Al-Hasan said: When the sun rose, they would enter the water; then, once it had risen above them, they would emerge and graze like cattle. (1)

Al-Kalbi said: They were a naked people. One of them would spread out one of his ears beneath him and use the other as a covering. (2)

“Thus it was; and We had full knowledge of all that he possessed. (91) Then he followed a course, (92) until, when he reached the place between the two mountains, he found before them a people who could scarcely understand speech. (93) They said, ‘O Dhul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are spreading corruption throughout the land. Shall we pay you tribute on condition that you build a barrier between us and them?’” (94)

His words, exalted is He, “Thus it was”: It was said that this means: just as he reached the place where the sun sets, so too he reached the place where it rises. The correct view is that it means: just as he judged concerning the people who were at the place where the sun sets, so too he judged concerning those who were at the place where it rises.

“And We had full knowledge of all that he possessed,” meaning: of the troops, provisions, and equipment that he had with him. “Knowledge” here means knowledge.

“Then he followed a course.” “Until, when he reached the place between the two mountains”: Ibn Kathir, Abu ‘Amr, and Hafs recited “the two barriers” and “a barrier” here with the letter sin vowelled with a fathah. Hamzah and al-Kisa’i agreed with them regarding “a barrier.” The others recited it with a dammah; among them were those who held that the two are linguistic variants with the same meaning.

‘Ikrimah said: What is made by human beings is called sadd, with a fathah, while what is made by Allah is called sudd, with a dammah. Abu ‘Amr held the same view. It was also said that sadd, with a fathah, is a verbal noun, whereas sudd, with a dammah, is a noun. Here, they refer to two mountains, between which Dhul-Qarnayn built a barrier separating Gog and Magog from the people beyond them.

“He found before them a people,” meaning: in front of the two mountains. “Who could scarcely understand speech”: Hamzah and al-Kisa’i recited it as “could scarcely make others understand speech,” with the meaning that they could not make others understand what they said. The others recited it as “could scarcely understand speech,” meaning that they could not understand the speech of others. Ibn ‘Abbas said: They could not understand anyone’s speech, nor could people understand their speech.

“They said, ‘O Dhul-Qarnayn’”: If it is asked: How could they say this when they could scarcely understand speech?