Al Qur’an Verse 18:86 and 18:90 : In High Leaser Beam

Introduction: The verses 86 & 90 in the 18^th chapter (Surah “Al-Kahaf”) of the Qur’an has become one of the most common issues concerning a great traveler Dhu’l Qarnayn or Zul Qarnayn who traveled all most every region in this world that mentioned in the Qur’an 18^th chapter verses 83 to 101. The reason of this article that might be considered or could help to reach in ultimate decision to response the controversy claims or interpretation from different translations and narrations concerning his travel.

---

86:(In Arabi Right To Left):

Hatta itha balagha maghriba alshshamsi wajadaha taghrubu fee AAaynin hami-atin wawajada AAindaha qawman qulna ya tha alqarnayni imma an tuAAaththiba wa-imma an tattakhitha feehim husnan

90:(In Arabic Right to Left)

Hatta itha balagha matliAAa alshshamsi wajadaha tatluAAu AAala qawmin lam najAAal lahum min dooniha sitran

---

Word By Word Translation (Arabic To English)

---

Chapter (18) sūrat l-kahf (The Cave) 86

Translation	Arabic word	Syntax and morphology
(18:86:1) ḥattā Until,		INC – inceptive particle حرف ابتداء
(18:86:2) idhā when		T – time adverb ظرف زمان
(18:86:3) balagha he reached		V – 3rd person masculine singular perfect verb فعل ماض
(18:86:4) maghriba (the) setting place		N – accusative masculine noun اسم منصوب
(18:86:5) l-shamsi (of) the sun,		N – genitive feminine noun → Sun اسم مجرور
(18:86:6) wajadahā he found it		V – 3rd person masculine singular perfect verb PRON – 3rd person feminine singular object pronoun فعل ماض و«ها» ضمير متصل في محل نصب مفعول به
(18:86:7) taghrubu setting		V – 3rd person feminine singular imperfect verb فعل مضارع
(18:86:8) fī in		P – preposition حرف جر
(18:86:9) ʿaynin a spring		N – genitive feminine indefinite noun اسم مجرور
(18:86:10) ḥami-atin (of) dark mud,		ADJ – genitive feminine singular indefinite adjective صفة مجرورة
(18:86:11) wawajada and he found		CONJ – prefixed conjunction wa (and) V – 3rd person masculine singular perfect verb الواو عاطفة فعل ماض
(18:86:12) ʿindahā near it		LOC – accusative location adverb PRON – 3rd person feminine singular possessive pronoun ظرف مكان منصوب و«ها» ضمير متصل في محل جر بالاضافة
(18:86:13) qawman a community.		N – accusative masculine indefinite noun اسم منصوب
(18:86:14) qul'nā We said,		V – 1st person plural perfect verb PRON – subject pronoun فعل ماض و«نا» ضمير متصل في محل رفع فاعل
(18:86:15) yādhā "O Dhul-qarnain!		VOC – prefixed vocative particle ya N – accusative masculine singular noun → Dhul Qarnayn أداة نداء اسم منصوب
(18:86:16) l-qarnayni "O Dhul-qarnain!		N – genitive masculine dual noun اسم مجرور
(18:86:17) immā Either		EXL – explanation particle حرف تفصيل
(18:86:18) an [that]		SUB – subordinating conjunction حرف مصدري
(18:86:19) tuʿadhiba you punish		V – 2nd person masculine singular (form II) imperfect verb, subjunctive mood فعل مضارع منصوب
(18:86:20) wa-immā or		CONJ – prefixed conjunction wa (and) EXL – explanation particle الواو عاطفة حرف تفصيل
(18:86:21) an [that]		SUB – subordinating conjunction حرف مصدري
(18:86:22) tattakhidha you take		V – 2nd person masculine singular (form VIII) imperfect verb, subjunctive mood فعل مضارع منصوب
(18:86:23) fīhim [in] them		P – preposition PRON – 3rd person masculine plural object pronoun جار ومجرور
(18:86:24) ḥus'nan (with) goodness."		N – accusative masculine indefinite noun اسم منصوب

Finally 86: Until, when he reached (the) setting place (of) the sun, he found it setting in a spring (of) dark mud, and he found setting (of) dark mud, and he found near it a community. We said, "O Dhul-qarnain! "O Dhul-qarnain! Either [that] you take [in] them (with) goodness.

