ٱلْكَهْف ٨٣
- وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ dan mereka akan bertanya kepadamu
- عَن dari/tentang
- ذِي Zulqarnain
- ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِۖ Zulqarnain
- قُلۡ katakanlah
- سَأَتۡلُواْ akan aku bacakan
- عَلَيۡكُم atas kalian
- مِّنۡهُ daripadanya
- ذِكۡرًا peringatan/cerita
Dan mereka bertanya kepadamu (Muhammad) tentang Zulkarnain. Katakanlah, "Akan kubacakan kepadamu kisahnya."
(Dan mereka akan bertanya kepadamu) yakni orang-orang yahudi (tentang Zulkarnain) yang namanya adalah Iskandar; dia bukan seorang Nabi (Katakanlah, "Aku akan bacakan) aku akan kisahkan (kepada kalian mengenainya) tentang perihalnya (sebagai kisah)".
Tafsir Surat Al-Kahfi: 83-84
Mereka akan bertanya kepadamu (Muhammad) tentang Zulqarnain. Katakanlah, "Aku akan bacakan kepada kalian cerita tentangnya." Sesungguhnya Kami telah memberi kekuasaan kepadanya di (muka) bumi dan Kami telah memberikan kepadanya jalan (untuk mencapai) segala sesuatu.
Ayat 83
Allah ﷻ berfirman kepada Nabi-Nya: "Mereka akan bertanya kepadamu (Muhammad) tentang Zulqarnain." (Al-Kahfi: 83) Yakni tentang kisah Zulqarnain. Dalam pembahasan terdahulu telah disebutkan bahwa orang-orang kafir Mekah mengirimkan utusan kepada kaum Ahli Kitab (di Madinah) untuk meminta dari mereka soal-soal buat menguji Nabi Muhammad ﷺ. Kaum Ahli Kitab mengatakan kepada orang-orang kafir Mekah, "Tanyakanlah kepadanya tentang seorang lelaki yang menjelajah minangkori (bepergian jauh ke pelbagai negeri untuk mengenal kehidupan dan perilaku penduduk disana serta membantu dan mendidik mereka bila diperlukan) di seluruh permukaan bumi, juga tentang para pemuda penghuni gua, apakah yang mereka lakukan, serta tanyakanlah pula tentang roh." Maka turunlah surat Al-Kahfi ini.
Ibnu Jarir telah mengemukakan dalam tafsir ayat ini - demikian pula Al-Umawi di dalam kitab Al-Magazi nya - sebuah hadits musnad, tetapi daif, melalui Uqbah ibnu Amir. Disebutkan bahwa segolongan orang-orang Yahudi datang kepada Nabi ﷺ, lalu menanyakan kepadanya tentang kisah Zulqarnain, kemudian Nabi ﷺ menceritakan kisahnya kepada mereka sebagai jawaban terhadap pertanyaan mereka. Di antaranya dikisahkan bahwa Zulqarnain adalah seorang pemuda Romawi, dan dialah yang membangun kota Al-Iskandariyah. Disebutkan pula bahwa malaikat membawanya ke langit dan mempertemukannya dengan sejumlah kaum yang wajah mereka seperti anjing.
Di dalam riwayat ini terkandung kesalahan, ceritanya cukup panjang, tetapi predikat marfu-nya tidak sah. Sebagian besar dari riwayat mengenainya bersumber dari berita-berita Bani Israil. Akan tetapi, hal yang mengherankan adalah bahwa Abu Zar'ah Ar-Razi yang terkenal sebagai seorang ulama terhormat mengetengahkan kisah ini secara lengkap di dalam kitabnya yang berjudul Dala'ilun Nubuwwah. Hal ini merupakan salah satu dari riwayat garibnya, di dalam kisahnya ini terkandung banyak kesalahan.
Disebutkan bahwa Zulqarnain berasal dari Romawi, padahal sesungguhnya yang berasal dari Romawi ialah Alexander II putra Philips Al-Maqdoni yang membuat penanggalan bagi bangsa Romawi. Adapun yang dimaksud dengan Zulqarnain telah disebutkan oleh Al-Azraqi dan lain-lainnya, bahwa ia tawaf bersama Ibrahim Al-Khalil a.s. saat Nabi Ibrahim pertama kalinya membangun Ka'bah; ia beriman kepada Nabi Ibrahim dan menjadi pengikutnya. Patihnya adalah Al-Khidir a.s. Adapun Iskandar anak Philips Al-Maqdoni Al-Yunani, patihnya adalah Aristoteles, seorang ahli filsafat yang terkenal. Dialah yang mula-mula mencanangkan penanggalan Romawi, dia memerintah Romawi pada tahun kurang lebih tiga abad sebelum Al-Masih dilahirkan. Sedangkan Iskandar Zulqarnain yang disebutkan di dalam Al-Qur'an, ia hidup di masa Nabi Ibrahim a.s. Al-Azraqi dan lain-lainnya menyebutkan bahwa dia tawaf di Baitullah bersama Al-Khalil Nabi Ibrahim a.s.
Setelah Ibrahim membangunnya, dia menyuguhkan hewan kurbannya untuk mendekatkan diri kepada Allah dan mengikuti jejak Nabi Ibrahim. Kami telah mengetengahkan sebagian dari kisah perjalanan hidupnya yang baik di dalam kitab Al-Bidayah wan Nihayah dengan keterangan yang cukup memuaskan. Wahb ibnu Munabbih mengatakan bahwa Zulqarnain adalah seorang raja; sesungguhnya ia dinamakan Zulqarnain (orang yang bertanduk dua) karena kedua sisi batok kepalanya berupa tembaga dan membentuk seperti sepasang tanduk. Wahb ibnu Munabbih menyebutkan, sebagian Ahli Kitab mengatakan bahwa dia dijuluki Zulqarnain karena menguasai Romawi dan Persia.
Sebagian lain dari Ahli Kitab mengatakan bahwa di atas kepalanya ada sesuatu yang mirip dengan sepasang tanduk. Sufyan As-Sauri telah meriwayatkan dari Habib ibnu Abu Sabit, dari AbutTufail yang mengatakan bahwa Ali r.a. pernah ditanya mengenai Zulqarnain. Ia mengatakan bahwa Zulqarnain adalah seorang hamba yang ikhlas kepada Allah, maka Allah membalasnya dengan pahala yang berlimpah. Dia menyeru kaumnya untuk menyembah Allah, tetapi mereka memukul tanduknya, hingga matilah dia. Kemudian Allah menghidupkannya kembali, dan menyeru kaumnya lagi untuk menyembah Allah, tetapi mereka memukuli tanduknya, hingga matilah dia. Karena itu ia dijuluki dengan Zulqarnain.
