Alexander the Great Is the quranic Dhu'l-Qarneyn
Muhammad converts a persian myth into a revelation from Allah
Sura 18
(82) The Jews will ask thee concerning Dhu-’l-Qarnain. Answer, I will rehearse unto you an account of him. (83) We made him powerful in the earth, and we gave him means to accomplish everything he pleased. (84) And he followed his way, until he came to the place where the sun setteth; and he found it to set in a spring of black mud; and he found near the same a certain people.
(85) And we said, O Dhu-’l-Qarnain, either punish this people or use gentleness towards them. (86) He answered, Whosoever of them shall commit injustice, we will surely punish him in this world; afterwards shall he return unto his Lord, and he shall punish him with a severe punishment. (87) But whosoever believeth, and doth that which is right, shall receive the most excellent reward, and we will give him in command that which is easy.
(88) Then he continued his way, (89) until he came to the place where the sun riseth; and he found it to rise on certain people, unto whom we had not given anything wherewith to shelter themselves therefrom. (90) Thus it was; and we comprehended with our knowledge the forces which were with him.(91) And he prosecuted his journey from south to north, (92) until he came between the two mountains; beneath which he found certain people, who could scarcely understand what was said. (93) And they said, O Dhu-’l-Qarnain, verily Gog and Magog waste the land: shall we therefore pay thee tribute, on condition that thou build a rampart between us and them? (94) He answered, The power wherewith my Lord has strengthened me is better than your tribute; but assist me strenuously, and I will set a strong wall between you and them.(95) Bring me iron in large pieces, until it fill up the space between the two sides of these mountains. And he said to the workmen, Blow with your bellows, until it make the iron red hot as fire. And he said further, Bring me molten brass, that I may pour upon it. (96) Wherefore, when this wall was finished, Gog and Magog could not scale it, neither could they dig through it.(97) And Dhu-’l-Qarnain said, This is a mercy from my Lord: (98) but when the prediction of my Lord shall come to be fulfilled, he shall reduce the wall to dust; and the prediction of my Lord is true. (99) On that day we will suffer some of them to press tumultuously like waves on others: and the trumpet shall be sounded, and we will gather them in a body together. (100) And we will set hell on that day before the unbelievers; (101) whose eyes have been veiled from my remembrance, and who could not hear my words.
Paul's warning of the latter times
1 Timothy 1
3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith— 5 but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith, 6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.
The myth is found in the Shahnamah of Firdausi
The Book of Kings
SIKANDAR Is Alexander the Great ( 356 - 323 B.C.)
30. How Sikandar went to the East , saw Wonders, and built a
Barrier against Yajuj and Majuj
Two weeks he tarried and, when rested, marched.
He set forth eastward, having seen the west ;
His purpose in the world was wayfaring.
Now as he went he saw a noble city ,
' No wind or dust passed o'er it," thou wouldst say.
When as the drums beat on the elephants
The chiefs came out two miles to welcome him.
The Shah, on seeing them, received them well,
Exalting them o'er circling Sol, and asked :
" What matchless marvels have ye in these parts ? "
They loosed their tongues and thus bewailed their fortune : -
" A very grievous case confronteth us,
And we will tell it to the conquering Shah.
By reason of this cloud-capt mountain-range
Our hearts are full of anguish, toil, and grief.
Since for resistance we are powerless
Yajuj there and Majuj give us no sleep,
For when a portion of them reach our city
Our portion is all misery and travail.
Their faces all resemble those of beasts,
Their tongues are black, their eyes like blood, their faces
Are black, their teeth are like wild boars' ! Who dareth
Draw nigh to them ? Their bodies all are clad
With hair, the hue of indigo, their breasts,
Their bosoms, and their ears resemble those
Of elephants. They sleep upon one ear,
And use the other as a coverlet.
The mothers have a thousand children each ,
And who can reckon them . They herd like beasts,
They go apace and run like onagers.
In spring, when clouds roar and the green sea heaveth,
The clouds draw up great monsters from the waves,
While air is roaring like a mighty lion,
And pour them down in masses : then these folk
Come troop on troop and batten year by year
Upon these monsters and thereby grow lusty
In limbs and body Alterward they feed
On herbage, scattering to gather it.
In winter they are pale and thin, their voices
Like doves' , but through those monsters in the spring
They are as wolves and roar right lustily.
Now if the great Shah could devise a means
To liberate our hearts from this distress,
He will receive the praise of every one,
And will prolong his sojourn m the world.
Exert thy power and do this work for us,
For thou too needest help from holy God."
Sikandar mused at them, grew grave, and pondered.
Then answered thus . " I will defray the cost ;
Tour city must provide both aid and labour.
By help of God, our Guide and Succourer,
I will reduce this way of theirs to reason."
All cried : " May fortune's ills be far from thee,
O Shah ! We are the slaves of thy good pleasure,
Thy lifelong servitors. We will supply
All that thou need'st, for we have no concern
More urgent."
So Sikandar came and viewed
The heights, and took with him a troop of sages.
He ordered to bring blacksmiths, copper, brass,
And heavy hammers, mortar, stone, and fire-wood
Past reckoning, bring all things requisite.
They brought him everything that he demanded
In measureless supplies. When all was ready,
And planned, the masons and the smiths all those
Of mastery in their trade throughout the world,
Assembled to Sikandar to assist him
In that most needful work. From every province
The experts mustered, and he built two walls
Across the mountain-pass from base to crest,
One hundred royal cubits broad, one cubit
Of charcoal, one of iron, in between
Strewed copper, and showered sulphur in the midst,
Such is the craft and subtlety of kings
He laid thus his materials course on course,
And when from top to bottom all was set,
They mixed much ghee and naphtha, poured it over
Those substances, and on the top shot charcoal
In ass-loads. Then the Shah bade fire the whole,
And five score thousand smiths blew up the flames,
As bidden by that king victorious.
A sound of blowing went up from the mountain,
The stars were frighted at the glowing fire.
Thus passed a season with the fire in blast,
And smiths a-toil. They ran the substances
Together, fusing them in that fierce blaze.
Thus was the world delivered from Yajuj
And from Majuj , and earth grew habitable.
For by Sikandar's famous barrier
The world escaped the misery of strife
It was five hundred cubits high, about
One hundred broad. The nobles blessed the Shah,
And said : " May neither time nor earth lack thee."
They brought before him in abundant store
Whatever was the produce of those parts.
He would accept of naught and went his ways ;
His doings filled the whole world with amaze.
exadcrysmo Joe Bonsness This is there
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