Al Qur'an Verse 18:86 & 18:90 Dhu'l-Qarneyn's Journey Part II

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Commentators:

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Translation & Tafsir:
The Story of Dhul-Qarnayn Allah says to His Prophet

[وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ]

(And they ask you) O Muhammad ,

[عَن ذِى 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 Surat Al-Kahf was revealed. Dhul-Qarnayn had great Power

[إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ]

(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.

[وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً]

(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,

[وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً]

(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.

[فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً - حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْماً قُلْنَا يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْناً - قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَاباً نُّكْراً - وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً فَلَهُ جَزَآءً الْحُسْنَى وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْراً ]

(85. So he followed a way.) (86. Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah. And he found near it a people. We said: "O Dhul-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness.'') (87. He said: "As for him who does wrong, we shall punish him, and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell).'') (88. "But as for him who believes and works righteousness, he shall have the best reward, and we shall speak unto him mild words.'')

His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West)

[فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً ]

(So he followed a way.) Ibn `Abbas said that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted.

[فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً ]

His Journey East
(So he followed a way.) Mujahid said that he followed different routes, east and west. According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said:

[سَبَباً]

(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 فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ]

(he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah) meaning, he saw 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 قَوْماً]

(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 يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْناً]

(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:

[أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ]

(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 عَذَاباً نُّكْراً]

(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 آمَنَ]

(But as for him who believes), meaning `who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate,'

[فَلَهُ جَزَآءً الْحُسْنَى]

(he shall have the best reward,) meaning in the Hereafter, with Allah.

[وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْراً]

(and we (Dhul-Qarnayn) shall speak unto him mild words.) Mujahid said, `(words of) kindness.'

[ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَباً - حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ لَّمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُمْ مِّن دُونِهَا سِتْراً - كَذَلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْراً ]

(89. Then he followed (another) way,) (90. Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allah) had provided no shelter against the sun.) (91. So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnayn).

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Though I have not enough knowledge to comments on Al-Qur'an, even I do not want to measure it as my personal wish. The Nobel Verses That Is From Allah Is Divine To Mankind. I seek pardon where I do mistake. I seek the right path from Allah. It is certain different that from another I have understand concerning the Verses 18:86 & 18:90. I propose to my Muslim brothers, that try to understand both verses keeping on world map. It is very clear that the earth is round...I am presenting.

[18:86 Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun(West), he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout.
18:90 Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun(East), he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom.]]

Note: Dhu'l Qurnayen Had Followed The Land Mark And Traveled The Whole World. And any place either East or West he found, it is setting same in same region or rising in same region and every where he found  a location where people live. Now, If we apply these verses on a flat earth it dose not make any sense that end point of the globe it west or east the sun is setting at a time there is a muddy spring or people thereabout. If we apply these same verses on a round map to see how do Dhu'l Qur'nayn traveled the whole world, when he saw at the Rising place or Setting place of the sun are in a muddy spring or a people there about. It is very clear to understand, (as we know that [ THE SUN RISES IN EAST or THE SUN SETS IN THE WEST, but we very well known that it is simply an indication or the east region from where we see the sun rising, but the true is the earth is rotating towards to west and we see the sun rises in the east ]

[18:86 Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun(West), he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout.

18:90 Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun(East), he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom.]]

It is very clear to understand that when Dhu'l Qurnayen reached suppose at the last west part of Africa (i.e. Morocco) he must saw that the sun sets in the Atlantic though he founded the last west or setting place of sun (i.e. Morocco) from more east (i.e. Egypt) and he followed the land mark to the west and founded the setting place of the sun (Morocco) but a the same time he saw the sun sets again in a place that is muddy spring. (i.e. Atlantic Ocean). For his second travel, Now from morocco he saw the sun rising in the east, (suppose Sudan) and he followed the land mark as well he founded the rising place of the sun but certainly he saw the sun rises from again in same region the east where he saw the muddy spring and a number of people when he reached there. In this way Dhu'l Qur'nayen traveled the whole world. It can be assumed as he fall in a hoax of Sun. West or East where he followed the sun he found it is same. That is THE EARTH IS ROUND another prove of Al-Quran. 

Posted in: Hypothesis,Misunderstand