Hal yang sama telah diriwayatkan oleh Syu'bah, dari Al-Qasim ibnu Abu Bazzah, dari AbuTufail bahwa Ali r.a. pernah mengatakan demikian. Menurut pendapat lain, dia dinamakan Zulqarnain karena telah melanglang buana ke belahan timur dan barat bumi hingga sampai di tempat terbit dan tenggelamnya tanduk matahari.
Ayat 84
Firman Allah ﷻ: "Sesungguhnya Kami telah memberikan kekuasaan kepadanya di (muka) bumi." (Al-Kahfi: 84)
Yakni Kami berikan kepadanya kerajaan yang besar lagi kokoh dengan menguasai semua yang dimiliki oleh semua raja berupa kekuasaan, balatentara, peralatan perang dan perlengkapannya. Karena itulah dia berhasil menguasai belahan timur dan barat bumi ini. Semua negeri tunduk kepadanya dan semua raja di bumi takluk di bawah kekuasaannya. Semua bangsa, baik yang Arab maupun yang non-Arab, berkhidmat kepadanya. Karena itulah ada sebagian ulama yang mengatakan bahwa sesungguhnya ia dijuluki dengan Zulqarnain karena kekuasaannya mencapai dua tanduk matahari, yaitu bagian timur dan bagian baratnya.
Firman Allah ﷻ: "Dan Kami telah memberikan kepadanya jalan (untuk mencapai) segala sesuatu." (Al-Kahfi: 84)
Ibnu Abbas, Mujahid, Sa'id ibnu Jubair, Ikrimah, As-Saddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, dan lain-lain mengatakan bahwa yang dimaksud dengan jalan untuk mencapai segala sesuatu adalah ilmu.
Qatadah telah mengatakan pula sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: "Dan Kami telah memberikan kepadanya jalan (untuk mencapai) segala sesuatu." (Al-Kahfi: 84) bahwa yang dimaksud adalah semua tempat di bumi dan tanda-tandanya.
Abdur Rahman ibnu Zaid ibnu Aslam telah mengatakan sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: "Dan Kami telah memberikan kepadanya jalan (untuk mencapai) segala sesuatu." (Al-Kahfi: 84). Yakni menguasai semua bahasa manusia; disebutkan bahwa setiap kali dia berbicara kepada suatu kaum, dia menggunakan bahasa mereka dalam misi perangnya.
Ibnu Luhai'ah telah meriwayatkan: Telah menceritakan kepadaku Salim ibnu Gailan, dari Sa'id ibnu Abu Hilal, bahwa Mu'awiyah pernah menanyakan kepada Ka'bul Ahbar tentang perkataannya yang mengatakan, "Zulqarnain menambatkan kuda tunggangannya di bintang Surayya (yakni di langit)." Ka'b menjawab bahwa ia mengatakan demikian karena sesungguhnya Allah ﷻ berfirman: "Dan Kami telah memberikan kepadanya jalan (untuk mencapai) segala sesuatu." (Al-Kahfi: 84). Sanggahan Mu'awiyah kepada Ka'b ini adalah pendapat yang benar, dan Mu'awiyah memang berhak mengingkari apa yang dikatakan oleh Ka'b itu. Mu'awiyah pernah mengatakan tentang Ka'b, "Sesungguhnya kami menguji tentang kebenarannya, dan kami mendapatinya berdusta." Yakni dusta apa yang dinukilnya itu, dia bahkan memodifikasi apa yang telah dinukil dari lembaran-lembaran yang ada padanya.
Yang jelas apa yang tercatat di dalam lembaran-lembarannya adalah kisah-kisah Israiliyat. Sebagian besar darinya sudah diubah dan diselewengkan serta dibuat-buat, kita sama sekali tidak memerlukannya; kita telah mempunyai pegangan, yaitu berita dari Allah dan Rasul-Nya. Karena sesungguhnya kisah-kisah Israiliyat itu banyak memasukkan keburukan dan kerusakan yang luas dampaknya di kalangan orang banyak. Takwil yang dikemukakan oleh Ka'b sehubungan dengan makna firman-Nya: "Dan Kami memberikan kepadanya jalan (untuk mencapai) segala sesuatu." (Al-Kahfi: 84) dengan bersandarkan kepada apa yang tercatat di dalam lembaran-lembaran miliknya, yang antara lain mengatakan bahwa Zulqarnain menambatkan kuda tunggangannya di bintang Surayya, merupakan takwil yang tidak benar, tidak rasional karena tidak ada jalan bagi manusia untuk dapat mencapainya, tidak pula menaiki tangga-tangga langit (yakni terbang).
Allah ﷻ berfirman menceritakan Ratu Balqis: "Dan dia dianugerahi segala sesuatu." (An-Naml: 23) Yakni dianugerahi segala sesuatu yang dimiliki oleh para raja. Demikian pula Zulqarnain, Allah telah memudahkan kepadanya semua jalan, yaitu jalan dan sarana untuk membuka semua kawasan dan negeri yang ada di muka bumi, menghancurkan semua musuh, serta menundukkan semua raja di bumi, dan mengalahkan semua orang musyrik. Sesungguhnya dia telah dianugerahi semua jalan untuk mencapai segala sesuatu yang diinginkannya. Hanya Allah-lah yang mengetahui kebenarannya.
Di dalam kitab Al-Mukhtarah karya tulis Ad-Diyaul Maqdisi telah disebutkan sebuah atsar yang diriwayatkan melalui Qutaibah, dari Abu Awwanah, dari Sammak ibnu Harb, dari Habib ibnu Hammad yang telah menceritakan bahwa ketika ia berada di tempat (majlis) Ali r.a. ada seorang lelaki menanyakan kepadanya tentang Zulqarnain, mengapa dia dapat sampai ke belahan timur dan belahan barat bumi. Ali r.a. menjawab, "Maha Suci Allah, Allah telah menundukkan awan baginya, telah menganugerahkan kepadanya jalan untuk mencapai segala sesuatu, serta menganugerahkan kepadanya kekuasaan yang luas.
