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Dhul-Qarnayn, translated as “the possessor of the two horns,” is a legendary king mentioned in Chapter 18 of The Quran, Sura al-Kahf (“The Cave”).
Since Dhul-Qarnayn is alleged to be a historical figure, scholars over the centuries have continuously debated his identity. Interestingly, a large number of scholars agree that he was a pre-Islamic figure not associated with Jews or Christians, the traditional “Peoples of the Book.” In fact, most schools of thought consider him to be either Alexander the Great, a pagan, or Cyrus the Great, a Zoroastrian.
The final story in Surah Al Kahf is in relation to Dhul-Qarnayn. This story, including the story ofthe People of the Cave, was revealed in response to the efforts by the Jews of Mecca to discredit Rasulullah SAW. Their scholars had knowledge of certain tales only known to the religious elite amongst them, and they challenged Rasulullah SAW by giving him certain key words and asking him to describe these stories in full to prove that he was indeed a Prophet. Not having Jewish or Christian ancestry, these stories were not known to the community of Mekkah at that time and were not part of their traditions. So, the only means of which Rasulullah SAW could have told them the details was if the story was revealed by Allah himself (through the angel Jibril AS).
What is known is that Dhul-Qarnayn was a man endowed by Allah with many talents and abilities, including military prowess, the ability to rule kingdoms, and extensive practical knowledge on many aspects of life. He was also a pious and steadfast Muslim who constantly contemplated over the signs of Allah and lived his days travelling from one destination to the next in order to establish justice in the land and alleviate the suffering of the people.
Indeed We established him upon the earth, and We gave him to everything a way. So he followed a way. (Al Qur’an 18:84 – 18:85)
The Travels of Dhul-Qarnayn
Dhul-Qarnayn travelled extensively in his life. It is said that he ruled the earth from east to west, but it is noted that Allah only revealed part of this story to us. We therefore record what is revealed in the Qu’ran, and will not cite information which is not verified by authentic sources.
One of this travels brought him to the West, where he found the sun setting as if in a spring of dark mud. In this location he discovered a community who were living under oppressed conditions.
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness.” (Al Qur’an 18:86)
So Dhul-Qarnayn went into the community and led them to the correct path and ways of life in accordance with the rulings of the Almighty. He liberated the community from the oppression that they were subject to, inflicted punishment upon the oppressors, criminals and evildoers and aided the weak and oppressed until justice was established in the land.
He said, “As for one who wrongs, we will punish him. Then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment. But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of Paradise, and we will speak to him from our command with ease.” (Al Qur’an 18:87 – 18:88)
Having completed his task, he and his army continued on their journey, until one day, against the rising sun, he found a people who were backward and ignorant, living in the open without any shelter or protection against the sun.
Then he followed a way. Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield. (Al Qur’an 18:90)
He educated the community there on what they needed to do. He shared and imparted his knowledge to them, taught them the skills required such as carpentry and agriculture, and then continued on his journey.
Thus. And We had encompassed [all] that he had in knowledge. (Al Qur’an 18:91)
The next part of his journey is the most astounding, where he met a curious community, so far removed that he barely understood their language.
Then he followed a way. Until, when he reached [a pass] between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand [his] speech. (Al Qur’an 18:92 – 18:93)
They said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed (Ya’juj) Gog and Magog (Ma’juj) are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?” (Al Qur’an 18:94)
Written by Muslim Footsteps
Alexander romance
Alexander romance, any of a body of legends about the career of Alexander the Great, told and retold with varying emphasis and purpose by succeeding ages and civilizations.
The chief source of all Alexander romance literature was a folk epic written in Greek by a Hellenized Egyptian in Alexandria during the 2nd century AD. Surviving translations and copies make its reconstruction possible. It portrayed Alexander as a national messianic hero, the natural son of an Egyptian wizard-king by the wife of Philip II of Macedon. Magic and marvels played a subsidiary part in the epic—in the story of Alexander’s birth, for example, and in his meeting with the Amazons in India. In later romances, however, marvels and exotic anecdotes predominated and gradually eclipsed the historical personality. Minor episodes in the original were filled out, often through “letters” supposedly written by or to Alexander, and an independent legend about his capture of the wild peoples of Gog and Magog was incorporated into several texts of many vernacular versions. An account of the Alexander legends was included in a 9th-century Old English translation of Orosius’ history of the world. In the 11th century a Middle Irish Alexander romance appeared, and about 1100, the Middle High German Annolied. During the 12th century, Alexander appeared as a pattern of knightly chivalry in a succession of great poems, beginning with the Roman d’Alexandre by Albéric de Briançon. This work inspired the Alexanderlied by the German poet Lamprecht der Pfaffe. An Anglo-Norman poet, Thomas of Kent, wrote the Roman de toute chevalerie toward the end of the 12th century, and about 1275 this was remodeled to become the Middle English romance of King Alisaunder. Italian Alexander romances began to appear during the 14th century, closely followed by versions in Swedish, Danish, Scots, and (dating from a little earlier) in the Slavic languages.
Eastern accounts of Alexander’s fabled career paid a good deal of attention to the Gog and Magog episode, a version of this story being included in the Qurʾān. The Arabs, expanding Syrian versions of the legend, passed them on to the many peoples with whom they came in contact. Through them, the Persian poets, notably Neẓāmī in the 12th century, gave the stories new form.
Alexander romance literature declined in the late 12th century, and, with the revival of classical scholarship during the Renaissance, historical accounts displaced the Alexander romances.
https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Dhul-Qarn...xander_Romance
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