Chapter (18) sūrat l-kahf (The Cave) 90

Translation	Arabic word	Syntax and morphology
(18:90:1) ḥattā Until,		INC – inceptive particle حرف ابتداء
(18:90:2) idhā when		T – time adverb ظرف زمان
(18:90:3) balagha he reached		V – 3rd person masculine singular perfect verb فعل ماض
(18:90:4) maṭliʿa (the) rising place		N – accusative masculine noun اسم منصوب
(18:90:5) l-shamsi (of) the sun,		N – genitive feminine noun → Sun اسم مجرور
(18:90:6) wajadahā and he found it		V – 3rd person masculine singular perfect verb PRON – 3rd person feminine singular object pronoun فعل ماض و«ها» ضمير متصل في محل نصب مفعول به
(18:90:7) taṭluʿu rising		V – 3rd person feminine singular imperfect verb فعل مضارع
(18:90:8) ʿalā on		P – preposition حرف جر
(18:90:9) qawmin a community		N – genitive masculine indefinite noun اسم مجرور
(18:90:10) lam not		NEG – negative particle حرف نفي
(18:90:11) najʿal We made		V – 1st person plural imperfect verb, jussive mood فعل مضارع مجزوم
(18:90:12) lahum for them		P – prefixed preposition lām PRON – 3rd person masculine plural personal pronoun جار ومجرور
(18:90:13) min against it		P – preposition حرف جر
(18:90:14) dūnihā against it		N – genitive noun PRON – 3rd person feminine singular possessive pronoun اسم مجرور و«ها» ضمير متصل في محل جر بالاضافة
(18:90:15) sit'ran any shelter.		N – accusative masculine indefinite noun اسم منصوب

Finally 90: Until, when he reached (the) rising place (of) the sun, and he found it rising on a community not We made for them against it any shelter.

Source With Recitation

---

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning 86

Muhammad Asad		[And he marched westwards] till, when he came to the setting of the sun, it appeared to him that it was setting in a dark, turbid sea; and nearby he found a people [given to every kind of wrongdoing]. We said: "O thou Two-Horned One! Thou mayest either cause [them] to suffer or treat them with kindness!"
M. M. Pickthall		Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.
Shakir		Until when he reached the place where the sun set, he found it going down into a black sea, and found by it a people. We said: O Zulqarnain! either give them a chastisement or do them a benefit.
Yusuf Ali		Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
Wahiduddin Khan		until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of murky water and near it he found some people. We said, Dhul-Qarnayn! You can either punish them or else you can treat them with gentleness.
[Al-Muntakhab]		He took the lead in an expedition toward he west until he reached a body of water -said to be the Atlantic Ocean, or more likely a mirky land abounding in swamps– where -he thought when viewing the horizon- the sun sets and where he found a -disorderly and unruly- people over whom We gave him authority. We left to him the manner of dealing with them. Either you punish them, We said or show them kindness;
[Progressive Muslims]		Until he reached the setting of the sun, and he found it setting at a boiling lake, and he found near it a people. We said: "O Two Eras, either you are to punish, or you are to do them good."
Abdel Haleem		then, when he came to the setting of the sun, he found it [seemed to be] setting into a muddy spring. Nearby he found some people and We said, ‘Dhu ’l-Qarnayn, you may choose [which of them] to punish or show kindness to.’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi		Until when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he perceived it setting in a miry spring, and he found beside it a nation. We said: Zul Qarnian! either chastise them or take in respect of them the way of kindness.
Ahmed Ali		Until when he reached the sun's sunset/west , he found it departing/declining (setting) in (at a) water well/spring mixed with black (foul) mud, and he found at it a nation, We said: "You (owner) of the two horns/powers/glories, either that you torture, and either you take in them a goodness/beauty."
Aisha Bewley		until he reached the setting of the sun and found it setting in a muddy spring and found a people by it. We said, ‘Dhu’l-Qarnayn! You can either punish them or else you can treat them with gentleness.’
Ali Ünal		Until, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he saw it setting in a spring of hot and black muddy water, and nearby he found a people. We said: "O Dhu’l-Qarnayn! You can either punish them or you can treat them with kindness. (Which way will you choose?)"
Ali Quli Qara'i		When he reached the place where the sun sets, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and by it he found a people. We said, ‘O Dhul Qarnayn! You may either punish them, or treat them with kindness.’
Amatul Rahman Omar		So that when he reached (the land of) the setting of the sun, (the western most part of his empire,) he found it (- the sun) disappearing (as if) in a vast muddy pool of murky water (- the Black Sea), and close to it he found a certain people. We said, `Dhul-Qarnain! you may either punish (them) or treat them with kindness. (They being at your disposal.)'
Hamid S. Aziz		Until when he reached the setting of the sun (furthest West), he found it setting in a black muddy spring and he found thereat a people. We said, "O Zul'qarneyn! You have authority either to torment these people, or treat them kindly."
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali		Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, (The western part of the then known world) he found it setting in a muddy spring, and he found a people at it. We said, "O Thulqarnayn, either you will torment (them) or you will take to yourself towards them a fair (way)."
Muhammad Sarwar		to the West where he found the sun setting into a warm source (spring) of water and a people living near by. We asked him, "Dhu 'l-Qarnayn, you may punish them or treat them with kindness?"
Muhammad Taqi Usmani		until when he reached the point of sunset, he found it setting into a miry spring, and found a people near it. We said, .O Dhul-Qarnain, either punish them or adopt good behavior with them.
Shabbir Ahmed		(Conquering land to the West toward Lydia, he reached as far as the Black Sea.) The sun was setting and it appeared to him as if it was setting in the dark waters. (The local nation, given to wrongdoing, fought against him and lost). We said, "O Zul-Qarnain! Either punish or be kind to them."
Syed Vickar Ahamed		Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it set in a pool of murky water: And near it he found a people: We said: "O Zul-Qarnain! You either punish them or treat them with kindness."
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)		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."
Farook Malik		till he reached the end of the land and the start of an ocean, where the Sun was setting, he noted that it was setting in a mucky spring and found by it a people. We said: "O Zul-Qarnain! You have the option to either punish them or to show them kindness."
Dr. Munir Munshey		And reached the land of the setting sun. He saw the sun setting behind the murky hot springs. And he found a people living there nearby. We said, "Oh Dhul Qurnain! You may punish them, or treat them nicely."
Tahir-ul-Qadri Mohammad		Until he reached the setting place of the sun. He found it setting in a muddy spring. And he found a people near it. We (God) said: O Dhul-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning  90

