An Inspiring Story - Zulqarnain

All event stories in the Qur’an are true and correct because the Creator and the Lord of all the worlds narrated them. Many of them may have happened before people started recording events. These stories were narrated for our benefit, and as God says: “Indeed, in their stories there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight; it could not be a discourse invented … “ (12:111). 

The purpose of this story is to give a lesson to those who exercise functions of authority, and to promote issues within a society, such as being well organized, utilizing the energies available, helping the needy, being firm in upholding justice among people, with sincere faith in God and the Day of Resurrection.

The Qur’an tells us about Zulqarnain, without mentioning his original country, his lifetime or the places where he exercised his authority, because the main purpose in relating his story is only the teaching of lessons. God endowed him with power and provided him ways and means for his great works. His power extended over East and West and over people of diverse civilizations. He was just and righteous, not selfish or grasping. He protected the weak and punished the unlawful. He was a God-conscious leader; he recognized that God gave him power and opportunities as a trust. He was a faithful believer and did not forget God in his speeches to the people.

In his three expeditions he utilized the right means for the achievement of a particular goal. God says in the Qur’an:  “Indeed We empowered him throughout the land, and endowed him with (the knowledge of) the right means to achieve anything (that he might set out to achieve); and so he chose the right means (in what ever he did)” (18:84-85).

Let us try to dig out the lessons:

First Expedition: In the first expedition to the West he found a turbulent and unruly people. He had great power and got authority over them, so that he could act in one of the two ways: either to be just and handle them with wisdom or to be cruel and unjust towards them. Zulqarnain chose the peaceful way and ruled with justice. He protected the weak and the innocent; he punished the guilty and the headstrong. He always remembered that the true punishment would come in the Hereafter – the true and final justice before the Throne of God. The Qur’an records: “And he marched westwards till, when he came to the setting of the sun, it appeared to him that it was setting in a dark, turbid spring; and nearby he found a people. We said: O Zulqarnain, either punish them or treat them kindly. He said: As for him who does wrong, we shall chastise him, then he shall be returned to his Lord and He shall chastise him with an awful chastisement. But as for him who believes and acts righteously, he shall have the fairest reward, and we shall speak to him mildly in our command” (18:86-88).

The lesson we can take here is the importance of exercising justice and good behavior towards people, especially for those who hold authority over others in whatever position they are.

Second Expedition: This time Zulqarnain marched to the East. There, he seems to have found a primitive people. The Qur’an says: “Then he followed (another) way; (he marched eastwards) till, when he came to the setting of the sun he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it: Thus it was, and We did encompass with Our knowledge all that he had in mind” (18:90-91).

Zulqarnain came to this region with strong power and authority but did not fuss over their primitiveness. He might either have left them to the enjoyment of peace and tranquility in their own way, or he might have started to educate them gradually; there is no detailed information about it. However, Zulqarnain was God-conscious and wise. He did not act like the waves of the European migrants in America following the arrival of Christopher Columbus, in the 15^th Century. Each wave more determined than the last to seize control of the “New World’s” vast natural resources: In South America, Francisco Pizarro slaughtered the Inca. In Mexico, Hernan Cortes destroyed the Aztecs. Millions and millions of natives perished. Today, the population of Native Americans is widely scattered and many tribes and ancient customs have been lost forever.

The Aborigines (in Australia) are among the most ancient races in the entire world. The European migrants were the ones that governed the country. Beginning in 1909 - and continuing into the 1970s - the Australian government instituted a policy of removing Aboriginal children from their parents to destroy any trace of their native heritage.

Third Expedition: The important lesson we can learn from Zulqarnain’s third expedition to the East is that he has managed to achieve the building of a great construction, which was vital for the people in the region. He was keen to exploit his technical proficiency and the skills of local labor’s energy to fulfill the wish of the people and realize that construction. When he finished the planned construction, Zulqarnain did not forget to admonish the people, that whatever success he obtained is firstly by the grace and mercy of God, who made everything available to achieve what has been intended. He also reminded them that nothing in this world is everlasting, and that the time will come when this solid construction will be leveled.

The Qur’an says: “Then he followed (another) way; until, when he reached between the two barriers he found on this side of them a folk that could scarcely comprehend speech. They said: O Zulqarnain, truly Gog and Magog are causing corruption in the land. So shall we pay a tribute on condition that you build between us and them a barrier? He said: That wherein my Lord has empowered me is better; so help me with (your labour’s) strength, and I will build between you and them a rampart. Bring me ingots of iron; until when he had levelled up (the gap) between the two flanks he said: Blow; until when he had made it a fire, he said: Bring me molten copper to pour over it. And so they were not able to scale it, nor could they pierce it. Said he: This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will level it, for my Lord’s promise is (always) true”  (18:92-98).

Beside this, Dr. Ahmad Khairi Al-Umari, in his book “Qur’anic Compass” wrote a very interesting analysis about the Story of Zulqarnain. According to him, God made all the stories in Surah Al-Kahf in such a way, that they would inspire Muslim readers of the Qur’an to think deeply and dig out the purpose of these stories. The Surah starts with youth bearing the burden of a different belief and faith, which seems so fragile at the beginning, to the point that it will be saved in a cave, then passes through different stages and eventually reaches the highest stage: Zulqarnain’s story. The distance between these two stages should be determined by the Qur’anic compass, which sets the trend, the constants and the target.

According to Al-Umari, the first expedition of Zulqarnain was towards the sunset, symbolising all degradation of civilisations to “the dark turbid spring”. That spring was not expulsing vital water for its surrounding, but expulsing unhealthy fluids destroying everything. It symbolized the degradation of morality in the civilisation. But although this society had a lame civilisation, yet it was possible to treat it and bring it up to a better one. This is what Zulqarnain has done during his time of power in that region of the world, by establishing a constitution based on the ordinances of God and by following His guidance.

The second expedition shows that when people are uncivilised, you cannot create a constitution for them, you first have to educate them from the ground up.

In the third expedition Zulqarnain found a people who seemed enough civilised but who complained from hostile people (the Qur’an named them “ya’jooj and ma’jooj”) who used to cause corruption in the land; they come from the other side of the mountainous area. Both names come from the Arabic word “ajjaja” which means creating pulsation. He said that most probably this name “ya’jooj and ma’jooj” is to describe their disturbing and destroying character. Thus, to protect the complainants, Zulqarnain agreed to help them build what they needed, not merely a barrier, but a solid rampart, which would prevent the hostiles to pass through. He refused to take tribute, but instead asked them to take part in the construction of the rampart with their labor’s strength. This decision of Zulqarnain shows his wisdom and sincerity in helping people and encouraging them to elevate their level of life in a humanly, brotherly spirit.