فَأَرَدۡنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُ زَكَوٰةٗ وَأَقۡرَبَ رُحۡمٗا 81

81        “Hence, we intended (to get rid of this young boy) and their Creator should replace for them a better one who is pious and is more loving child.

وَأَمَّا ٱلۡجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَٰمَيۡنِ يَتِيمَيۡنِ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحۡتَهُۥ كَنزٞ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَٰلِحٗا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبۡلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسۡتَخۡرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ وَمَا فَعَلۡتُهُۥ عَنۡ أَمۡرِيۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأۡوِيلُ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرٗا 82

82        “And as for the wall, there are two orphan boys in this village and there was a treasure for them buried under this wall, And their father (who had passed away) was a righteous person. Hence, your Creator intended that they should reach their age of maturity and then they would take out their treasure, as a Mercy from your Creator. And I did not act like this on my own accord. That is the interpretation of those things regarding which you could not keep patience.”

وَيَسۡ‍َٔلُونَكَ عَن ذِي ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِۖ قُلۡ سَأَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡهُ ذِكۡرًا 83

83        And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: “I shall relate to you his story.”

إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ سَبَبٗا 84

84        Indeed, We bestowed upon him power in the land and We gave him means of everything.

فَأَتۡبَعَ سَبَبًا 85

85        So he followed a path (or he travelled, towards western countries to make conquests). 

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغۡرِبَ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغۡرُبُ فِي عَيۡنٍ حَمِئَةٖ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوۡمٗاۖ قُلۡنَا يَٰذَا ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمۡ حُسۡنٗا 86

86        Until, when he reached the setting time of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy water. He also found some people near the spring. We (Allah) said: “O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them right away or treat them with kindness (i.e. first introduce them to Islam; if they still disbelieve then punish them).”

قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوۡفَ نُعَذِّبُهُۥ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ فَيُعَذِّبُهُۥ عَذَابٗا نُّكۡرٗا 87

87        He (Dhul-Qarnain) said: “(I shall follow the second option, which is the better option). Whoever shall disbelieve, I shall punish him (in this world) and then he will be brought back to his Creator Who will give him an awful punishment (in the Hereafter).

وَأَمَّا مَنۡ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَلَهُۥ جَزَآءً ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُۥ مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا يُسۡرٗا 88

88        “But as for him who believes and does good deeds, he shall be rewarded with goodness i.e. Paradise (in the Hereafter), and we (Dhul-Qarnain) will order good treatment for him in our dealing with him (in this world).”

ثُمَّ أَتۡبَعَ سَبَبًا 89

89        And he travelled again (to-wards the eastern countries to make conquests).

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطۡلِعَ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطۡلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ لَّمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتۡرٗا 90

90        Until he reached the rising time of the sun and he noticed it rising on the people for whom We (Allah) had provided no shelter against the sun.

كَذَٰلِكَۖ وَقَدۡ أَحَطۡنَا بِمَا لَدَيۡهِ خُبۡرٗا 91

91        This story is exactly like this. We (Allah) knew it, whatever Dhul-Qarnain had (in the form of equipment and capabilities).

ثُمَّ أَتۡبَعَ سَبَبًا 92

92        And he travelled again (to another direction).

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيۡنَ ٱلسَّدَّيۡنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوۡمٗا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفۡقَهُونَ قَوۡلٗا 93

93        Until he reached a site which was situated between two moun-tains. He found a people near  the mountains who did not seem to un-derstand any word.

قَالُواْ يَٰذَا ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِ إِنَّ يَأۡجُوجَ وَمَأۡجُوجَ مُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَهَلۡ نَجۡعَلُ لَكَ خَرۡجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجۡعَلَ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَهُمۡ سَدّٗا 94

94        They said: “O Dhul-Qarnain! Indeed, Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) are spreading mischief in the land. Should we collect some funds for you so that you erect a barrier between us and them?”

قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيۡرٞ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجۡعَلۡ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَهُمۡ رَدۡمًا 95

95        (Dhul-Qarnain) said: “What my Creator has bestowed upon me (in the form of wealth, power etc) is far better (than your funding). However help me with manpower and I shall erect a barrier between you and them.

ءَاتُونِي زُبَرَ ٱلۡحَدِيدِۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيۡنَ ٱلصَّدَفَيۡنِ قَالَ ٱنفُخُواْۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُۥ نَارٗا قَالَ ءَاتُونِيٓ أُفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡهِ قِطۡرٗا 96

96        “Give me iron sheets.” When he had filled up the opening (or gap) between the two mountains, he ordered: “Blow.” When the iron sheet became (red hot) like fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper to pour over them.” 

فَمَا ٱسۡطَٰعُوٓاْ أَن يَظۡهَرُوهُ وَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ لَهُۥ نَقۡبٗا 97

97        Hence, Yajuj and Majuj could not climb over this wall nor were able to dig (a hole) through it.

قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّيۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُۥ دَكَّآءَۖ وَكَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّي حَقّٗا 98

98        (When Dhul-Qarnain saw this solid wall which was not an easy job to do) He said: “This is mercy from my Creator (who enabled me to accomplish this job and it is mercy for the people since they will be saved from the mischief of Yajuj and Majuj). So when the Promise of my Creator will come, He shall destroy it. And the Promise of my Creator is always true.”

۞وَتَرَكۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعۡضٖۖ وَنُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ فَجَمَعۡنَٰهُمۡ جَمۡعٗا 99

99        And (when this wall will be destroyed) on that Day we will let loose Yajuj and Majuj in very large numbers falling one over the other. And the (second) Trumpet will be blown (everything will become alive) and We will gather (all the creatures) together.

وَعَرَضۡنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَرۡضًا 100

100        And on that Day We shall bring Hell in the direct view of the disbelievers.