Usai menjelaskan kisah perjalanan Nabi Musa dalam rangka mencari ilmu kepada seorang hamba yang saleh, pada ayat-ayat berikut Allah menceritakan kisah perjalanan jihad Zulkarnain. Cerita itu dikisahkan untuk menjawab pertanyaan kaum kafir Mekah kepada Nabi Muhammad. Wahai Nabi Muhammad, mereka bertanya kepadamu tentang jati diri Zulkarnain. Katakanlah kepada mereka, 'Dengan izin Allah, akan kubacakan kepadamu kisahnya agar kamu dapat memperoleh pelajaran darinya. '83. Usai menjelaskan kisah perjalanan Nabi Musa dalam rangka mencari ilmu kepada seorang hamba yang saleh, pada ayat-ayat berikut Allah menceritakan kisah perjalanan jihad Zulkarnain. 1 Cerita itu dikisahkan untuk menjawab pertanyaan kaum kafir Mekah kepada Nabi Muhammad. Wahai Nabi Muhammad, mereka bertanya kepadamu tentang jati diri Zulkarnain. Katakanlah kepada mereka, 'Dengan izin Allah, akan kubacakan kepadamu kisahnya agar kamu dapat memperoleh pelajaran darinya. '
83. Usai menjelaskan kisah perjalanan Nabi Musa dalam rangka mencari ilmu kepada seorang hamba yang saleh, pada ayat-ayat berikut Allah menceritakan kisah perjalanan jihad Zulkarnain. 1 Cerita itu dikisahkan untuk menjawab pertanyaan kaum kafir Mekah kepada Nabi Muhammad. Wahai Nabi Muhammad, mereka bertanya kepadamu tentang jati diri Zulkarnain. Katakanlah kepada mereka, 'Dengan izin Allah, akan kubacakan kepadamu kisahnya agar kamu dapat memperoleh pelajaran darinya. '84. Sungguh, Kami telah memberi kedudukan yang tinggi dan kekuasaan yang besar kepadanya di bumi, dan Kami telah memberikan pula jalan kepadanya untuk meraih segala sesuatu yang dia perlukan guna mewujudkan harapannya.
Orang-orang Quraisy bertanya kepada Muhammad setelah mereka mengadakan pembicaraan lebih dahulu dengan orang-orang Yahudi tentang apa yang harus mereka tanyakan kepada Muhammad untuk menguji kebenaran kenabiannya. Mereka bertanya kepada Muhammad tentang Zulkarnain, maka Allah menyuruh Muhammad menyatakan kepada mereka itu, "Akan kubacakan padamu cerita-cerita yang lengkap tentang apa yang kamu tanyakan itu karena aku telah diberi keterangan oleh Tuhanku." Kemudian beliau memberikan perinciannya sebagaimana dijelaskan ayat berikut:.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
DZULQARNAIN (YANG EMPUNYA DUA TANDUK)
Setelah mereka tanyakan tempo hari tentang orang-orang yang berdiam di dalam gua atau ngalau, atau kahfi, ada lagi yang akan mereka tanyakan.
“Dan meieka akan bertanya kepada engkau dari hal Dzydgawain."
(pangkal ayat 83)
Dzulqarnain yang berarti yang empunya dua tanduk. Mereka akan bertanya apakah artinya itu? Dan siapakah orangnya? Di mana kejadiannya dan bilakah?
“Katakanlah, “Aku akan bacakan kepada kamu darihal itu, suatu ingatan “
(ujung ayat 83)
Artinya, bahwa pertanyaan kamu itu akan aku jawab dan aku akan membacakan atau mengulangkan kepada kamu suatu ingatan, atau satu kenangan atau suatu cerita yang tak dapat dilupakan.
“Sesungguhnya telah Kami teguhkan dia di bumi."
(pangkal ayat 84)
Artinya ialah bahwa Kami, yaitu Allah, telah memberikan kepada orang yang bergelar Dzulqarnain itu kekuasaan yang teguh di muka bumi, yang tidak dapat digoyangkan lagi oleh musuh-musuhnya, yang boleh juga diartikan secara modern telah mempunyai pemerintahan yang stabil.
“Dan telah Kami berikan kepadanya dari tiap-tiap sesuatu akan jalannya."
(ujung ayat 84)
Artinya, bahwa Allah telah membukakan selalu baginya pintu-pintu kekayaan, terbuka saja jalan-jalannya. Ke mana saja dia melangkah kaki atau mengatur siasat penaklukan, semuanya terbuka jalan.
Ini menandakan bahwa dia pun adalah seorang raja atau penguasa yang cerdik dan mempunyai sifat-sifat kepahlawanan yang lain.
“Maka diambilnyalah suatu jalan."
(ayat 85)
Artinya, bahwa di dalam banyak jalan menuju kemenangan dan kejadian yang terbuka itu diambilnyalah satu jalan. Disusunnya satu siasat, dibuatnya satu rencana, lalu dia keluar dari dalam kota pemerintahannya dengan tentaranya yang besar.
“Sehingga bilamana telah sampai ke tempat terbenam matahari."
Tegasnya ... sebelah baiat.
(pangkal ayat 86)
“Didapatinya dia terbenam di mata air yang hitam.''
Di dalam ayat ini jelas bahwa dia sampai di ujung perjalanan di sebelah barat, dia melihat ke ufuk, tampaklah matahari itu terbenam ke dalam mata air yang hitam, atau ke dalam laut yang tidak tentu lagi di mana ujungnya, sebab tidak ada lagi tanah daratan. Yang tampak hanya lautan dan bertambah terbenam matahari itu bertambah hitamlah warna laut bercampur merah darah cahaya matahari. Besar kemungkinan bahwa laut ini ialah Lautan Atlantik, yang biasa juga disebut Bahruzh Zhulumat, Lautan Gelap."Dan didapatinya di sisinya ada suatu kaum." Di tempat perhentian sebelah barat yang tak dapat perjalanan diteruskan lagi itu, karena hanya menghadapi lautan yang hitam ada rupanya suatu kaum, atau suatu penduduk. Jadi adalah rupanya tempat itu didiami manusia. Menurut Ibnu Juraij dalam tafsirnya, penduduk negeri itu adalah kira-kira 12.000 rumah tangga."‘Kami berfirman,
“Hai Dzgufawaini Baik pun engkau siksa atau engkau adakan pada mereka kebaikan."
(ujung ayat 86)
Artinya ialah bahwa setelah Dzulqarnain masukke dalam negeri sebelah barat itu dengan balatentaranya yang besar dan penduduknya tidak mengadakan perlawanan, jatuhlah mereka ke dalam wilayah kekuasaannya. Dan kekuasaan itu telah diridhakan oleh Allah, sehingga Allah menyerahkan kepada pertimbangannya sendiri hukum apakah yang akan dilakukannya dalam negeri yang telah dikuasainya itu.
