[18].Surah Al-Kahf [The Cave]: Ayat 94-95

 

Ayat 94. They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily! Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (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?"

Ayat 95. 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), I will erect between you and them a barrier. 

[Tafseer] Who were the Gog and Magog people? This question is connected with the question, who was Dhu al Qarnain?. What we are mainly concerned with is the spiritual interpretation. The Conqueror had now arrived among a people who were different in speech and race from him, but not quite primitive, for they were skilled in the working of metals, and could furnish blocks (or bricks) of iron, melt metals with bellows or blowpipes, and prepare molten lead (18:96). Apparently they were a peaceable and industrious race, much subject to incursions from wild tribes who are called Gog and Magog. Against these tribes they were willing to purchase immunity by paying the Conqueror tribute in return for protection. The permanent protection they wanted was the closing of a mountain gap through which the incursions were made. Dhu al Qarnain was not greedy and did not want to impose a tribute to be carried away from an industrious population. He understood the power which Allah had given him, to involve duties and responsibilities on his part-the duty of protecting his subjects without imposing too heavy a taxation on them. He would provide the motive force and organizing skill. Would they obey him and provide the material and labour, so that they could close the gap with a strong barrier, probably with well-secured gates? The word radm, translated "Barrier," does not necessarily mean a wall, but radier suggests a blocked door or entrance. 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "You will covet for getting a position of authority, but remember that it will be a cause of humiliation and remorse on the Day of Resurrection.''

[Al-Bukhari Book 09, Chapter 89, Hadith # 262]. 

Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah Al-Kahf Ayat 95."He said: "That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute)".This Hadith urges people, particularly the incapable ones, to shed off the ambition to achieve rulership and power. It is feared that owing to their lack of talent they will mismanage the task which will be assigned to them. This will render them guilty with Allah. The Prophet [SAWW](PBUH) dissuades such people from accepting any government portfolio as in this way they will remain safe and trouble-free. Yet, if a deserving person gets a job of high responsibility, he should do his utmost to do full justice to it, so that he may be spared remorse on the Day of Resurrection.

[18].Surah Al-Kahf [The Cave]: Ayat 91-93

 

Ayat 91. So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnain).

Ayat 92. Then he followed (another) way,

Ayat 93. Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. 

[Tafseer] They were a primitive people. He did not fuss over their primitiveness, but left them in the enjoyment of peace and tranquillity in their own way. In this he was wise. Power is apt to be intolerant and arrogant, and to interfere in everything that does not accord with its own glorification. Not so Dhu al Qarnayn. He recognised his own limitations in the sight of Allah: man never completely understands his own position, but if he devoutly looks to Allah, he will live and let live. This is the spiritual lesson from the second episode. It does not mean that they had no speech. It means that they did not understand the speech of the Conqueror. But they had parleys with him (through interpreters), as is evident from the verses following. 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "No Salat is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the Fajr (dawn) prayer and the `Isha' (night) prayer; and if they knew their merits, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.''

[Al-Bukhari  Book 01, Chapter 11, Hadith # 624]. 

Lesson : as mentioned above `Isha' and Fajr prayers were, and still are, very hard for the hypocrites for the reason that they performed Salat only to make a show of it and not for the fear of Allah. Therefore, Muslims should not show any laziness in them at all, lest they develop a resemblance with the hypocrites. 

[18].Surah Al-Kahf [The Cave]: Ayat 88-90

 

Ayat 88. "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)."

Ayat 89. Then he followed another way,

Ayat 90. 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. 

[Tafseer] He never said like Pharaoh, "I am your Lord Most High!". On the contrary, his punishments were humbly regulated as not being final, and he laid more stress on the good he could do to those who lived normal lives in faith and righteousness. His rule was easy to them: he imposed no heavy tasks because of his power, but gave every opportunity to rich and poor for the exercise of virtue and goodness. Such is the spiritual lesson to be learned from the first episode. We now come to the second episode. This is an expedition to the east. "Rising of the sun" has a meaning corresponding to "setting of the sun" The people here lived very simple lives. Perhaps the climate was hot, and they required neither roofs over their heads, nor much clothing to protect them from the sun. What did he do with them.  

Hazrat Ibn `Umar (May Allah bepleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should not oppress him nor should he hand him over to (his satan or to his self which is inclined to evil). Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Resurrection".

[Al-Bukhari Book 03, Chapter 43, Hadith # 622]. 

Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah Al-Kahf Ayat 88. "who believes (in Allah's Oneness) and works righteousness, he shall have the best reward",. This Hadith is extremely important for the reason that it advises Muslims to live like family members. It says that one does not like to subject one's own son, brother, etc, to suppression, nor leaves him helpless in trouble, but helps him when he is in need of it, endeavours to relieve him of hardship and admonishes him when he does anything wrong. Almighty Allah is pleased with such behaviour and gives him best reward for it in this world and the next.  

[18].Surah Al-Kahf [The Cave]: Ayat 86-87

 

Ayat 86. Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water. And he found near it a people. We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness."

Ayat 87. 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).

[Tafseer] This is the first of the three episodes here mentioned, his expedition to the west. "Reaching the setting of the sun" does not mean the extreme west, for there is no such thing. West and East are relative terms. It means a western expedition terminated by a "spring of murky water." This has puzzled Commentators, and they have understood this to mean the dark, tempestuous sea. If Dhu al Qarnain is Alexander the Great, the reference is easily understood to be the Lychnitis (now Ochrida), west of Macedonia . It is fed entirely by underground springs in a limestone region, where the water is never very clear. He had great power and great opportunity. He got authority over a turbulent and unruly people. Was he going to be severe with them and chastise them, or was he going to seek peace at any price, i.e., to wink at violence and injustice so long as it did not affect his power? He chose the better course, as described in the next verse. To protect the weak and the innocent, he punished the guilty and the headstrong, but he remembered always that the true Punishment would come in the Hereafter-the true and final justice before the throne of Allah. Though most powerful among kings, he remembered that his power was but human, and given by Allah. His punishments were but tentative, to preserve the balance of this life as he could appraise it. Even if his punishment was capital ("wrongdoer sent bad to his Lord") it was nothing compared to the dire consequences of sin, in the final Justice of Allah.

Hazrat Abu Abdullah bin Tariq bin Ashyam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "He who professes La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah), and denies of everything which the people worship besides Allah, his property and blood become inviolable, and it is for Allah to call him to account".

[Muslim Book 01, Chapter 01, Hadith # 034]. 

Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah Al-Kahf Ayat 87. "we shall punish him; and then he will be brought back unto his Lord; Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell)." This Hadith highlights two point of importance without them Faith is incomplete, first there is no true God except Allah (SWT), and second denial of everything which the people worship besides Allah (SWT).