Muhammad Asad		[And then he marched eastwards] till, when he came to the rising of the sun he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it:
M. M. Pickthall		Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom.
Shakir		Until when he reached the land of the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people to whom We had given no shelter from It;
Yusuf Ali		Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering protection against the sun.
Wahiduddin Khan		until he came to the rising-place of the sun, where he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.
[Al-Muntakhab]		He conducted an expedition eastward where the sun rises until he reached an open territory -probably a desert- where -he thought when viewing the horizon- the sun rises and where the people -who were primitive- had no covering besides the sun.
[Progressive Muslims]		So when he reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people whom We did not make for them any cover except it.
Abdel Haleem		then, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.
Abdul Majid Daryabadi		Until when he reached the rising place of the sun, he perceived it rising upon a nation for whom against it We had not set a veil.
Ahmed Ali		Until when he reached the sun's place and time of appearance/ascent , he found it appears/ascends/rises on a nation We did not make/put from other than it a cover/protection/shelter .
Aisha Bewley		until he reached the rising of the sun and found it rising on a people to whom We had not given any shelter from it.
Ali Ünal		Until, when he reached the rising-place of the sun and found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter against it.
Ali Quli Qara'i		When he reached the place where the sun rises, he found it rising on a people for whom We had not provided any shield against it.
Amatul Rahman Omar		So that when he reached the land of the rising of the sun (- eastern most point of his empire) he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter against it (- the sun).
Hamid S. Aziz		Until when he reached the rising of the sun (furthest East), he found it rising upon a people to whom We had given no shelter there from.
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali		Until, when be reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had not made a screen there from.
Muhammad Sarwar		to the East where he found the sun rising upon a people whom We had exposed to its rays.
Muhammad Taqi Usmani		until when he reached the point of sunrise, he found it rising over a people for whom We did not make any shelter against it.
Shabbir Ahmed		Then he reached (Balkh in Afghanistan) the rising place of the sun, the easternmost point of his expedition. He found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter from it. (They built no houses and lived a nomadic life).
Syed Vickar Ahamed		Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allah) had provided no protection against the sun.
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)		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.
Farook Malik		till he came to the rising of the Sun, he noted it rising on a people for whom We had not provided any shelter from it (they were so backward that they did not even know how to make houses or tents for their living).
Dr. Munir Munshey		(And pressed on) till he reached the land of the rising sun. He found the sun rising upon a (primitive) people. We had not arranged any shelter for them against the sun.
Tahir-ul-Qadri Mohammad		Until he reached the rising place of the sun. He found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter (against the sun),

---

 Qur’an 18:86 and 18:90: Actually Where Dhu’l Qarnayn’s Reaches!! (Claims Arose Showing These Reasons, Noted Below) 

---

18:86: In his first journey, Dhu’l Qarnayn travels until he reached “Maghriba Alshshamsi” (مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ).

18:90 In his second journey, Dhu’l Qarnayn travels until he reached MatliAAa Alshshamsi (مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ).