Sebagai seorang penguasa yang telah menang dan dapat menguasai, sikap apakah yang akan diambilnya terhadap kepada bangsa yang telah ditaklukkannya.
Terserah kepadanya, baik bangsa yang kalah itu akan disiksanya atau dia akan berlaku baik kepada mereka. Kalau dia seorang penakluk yang bijaksana, niscaya dia akan menaburkan kasih sayang kepada bangsa taklukkan itu. Tetapi kalau dia seorang penguasa yang mabuk oleh kemenangan sehingga lupa akan pertolongan Allah kepadanya, tentu akan diperlihatkannya kerakusan yang akan menimbulkan benci orang yang telah ditaklukkan itu.
“Dia berkata." Artinya Dzulqarnain menjawab apa yang dipersilakan Allah kepadanya itu.
“Adapun siapa yang aniaya, maka akan kami siksalah dia."
(pangkal ayat 87)
Dengan penjawaban yang begini ternyata Dzulqarnain penakluk yang akan berlaku adil kepada rakyat yang dia taklukkan. Lebih dahulu akan diadakan pemeriksaan. Maka yang bersalah akan dihukum, akan disiksa dengan siksaan yang pantas menurut hukum dunia,
“Kemudian dikembalikan dia kepada Tuhannya, lalu diadzab-nya dia dengan adzab yang sengsara."
(ujung ayat 87)
Dail jawaban yang ini pun ternyata bahwa Dzulqarnain ini ternyata seorang yang ber-agama. Tentu saja agamanya itu agama kesatuan turun-temurun yang telah dibawa oleh para rasul dan nabi, yaitu percaya bahwa di samping hukum dunia yang fana ini ada lagi hukum yang akan.diterima dan sisi Allah sendiri di akhirat. Dan penaksiran ini pun dikuatkan oleh jawabannya selanjutnya,
“Dan adapun barangsiapa yang beriman dan benamat saleh, maka untuknya adalah ganjalan yang baik."
(pangkal ayat 88)
Dengan ini Dzulqarnain menjanjikan bahwa akan menghargai kejujuran dan jasa-jasa yang baik pada rakyatnya itu dan dia tidak akan berlaku aniaya,
“Dan akan Kami kolakan kepadanya, dan apa yang akan Kami penintahkan dengan kata-kata yang mudah."
(ujung ayat 88)
Ini pun menunjukkan satu siasat yang tinggi. Bahwa kalau rakyatnya itu jujur, tunduk kepada perintah, penguasa pun mesti berlaku adil dan kasih kepada mereka. Yang berjasa hendaklah dihargai. Orang-orang yang beriman, hendaklah digalakkan dalam imannya, dan hendaklah penguasa menunjukkan sukacitanya jika rakyatnya berbuat amal yang saleh, atau karya yang berfaedah, baik untuk dirinya ataupun untuk masyarakatnya. Di samping itu jika menjatuhkan suatu perintah hendaklah dengan perkataan yang mudah dipahamkan oleh rakyat, jangan perintah yang membingungkan, apatah lagi perintah yang tidak akan dapat dipikul terlalu memberati.
“Kemudian diambilnya (pula) satu jalan (lain)."
(ayat 89)
Artinya, setelah selesai Dzulqarnain menaklukkan negeri yang sebelah barat, tempat matahari terbenam ke dalam lautan yang kelam itu, baginda pun kembali ke pusat ke-rajaannya, lalu mengatur rencana baru pula, atau menempuh jalan yang baru pula. Berangkat lagi diiringkan oleh tentaranya yang gagah perkasa, menuju ke jurusan lain.
“Sehingga apabila telah sampai ke tempat terbil matahari"
(pangkal ayat 90)
Di pangkal ayat ini jelaslah bahwa perjalanan yang baginda tuju sekarang ialah ke sebelah timur, sesudah dahulu ke sebelah barat."Didapatinya dia terbit pada suatu kaum." Melihat apa yang diuraikan dalam ayat ini terang sekali bahwa ujung perjalanan ke timur itu tertunduk ke satu negeri. Nyatalah bahwa negeri itu bukan lagi terletak di pinggir lautan, sebagai yang baginda dapati di barat dahulu. Mungkin negeri sebelah timur itu berlatar belakang padang pasir yang amat luas dan kering yang sudah sukar buat ditempuh manusia. Baginda terhenti hingga di situ; lalu ditaklukkannya pula negeri itu. Disebutkan di ujung ayat iklim negeri itu.
“Yang tidak Kami adakan untuk mereka satu perlindungan pun dari dia."
(ujung ayat 90)
Tidak ada satu perlindungan pun dari matahari. Sebab itu jelaslah bahwa hawa udara negeri itu amat panas dan latar belakang negeri itu padang pasir. Sebab ketika matahari naik tak ada suatu yang melindungi mereka. Seumpama gunung, mungkin tempat ini di sebelah timur Afrika. Mungkin juga penduduk di sana belum mengenal pakaian sehingga tidak terlindung badan mereka dari cahaya matahari.
Negeri itu pun ditaklukkan pula, dijalankan hukum yang adil, yang bersalah melanggar perintah raja atau mengacaukan keamanan masyarakat, atau tidak tunduk kepada yang berkuasa akan dihukum dengan berat. Yang berjasa dan beriman, beramal saleh berbuat baik mendapat pula penghargaan yang setimpal, sebagaimana yang baginda jalankan peraturannya di negeri sebelah barat tempat matahari terbenam ke laut yang kelam itu.
Maka berfirmanlah Allah tentang kebijaksanaan pemerintahan Dzulqarnain itu pada ayat selanjutnya, “Demikianlah!" Yaitu demikianlah yang telah dilakukan oleh Dzulqarnain di dalam ia menaklukkan negeri, baik ke jurusan barat atau ke jurusan timur.
“Demikianlah, sesungguhnya pengetahuan Kami telah meliputi segala yang ada padanya itu"
(ayat 91)
Ayat 91 ini memberikan isyarat bahwa kebijaksanaan Dzulqarnain dalam menaklukkan suatu negeri itu adalah dalam pengetahuan Allah, atau mendapat restu dari Allah.
"
The Story of Dhul-Qarnayn
Allah says to His Prophet,
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ
And they ask you, (O Muhammad),
عَن ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ
about Dhul-Qarnayn.
i.e., about his story.
We have already mentioned how the disbelievers of Makkah sent word to the People of the Book and asked them for some information with which they could test the Prophet. They (the People of the Book) said, `Ask him about a man who traveled extensively throughout the earth, and about some young men who nobody knows what they did, and about the Ruh (the soul),' then Surah Al-Kahf was revealed.
قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرًا
Say:""I shall recite to you something of his story.""
Dhul-Qarnayn had great Power
Allah tells,
إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الاَْرْضِ
Verily, We established him in the earth,
means, `We have given him great power, so that he had all that kings could have of might, armies, war equipment and siege machinery.' So he had dominion over the east and the west, all countries and their kings submitted to him, and all the nations, Arab and non-Arab, served him.
Some of them said he was called Dhul-Qarnayn (the one with two horns) because he reached the two ""Horns"" of the sun, east and west, where it rises and where it sets.
وَاتَيْنَاهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا
and We gave him the means of everything.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others said,
""This means knowledge.""
Qatadah also said,
وَاتَيْنَاهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا
(and We gave him the means of everything).
""The different parts and features of the earth.""
Concerning Bilqis, Allah said,
وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
she has been given all things. (27:23),
meaning all things that monarchs like her are given.
Thus too was Dhul-Qarnayn:
Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means and power to conquer all areas, regions and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the earth and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need.
And Allah knows best
His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West)
Allah tells,
فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
So he followed a way.
Ibn Abbas said that;
he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted.
Mujahid said that;
he followed different routes, east and west.
According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said:
سَبَبًا
(a way),
means, ""A route through the land.""
Qatadah said,
""It means he followed the routes and landmarks of the earth. حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ
Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun,
means, he followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth.
As for the idea of his reaching the place in the sky where the sun sets, this is something impossible, and the tales told by storytellers that he traveled so far to the west that the sun set behind him are not true at all. Most of these stories come from the myths of the People of the Book and the fabrications and lies of their heretics.
وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِيَةٍ
he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah,
meaning, he ﷺ the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see:it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed.
Hami'ah is, according to one of the two views, derived from the word Hama'ah, which means mud.
This is like the Ayah:
إِنِّى خَـلِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
""I am going to create a man (Adam) from dried clay of altered Hama'h (mud). (15:28),
which means smooth mud, as we have discussed above.
وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًا
And he found near it a people.
meaning a nation.
They mentioned that they were a great nation from among the sons of Adam.
قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا
We (Allah) said (by inspiration):""O Dhul-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness.""
means, Allah gave him power over them and gave him the choice:if he wanted to, he could kill the men and take the women and children captive, or if he wanted to, he could set them free, with or without a ransom. His justice and faith became apparent in the ruling he pronounced
قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ
He said:""As for him who does wrong,
meaning who persists in his Kufr and in associating others in worship with his Lord,
فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ
we shall punish him,
Qatadah said, i.e., by killing him.
ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا
and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment.
meaning a severe, far-reaching and painful punishment.
This implies a confirmation of the Hereafter and the reward and punishment
وَأَمَّا مَنْ امَنَ
But as for him who believes,
meaning `who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate,'
وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا
and works righteousness,
فَلَهُ جَزَاء الْحُسْنَى
he shall have the best reward,
meaning in the Hereafter, with Allah.
وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا
and we (Dhul-Qarnayn) shall speak unto him mild words.
Mujahid said,
`(words of) kindness.
His Journey East
Allah tells;
ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ
Then he followed (another) way, Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun,
Allah tells us that Dhul-Qarnayn then traveled from the west of the earth towards the east. Every time he passed a nation, he subjugated the people and called them to Allah. If they obeyed him, all well and good, otherwise he would humiliate them and take their wealth and possessions. From every nation he took what his armies needed to fight the next nation. When he reached the place where the sun rises, as Allah says,
وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ
he found it rising on a people,
meaning a nation,
لَّمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتْرًا
for whom We (Allah) had provided no shelter against the sun.
meaning, they had no buildings or trees to cover them and shade them from the heat of the sun.
Qatadah said,
""It was mentioned to us that they were in a land where nothing grew, so when the sun rose they would go into tunnels until it had passed its zenith, then they would come out to go about their daily lives and earn themselves a living.""
كَذَلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْرًا
So (it was)!
And We knew all about him.
Mujahid and As-Suddi said,
""This means that Allah knew everything about him and his army, and nothing was hidden from Him, even though they came from so many different nations and lands. For,
لَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الااٌّرْضِ وَلَا فِى السَّمَأءِ
Truly, nothing is hidden from Allah, in the earth or in the heaven. (3:5)
His Journey to the Land of Ya'juj and Ma'juj, and building the Barrier
Allah says of Dhul-Qarnayn:
ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ
Then he followed (another) way. Until, when he reached between two mountains,
meaning, he traveled from the east of the earth until he reached a place between the two mountains which were next to one another with a valley in between, from which Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog) will emerge into the land of the Turks and spread mischief there, destroying crops and people.
Ya'juj and Ma'juj are among the progeny of Adam, peace be upon him, as was recorded in the Two Sahihs;
إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ يَا ادَمُ
فَيَقُولُ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ
فَيَقُولُ ابْعَثْ بَعْثَ النَّارِ
فَيَقُولُ وَمَا بَعْثُ النَّارِ
فَيَقُولُ مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ تِسْعُمِايَةٍ وَتِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَوَاحِدٌ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ
فَحِينَيِذٍ يَشِيبُ الصَّغِيرُ وَتَضَعُ كُلُّ ذَاتِ حَمْلٍ حَمْلَهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ فِيكُمْ أُمَّتيْنِ مَا كَانَتَا فِي شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ كَثَّرَتَاهُ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوج
""Allah said:""O Adam.""
Adam said, ""Here I am at Your service.""
Allah said, ""Send forth the group of Hellfire.""
Adam said, ""What is the group of Hellfire?""
Allah said:""Out of every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine will go to Hell and one will go to Paradise.""
At that time young men will turn grey and every pregnant female will drop her load. Among you are two nations who never come to anything but they overwhelm it with their huge numbers. (They are) Ya'juj and Ma'juj.""
وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لاَّ يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلاً
he found before them a people who scarcely understood a word.
he could not understand their speech, because they were so isolated from other people
قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الاْاَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا
They said:""O Dhul-Qarnayn! Verily, Ya'juj and Ma'juj are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute""
Ibn Jurayj reported from Ata' from Ibn Abbas that;
this meant a great reward, i.e., they wanted to collect money among themselves to give to him so that he would create a barrier between them and Ya'juj and Ma'juj.
عَلَى أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا
in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them""
Dhul-Qarnayn said with kindness, righteousness and good intentions
قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ
He said:""That in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute).
meaning, the power and authority that Allah has given me is better for me than what you have collected.
