. Dhul-Qarnain set out seeking it appointing Al-Khadir as his harbinger.

وَصَادَفَ الْخَضِرُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءَ فِي أَرْضِ الظُّلُمَاتِ فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ، أَمَّا ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ فَلَمْ يَظْفَرْ بِهِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ لَقِيَ هُنَاكَ فِي قَصْرٍ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، فَأُعْطِيَ حَجَرًا. فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ إِلَى جَيْشِهِ سَأَلَ الْعُلَمَاءَ، فَوَضَعُوهُ فِي إِحْدَى كِفَّتَيِ الْمِيزَانِ، وَوَضَعُوا فِي الْكِفَّةِ الْأُخْرَى أَلْفَ حَجَرٍ مِثْلَهُ فِي الْوَزْنِ وَالشَّكْلِ، فَمَالَتِ الْكِفَّةُ الَّتِي فِيهَا الْحَجَرُ الْأَوَّلُ.

Al-Khadir came upon it in the land of darkness and he drank thereof. But, Dhul- Qarnain did not make it. However, Dhul-Qarnain met with a group of Angels in a palace there and he was given a stone. When he returned to his army, he asked the scholars who put it on a scale and put on the other one thousand stones of the like (weight and shape). However, the scale containing the first stone tilted.

ثم سأل الخضر، فوضع على الكفة الأخرى حجرًا واحدًا وقبضة من التراب الجاف. فمال ميزان الخضر هذه المرة. ثم علّق قائلًا:

He, then, asked Al-Khadir who put on the other scale a single stone and a handful of dry dust. Al-Khadir's scale tilted this time. He then commented saying:

"هذا مثل ابن آدم، لا يشبع حتى يُدفن (يُغطّى بالتراب)". عندئذٍ سجد العلماء بين يديه تعبيرًا عن الإجلال والإكرام، والله أعلم! ثم يُخبرنا الله تعالى أن ذا القرنين أصدر أحكامًا تتعلق بأهل تلك المنطقة: {قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا * قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا} أي: يذوق العذاب في هذه الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة، وقد بدأ بعذاب الدنيا لأنه أشدّ وقعًا في نفس الكافر. {وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُ جَزَاءً الْحُسْنَىٰ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا} حيث بدأ بجزاء الآخرة، وهو الأهم، وأضاف إليه الإحسان، أي: العدل والعلم والإيمان. ثم يقول الله تعالى: {ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا}، أي: سلك طريقًا للرجوع من المغرب إلى المشرق.

"This is like the son of Adam, he is never satisfied till he is buried (covered with dust)". Thereupon, the scholars prostrated themselves before him as a sign of respect and honor; and Allah knows best! Then, Allah the Almighty informs us that Dhul-Qarnain gave verdicts pertaining to the people of that region {We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "0 Dhul- Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness." He said: "As for him (a disbeliever , in the Oneness of Allah) who does wrong, we shall ! punish him, and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell)} i.e. he tastes the torment in this present life and in the Hereafter. He began with the torment of the present life for its more difficult in the sight of the disbeliever. {But as for him who believes (in Allah's Oneness) and works righteousness he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain) shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)} where he started with the reward of the Hereafter which is most important and he added thereto kindness, i.e. justice, knowledge and faith. Allah the Almighty says {Then he followed another way}, i.e. he followed a way to return back from the west to the east.