Dhul-Qarnayn: the story in the Quran

The story

1. 1

   The ruler Allah empowered

   This passage was revealed when the polytheists asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Dhul-Qarnayn (Al-Kahf, 83). The Quran says of him: "We established him upon the earth and gave him means to all things" (Al-Kahf, 84).

   So Dhul-Qarnayn was a ruler of great means, but he used this power with justice, not arrogance.

2. 2

   His journeys to the west and the east

   Dhul-Qarnayn first headed west, toward where the sun sets. There he reached a people and told them he would deal with them justly, punishing the wrongdoer and doing good to the believer (Al-Kahf, 86-88).

   Then he went east, toward where the sun rises (Al-Kahf, 90). Each time, he attributed his success not to his own power but to his Lord's favor, saying: "What my Lord has granted me is better" (Al-Kahf, 95).

3. 3

   The barrier against Yajuj and Majuj

   On his third journey he reached a people between two mountains whose language he could barely understand. They complained that Yajuj and Majuj were spreading corruption in their land, and asked him to build a barrier to protect them, offering him payment for it (Al-Kahf, 94).

   Dhul-Qarnayn did not accept the payment and said that what his Lord had granted him was sufficient. He asked them only for manpower: he had them pile up pieces of iron to fill the gap between the two mountains, then poured molten copper over it. In this way a strong barrier arose that Yajuj and Majuj could not cross (Al-Kahf, 96-97).

4. 4

   The barrier tied to Allah's promise

   As soon as the barrier was completed, Dhul-Qarnayn did not fall into pride. He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord. But when my Lord's promise comes, He will level it to the ground" (Al-Kahf, 98).

   Thus he attributed even his greatest achievement to Allah. Scholars hold different views on Dhul-Qarnayn's historical identity and whether he was a prophet; according to some narrations, he was a righteous and just ruler, while some consider him a prophet. The Quran does not enter this debate; it highlights his justice and humility.

The account of Dhul-Qarnayn comes in verses 83-98 of Surah Al-Kahf (18), after the accounts of the People of the Cave and Musa and Khidr. "Dhul-Qarnayn" is a title meaning "possessor of the two horns"; the Quran does not state his real name or the era he lived in. Scholars have disagreed over whether he was Alexander the Great, the Persian king Cyrus, or someone else. Yajuj and Majuj are mentioned in the Quran as two peoples who will spread across the earth near the end of times.

• The power and means Allah gives are a test; they must be used with justice.
• True greatness lies in humility: Dhul-Qarnayn attributed every success to Allah.
• Stopping the wrongdoer and protecting the oppressed is the duty of authority.
• Even a person's strongest work is temporary before Allah's promise.

References are drawn from Quran verses, available authentic hadith and reliable scholarship.

• QuranSurah Al-Kahf, 83-84

  These verses narrate the question about Dhul-Qarnayn and Allah granting him power on earth.

• QuranSurah Al-Kahf, 94-98

  These verses state the corruption of Yajuj and Majuj, the building of the barrier, and Dhul-Qarnayn attributing his success to Allah.

• Scholarly sourceTDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, "Zülkarneyn"

  Referenced for scholarly disagreement over Dhul-Qarnayn's historical identity (Alexander, Cyrus, and others) and whether he was a prophet.

Other narratives found in the Quran.

• People of the Cave

  The miraculous story of the youths who took refuge in a cave for the sake of their faith

• Musa and Khidr

  Prophet Musa's three-trial journey with Khidr in search of knowledge

Common questions about this story.

• What is the story of Dhul-Qarnayn?

  The story of Dhul-Qarnayn tells of a just ruler, empowered by Allah on earth, who made three great journeys west, east, and north, and built a barrier against Yajuj and Majuj (Al-Kahf, 83-98).

• Who was Dhul-Qarnayn? Was he a prophet?

  The Quran presents him as a just ruler empowered by Allah. Scholars disagree over his historical identity and whether he was a prophet; most consider him a righteous and just ruler, while some regard him as a prophet.

• What is the barrier of Dhul-Qarnayn?

  It is the strong barrier of iron and copper that Dhul-Qarnayn built between two mountains to protect a people from the corruption of Yajuj and Majuj (Al-Kahf, 96-97).

• In which surah is the story of Dhul-Qarnayn told?

  This story appears in verses 83-98 of Surah Al-Kahf (18).