This is like when Suleiman (Solomon), peace be upon him, said:
أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ فَمَأ ءَاتَـنِى اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّأ ءَاتَـكُمْ
Will you help me in wealth What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! (27:36)
Similarly, Dhul-Qarnayn said:
`What I have is better than what you want to give me, but help me with strength,� i.e., with your labor and construction equipment,
فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ
So help me with strength,
أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا
اتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ
I will erect between you and them a barrier. Give me Zubar of iron,
Zubar is the plural of Zubrah, which means pieces or chunks of something.
This was the view of Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah.
These pieces were like bricks or blocks, and it was said that each block weighed one Damascene Qintar or more.
حَتَّى إِذَا سَاوَى بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ
then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs,
means, he put the blocks on top of one another, starting at the bottom, until he reached the tops of the mountains, filling the width and height of the gap.
The scholars differed about the precise width and height.
قَالَ انفُخُوا
he said:�Blow;��
means, he lit a fire until the whole thing was burning hot.
حَتَّى إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا
then when he had made them (red as) fire,
قَالَ اتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا
he said:�Bring me Qitran to pour over them.��
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, `krimah, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and As-Suddi said:
it was copper.
Some of them added that it was molten.
This is similar to the Ayah:
وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ
And We caused a fount of Qitran to flow for him. (34:12)
So it resembled a striped cloak.
The Barrier restrains Them, but It will be breached when the Hour draws nigh
Allah tells us that Ya'juj and Ma'juj could not climb over the barrier or penetrate its lower portion. Varying forms of the verb are used here in the Arabic text to reflect the difficulty of the action referred to.
فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا
So they (Ya'juj and Ma'juj) could not scale it or dig through it.
This indicates that they could not penetrate it or dig through it.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Zaynab bint Jahsh, the wife of the Prophet said,
""The Prophet woke from sleep, and he was red in the face.
He said,
لَاا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرَ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذَا
La ilaha illallah! Woe to the Arabs from the evil that has approached (them). Today a hole has been opened in the barrier of Ya'juj and Ma'juj like this.
and he made a circle with his index finger and thumb. I (Zaynab) said, `O Messenger of Allah, will we be destroyed even though there will be righteous people among us?'
He said:
نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَث
Yes, if evil increases.""
This is a Sahih Hadith, both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded it
قَالَ هَذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي
(Dhul-Qarnayn) said:""This is a mercy from my Lord...""
meaning, after it was built by Dhul-Qarnayn.
قَالَ هَذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي
He said:This is a mercy from my Lord,
for the people, when he placed a barrier between them and Ya'juj and Ma'juj, to stop them from spreading evil and corruption on earth.
فَإِذَا جَاء وَعْدُ رَبِّي
but when the promise of my Lord comes,
means, when the true promise comes.
جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاء
He shall Dakka' it down to the ground.
means, will make it flat.
The Arabs use Dakka' to describe a female camel whose back is flat and has no hump.
And Allah says:
فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا
So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it Dakkan. (7:143)
meaning, level to the ground.
وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا
And the promise of my Lord is ever true.
means, it will come to pass without a doubt
وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ
We shall leave some of them,
meaning mankind, on that day, the day when the barrier will be breached and these people (Ya'juj and Ma'juj) will come out surging over mankind to destroy their wealth and property.
وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَيِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ
We shall leave some of them to surge like waves on one another;
As-Suddi said:
""That is when they emerge upon the people.""
All of this will happen before the Day of Resurrection and after the Dajjal, as we will explain when discussing the Ayat:
حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ
وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ
Until, when Ya'juj and Ma'juj are let loose, and they swoop down from every Hadab. And the true promise shall draw near... (21:96-97)
وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ
and As-Sur will be blown.
As-Sur, as explained in the Hadith, is a horn that is blown into. The one who will blow into it is (the angel) Israfil, peace be upon him, as has been explained in the Hadith quoted at length above, and there are many Hadiths on this topic.
According to a Hadith narrated from Atiyah from Ibn Abbas and Abu Sa`id, and attributed to the Prophet,
كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَصَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الْقَرْنَ وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ وَاسْتَمَعَ مَتَى يُوْمَرُ
How can I relax when the one with the Horn has put the Horn in his mouth and has knelt down, listening out for the command to be given to him?
They said, ""What should we say?""
He said:
قُولُوا
حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ عَلَى اللهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا
Say:
""Allah is Sufficient for us and the best Disposer of affairs, in Allah have we put our trust.""
فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا
and We shall collect them (the creatures) all together.
means, `We shall bring them all together for Reckoning.'
قُلْ إِنَّ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَالاٌّخِرِينَ
لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَـتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ
Say:""(Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for appointed meeting of a known Day. (56:49-50)
وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً
and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind. (18:47)"
And they, the Jews, question you concerning Dhoo'l-Qarnayn, whose name was Alexander; he was not a prophet. Say: 'I shall recite, relate, to you a mention, an account, of him', of his affair.
Commentary
Verse 84 opens with the statement: يَسْأَلُونَكَ (They ask you). Who is asking? Related narratives show that they were the Quraysh of Makkah, those who were coached to ask three questions from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The purpose was to test his prophethood and veracity. The questions were about Ruh (spirit), Ashab al-Kahf (People of Kahf) and Dhul-Qarnain. Two of these have already been answered. The story of the People of Kahf has appeared earlier in this Surah, 9-26. The question about 'Ruh' has appeared towards the later part of the previous Surah (Bani Isra'il 17:85). Who was Dhul-Qarnain and what happened to him? This is the third question. (Al-Bahr al-Muhit)
Dhul-Qarnain: His identity, period and country and the reason why he was so named
Why was he named Dhul-Qarnain? (the one having two horns) Regarding its reason, there are numerous sayings, and strong differences. Some said that he had two curly locks of hair, therefore, he was called Dhul-Qarnain. Some others said that he ruled countries of the East and West, therefore, he was named Dhul-Qarnain. There was someone who also said that he had marks on his head that resembled those of horns. It appears in some narratives that he had wound marks on both sides of his head, therefore, he was identified as Dhul-Qarnain. Allah knows best. But, this much already stands determined that the Qur’ an has certainly not given him the name of Dhul-Qarnain. In fact, this name came from the Jews. He may have been known by this name with them. Whatever part of the event of Dhul-Qarnain has been mentioned by the Holy Qur'an is no more than what is described below:
He was a righteous and just king who reached the East and the West and conquered countries in between and ruled there justly. All sorts of means had been provided to him by Allah Ta` ala in order to help him achieve his objectives. On the route of his conquests, he traveled in three directions: to the far West, to the far East and then to the mountain range in the North. At the last mentioned place, he closed the pass in between two mountains by a wall cast in molten metal which made it possible for the people of the area to stay protected against the pillage of Gog and Magog."
