Book of the Narratives of the Ancients (1)—those of the Children of Israel and others—down to the close of the Era of Intermission, excluding the days of the Arabs and their Jahiliyyah, which we shall present after finishing this section, God willing.

Allah, exalted is He, says:
“Thus We relate to you some of the reports of what has gone before, and We have given you from Our very presence a reminder.” (Tā Hā 20:99)

And He says:
“We recount to you the best of stories by Our revealing to you this Qur’an; before it you were indeed among the heedless.” (Yūsuf 12:3)

The Account of Dhū l-Qarnayn

Allah, exalted is He, says:
“They ask you about Dhū l-Qarnayn. Say: ‘I shall recite to you something of his story.
Indeed, We established him firmly on earth and granted him a means to everything.
So he followed a course
until, when he reached the place where the sun sets, he found it setting in a murky spring, and he found beside it a people. We said, ‘O Dhū l-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness.’
He said, ‘As for the one who wrongs, we shall punish him; then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment.
But as for the one who believes and acts righteously, for him is the reward of the best, and we shall speak to him gently concerning our command.’
Then he followed another course
until, when he reached the place where the sun rises, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had provided no shelter against it.
So it was, and We encompassed in knowledge all that was with him.
Then he followed yet another course
until, when he came between the two barriers, he found, beyond them, a people who could scarcely understand speech.
They said, ‘O Dhū l-Qarnayn! Gog and Magog are causing corruption in the land; may we pay you a tribute so that you build a barrier between us and them?’
He said, ‘That wherein my Lord has established me is better, so help me with strength and I will erect between you and them a rampart.
Bring me blocks of iron.’ When he had levelled between the two cliffs, he said, ‘Blow!’ and when he had made it a fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten copper to pour over it.’
Thus they were unable to scale it, nor could they pierce it.
He said, ‘This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will level it flat, and the promise of my Lord is ever true.’” (al-Kahf 18:83–98)

Allah, exalted is He, thus mentions Dhū l-Qarnayn and praises him for his justice: he reached the eastern and western horizons, ruled the regions, subdued their peoples, and governed them with perfect equity—an aided, triumphant, victorious, overpowering, and fair ruler.

The sound opinion is that he was one of the just kings (2); some have said he was a prophet, and others that he was a messenger (3). Still more peculiar is