As for the question posed by the Jews to test the veracity and prophet-hood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the answer given had left them satisfied.
They did not ask any_ more questions, such as: Why was he given the name, Dhul-Qarnain? Which country did he come from? What period of time did he belong to? This tells us that the Jews themselves took such questions to be unnecessary and redundant. And it is obvious that the Qur'an mentions only that part of history or stories which relates to what is beneficial in the present life or in the life to come, or on which depends the understanding of something necessary. Therefore, neither did the Qur'an take these things up nor were there any details about it described in any authentic Hadith. And it was for the same reason that the most righteous forbears of Islam, the Sahabah and the Tabi` in also paid no particular attention to it. Now the thing that remains to be addressed is this matter of historical narratives or that of the present Torah and Injil. Then it is also evident that perennial interpolations and alterations have not left even the present Torah and Injil intact as revealed Scriptures. Their status can now be that of history at the most. As for ancient historical narratives, they are overwhelmingly filled with Isra'ili tales, that come from no authentic source, nor have they been found trustworthy in the sight of the learned of any time. Whatever the commentators have said in this mat-ter is a compendium of these very historical narratives. Therefore, there are countless differences in them. Europeans have given great importance to history in modern times. No doubt, they have carried out pains-taking research in this field. Through archaeological excavations and collection of inscriptions and artifacts, they have tried to reach the reality behind past events and in this process, they have come up with achievements not matched in earlier times. But, archaeological finds, inscriptions etc., can certainly help support an event but it is not possible to read a whole event through these. For it, therefore, historical narratives alone have become the basis. As for the validity of old historical narratives in these matters, we have just now learnt that their status is no more than that of a story. In their books, scholars of Tafsir, classical or modern, have reported these narratives in their historical status only - no Qur'anic objective depends on the element of their authenticity. Here too, that which is necessary is being written with the same status in view. A comprehensive research relating to this event appears in 'Qasas al-Qur'an' by Maulana Hifzur-Rahman (رح) . Readers with a taste for history may see it there.
In some narratives, it appears that there have been four kings who ruled over the whole world - two believers, and two, disbelievers. The believing kings are Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) and Dhul-Qarnain while the disbelieving ones are Nimrod (Namrud) and Nebuchadnezzar (Bukht Nassar).
About Dhul-Qarnain, it is a strange coincidence that several men have been famous in the world while bearing the same name. And it is equally strange that the title Sikandar (Alexander) is also attached with the Dhul-Qarnain of every period of time.
Approximately three hundred years before Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) ، there is a king known as Sikandar (Alexander). He is identified with the appellations of the Greek, the Macedonian, the Roman etc. He was the one who had Aristotle (Arastu) as his minister, who fought a war against Dara (Darius) and who conquered his country after killing him. This was the very last person to have become known in the world by the name Sikandar (Alexander). Stories relating to him are comparatively more famous around the world, so some people have also equated him with the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur’ an. This is totally wrong because this person was a fire-worshipping polytheist. As for the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned by the Qur'an, he may not be a prophet for ` Ulama' have differed about his being a prophet. But, everyone unanimously agrees that he was a righteous believer - then, there is the textual authority of the Qur'an in its own right which bears testimony to it.
Quoting Ibn ` Asakir, Hafiz Ibn Kathir has given his complete family tree in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah which ascends to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . He has said, this is the Sikandar who is recognized as the Greek, the Egyptian and the Macedonian, who founded the city of Iskandariyah (Alexandria) after his name and the Roman calendar dates back to his time. This Sikandar Dhul-Qarnain appeared after a long passage of time from the first one. This time has been identified as being more than two thousand years. He was the one who killed Dara (Darius), overpowered the Persian monarchy and conquered their country. But, this person was a polytheist. Declaring him to be the one mentioned in the Qur’ an is totally wrong. Ibn Kathir's own words are being quoted below:
فاما ذولقرنین فھوا سکندر بن فیلبس بن مصریح بن برس بن مبطون بن رومی بن نعطی بن یونانبن یافث بن بونہ بن شرخون بن رومہ بن شرخط بن توفیل بن رومی بن لاصفر بن یقزبن العیص بن اسحٰق بن ابرٰھیم خلیل علیہ الصلوٰۃ والسلام ۔ کذا نسبہ الحافظ ابن عساکر فی تاریخہ المقدونی، الیونانی المصری بانی الاسکندریۃ الذی یؤرخ بایامہ الروم ، وکان متاٌخراً عن الاول بدھر طویل، وکان ھٰذی قبن المسیح بنحو من ثلثمایٔۃ سنۃ و کان ارسطا طالیس الفیلسوف وزیرہ و ھو الذی قتل دارا و اذل ملوک الفرس واوطاٌ ارضھم وانما نبھنا علیہ ، لان کثیرا من الناس یعتقد انھما واحد ، وان المذکور فی القران ھو الذی کان ارطاطلیس وزیرہ، فیقع بسبب ذلک خطاء کبیروفساد عریض طویل، فان الاوَّل کان عبداً مؤمنا صالحاوملکا عادلاً ، وکان وزیرہ الخضر، وقد کان بین زمانیھما ازید من الفی سنۃ، فاین ھذامن ھذا ؟ لا یستویان ولا یشتبھان الا علی غبی لا یعرف حقایٔق الامور (البدایۃ والنھایۃ ص 106/ج 2)
First of all, this research of Imam ibn Kathir, the great scholar of Hadith and history, helps remove a misconception. It clarifies that this Iskandar, who lived three hundred years before Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) who fought Dara (Darius) and the Persian kings, and who is the founder of Alexandria, is not the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur’ an. This misconception seems to have affected some leading commentators as well. Abu Hayyan in al-Bahr al-Muhit and ` Allamah 'Alusi in Ruh al-Ma'ani have said that this very Dhul-Qarnain is the one mentioned in the Qur’ an.
The second point emerges from the sentence of Ibn Kathir: وَ اَنَّہ کان نَبِیِّاً (he was a prophet). It shows that, in the sight of Ibn Kathir, the weightier opinion was that he was a prophet. Although, according to the majority of scholars, the weightier opinion is what Ibn Kathir has himself reported on the authority Abi al-Tufayl from Sayyidna Ali ؓ that he was neither a prophet nor an angel, rather was a righteous believer. Therefore, some ` Ulama have explained it by saying that the pronoun in: اَنَّہ کان (he was) reverts to Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) and not to Dhul-Qarnain - which is closer in sense.
This leaves us with a problem. The Qur’ an mentions Dhul-Qarnain. Who is he? Which period of time did he belong to? Regarding this, sayings of ` Ulama' differ. According to Ibn Kathir, his time was the time of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) two thousand years before the time of Alexander, the Greek, the Macedonian. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) was his minister. Ibn Kathir has also reported from the early righteous elders in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah that Dhul-Qarnain went for Hajj traveling on foot. When Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) found out about his arrival, he went out of Makkah to greet him. It is said that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) also prayed for him and passed out some good counsel to him. (Al-Bidayah, p. 108, v. 3) Tafsir Ibn Kathir reports from Adhraqi that he did tawaf with Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and offered sacrifice.
And Abu al-Raihan al-Bairuni has said in his book al-'Athar al-Baqiyah ` an al-Qurun al-Khaliyah that 'this Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur'an is Abu Bakr ibn Samma ibn ` Umar ibn Ifriqis al-Himyari, the one who conquered the East and West of the Earth. Tubba' al-Himyari al-Yamani has shown pride in his poetry that his grandfather, Dhul-Qarnain, was a believer. He says:
قد کان ذوالقرنین جدی مسلماً ملکاً علافی الرض غیر مبعَّد
بَلَغ المشارِقَ والمغارِبَ یَبتَغِی اسباب مُلکِ مَّن کَرِیمِ سَیِّدٖ
Dhul-Qarnain, my grandfather, was a believing Muslim
A king who conquered the non-believing Earth
He reached the Easts and the Wests seeking
Means of power from the noble Master.
Abu Hayyan has reported this narrative in al-Bahr al-Muhit. Ibn Kathir has also mentioned it in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah. Ibn Kathir adds that 'this Dhul-Qarnain is the first Tubba' (the title of the kings of Yaman). He was among the Tababi'ah (plural of Tubba' ) of Yaman and this is the same person who had ruled in favour of Sayyidna (علیہ السلام) in the case of Bi'r Sab’ (seven wells) ' - (al-Bidayah, p. 105, v. 2). In all these narratives, irrespective of the difference regarding the elements of his identity, his time period has been identified as that of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) .
As for the detailed discussion relating to Dhul-Qarnain provided by Maulana Hifzur-Rahman in his book, Qasas a1-Qur'an, it can be stated in a nutshell. It can be said that the Dhul-Qarnain mentioned in the Qur'an is the king of Persia who is called Khorus by the Jews, Cyrus by the Greeks, Gorush by the Persians and Kai-Khusro by the Arabs. His period is said to be the period of Daniyal (Daniel) from among the prophets of Bani Isra'i1 - much later than the time of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . This brings it closer to the time of Iskandar al-Maqduni (Alexander, the Macedonian), the killer of Dara (Darius). But, the learned Maulana - like Ibn Kathir - has also strongly maintained that Alexander, the Macedonian who had Aristotle as his minister cannot be the Dhul-Qarnain. The former was a fire-worshipping polytheist while the later, a righteous believer.
According to his research about the detailed description of Bani Isra'il falling into wrongdoing and rebellion twice, and of the respective punishment given to them twice, as in Surah Bani Isra'il (al-''Isra' ), the Qur’ an says on the occasion of the first transgression of Bani Isra'il: بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ (We sent upon you some of Our servants having strong aggressive power, who combed through the houses - 17:5). Here, the men with 'strong aggressive power' are Nebuchadnezzar and his supporting troops who killed forty thousand - seventy thousand in some narratives - men from the Bani Isra'il in Baytul-Maqdis, while taking more than one hundred thousand of them driven like a flock of sheep to his city of Babel. After that, as regards the second statement of the Qur’ an: ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ (Then We gave you your turn to overpower them - 17:6), this event transpired at the hands of the same king, Kai-Khusraw (Khorus or Cyrus). He was a righteous believer. He con-fronted Nebuchadnezzar, secured the release of Bani Isra'il held as captives by him and rehabilitated them back into Palestine. He even went on to resettle and repopulate the city of Baytul-Maqdis that was ran-sacked earlier to the limit that he managed to have all treasures and major effects of Baytul-Maqdis carried away by Nebuchadnezzar from there returned back into the possession of Bani Isra'il. Thus, this person proved to be the savior of Bani Isra'il (the Jews).
It is likely that of the questions the Jews of Madinah had set for the Quraysh of Makkah which they would ask the Holy Prophet ﷺ to test his prophethood, was this question about Dhul-Qarnain and that it had an underlying reason. This question was special since the Jews took him to be their savior and respected him.
In short, Maulana Hifzur-Rahman has collected a sufficiently large number of evidences from the prophesies of the prophets of Bani Isra'il with reference to the present Old Testament as well as from historical narratives to present his research on this subject. Anyone who finds it imperative to proceed towards additional research may consult it. My purpose in reporting all these narratives was simply to bring into focus sayings of leading Muslim scholars, historians and commentators as they relate to the life and time of Dhul-Qarnain. To decide as to whose saying is weightier and worthier out of these is not part of my objective. The reason is that things not claimed by the Qur’ an nor explained by Hadith are things we have not been obligated to fix and clarify on our own for that responsibility does not rest on our shoulders. Thus, whichever saying turns out to be regarded as more weighty, worthy and sound, the aim of the Qur'an will stand achieved after all. Allah knows best. Let us now proceed to the explanation of the verses.
Let us look at the first verse cited above: قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرًا (I shall now recite to you a narration about him - 83). It prompts us to find out as to why the Holy Qur'an has elected to bypass the possible shorter expression ذِکرَہ dhikrahu (his narrations) at this place and has opted for two words: مِنہُ ذِکراً ('minhu dhikra' ) (some narration about him)? A little reflection would reveal that these two words have been used as indicators. They tell us that the Qur'an has not promised to narrate the entire story of Dhul-Qarnain in its historical setting. Instead, it has stated that it will mention it in part. This is evident from the use of the particle: مِن (min) and the nunnation (tanwin) of 'dhikra' - a distinct feature of Arabic grammar. As for the historical debate relating to the name, lineage and time period of Dhul-Qarnain reported earlier, the Holy Qur’ an has already said in advance that it has skipped it as something unnecessary.