Word (مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ) Maghriba Alshshamsi In 18:86 all possible translation in English:

1. The west

2. The times when the sun sets

3. The places where the sun sets

(مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ) MatliAAa Alshshamsi in 18:90

1. The east

2. The times when the sun rises

3. The places where the sun rises

1. He Reached The East And West In The Qur’an

In the Qur’an, al maghrib is usually translated as the west or western, and al mashriq as the east or eastern:

2:115; 2:142; 2:177; 2:258; 7:137; 26:28; 43:38; 55:17; 70:40; and 73:9.[2]

In verses 19:16; 24:35 and 28:44, gharb rather than maghrib is used to mean western or of the west and sharq rather than mashriq is used to mean eastern or of the east (in these verses, those nouns are turned into adjectives of relation by the nisba suffix “-iyya”).

2. He Reached The Time of Sunset and Sunrise:
Maghrib is not used as an ism zaman anywhere in the Qur’an, but outside the Qur’an al maghrib is the name given to the prayer that takes place at the time of sunset (one of the 5 daily prayers for Muslims). The phrase maghriba alshshamsi is also used to mean the time of sunset in two hadith, each with two versions (maghrib has an “-i” suffix here as it follows a preposition):
In Hadith
1. Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 56, Number 665 
…bayna salati alAAasri ila maghribi alshshamsi…

…between the ‘Asr prayer and sunset…

2. Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 61, Number 539
…bayna salati alAAasri ila maghribi alshshamsi…
....the period between the time of 'Asr prayer and sunset....
3. Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 7028

…hatta maghribi alshshamsi…

…at the time of sunset…

In the Qur’an:

Where matliAA is used as an ism zaman. Verse 97:5 has, “…hatta matlaAAi alfajri” (“…until the rise of morn”).

(SEARCH http://www.ekabakti.com/ and http://hadith.al-islam.com).

The Time Of Sunset Is Meant(Different Wording):

 There are three verses that mention the times when the sun rises and sets (and three more that just mention the time of sunrise – we shall look at those in a moment). The verbs gharaba, used in 18:86 in the form “taghrubu”, “it set”, and talaAAa, used in 18:90 in the form “tatluAAu”, “it rise” are used for this purpose in those three verses (in a noun form of the verbs in the latter two cases) along with a time adverb, “when”, or “before”.

Watara alshshamsa itha talaAAat … waitha gharabat…

And you (might) have seen the sun when it rose … and when it set …18:17

…wasabbih bihamdi rabbika qabla tulooAAi alshshamsi waqabla alghuroobi

…and celebrate the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting...50:39

…wasabbih bihamdi rabbika qabla tulooAAi alshshamsi waqabla ghuroobiha…

…and celebrate (constantly) the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun, and before its setting;…20:130

The other way that the time of sunrise is referred to in the Qur’an uses the verb ashraqa, “to (sun)rise” in the form of an active participle or verbal noun as in the following verses:

aakhathathumu alssayhatu mushriqeena

But the (mighty) Blast overtook them before morning [Pickthall and some others have “at sunrise” instead of “before morning”] 15:73

....FaatbaAAoohum mushriqeena....

....So they pursued them at sunrise....26:60

…bialAAashiyyi waalishraqi....

…at eventide and at break of day [Pickthall and some others have “sunrise” instead of “break of day” 38:18

If the Qur’an in 18:90 meant the time of sunrise, it would likely have used a formulation similar to these using a derivative of ashraqa or used talaAAat / tulooAAi as in the other 3 verses.

3. He Reached The Places Where The Sun Sets And Rises

Similar Word Usage In The Qur’an:

Verses 55:17 and 70:40 which are the only other verses in the Qur’an that refer to the place of sunset (depending on translation), maghrib is used (although without alshshamsi). MatliAA is not used elsewhere in the Qur’an to mean the place of sunrise (37:5, 55:17 and 70:40 are the only other possible references to the place of sunrise and mashriq is used there).

The Setting And Rising Places In The Hadith:

Sahih Muslim Book 1, Number 294

…tatluAAa alshshamsu min maghribiha…

…the sun rises from the place of its setting…

Sahih Muslim Book 1 no. 296

…tulooAAu alshshamsi min maghribiha…

…the rising of the sun [from] its place of setting.

Sahih Muslim Book 1, no. 297 

…Do you know where the sun goes? […] Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out from its rising place […] Rise up and emerge out from the place of your setting, and it will rise from the place of its setting…

“mina matliAAiha” is translated as “from its rising place”, “mina maghribiki” as “from the place of your setting” (so the sun is commanded to go somewhere

---

The complex language of Arabic:

---

Arabic is a very complex, artistic and poetical language by nature. A single word can mean a host of meanings.  The art and beauty of Arabic comes in how a person constructs and puts together words to form a sentence or paragraph.  The art and creativity in the style and poetry are what determine the strength and beauty of the sentence or poem.  That is why the Noble Quran is extremely difficult to understand sometimes, even by the fluent and professional Arabic speakers.  That is why Muslims always say that the translations of the Noble Quran do it absolutely no justice, because the poetry and complexity of language-art are completely compromised in the translation.  What the English reader, for instance, is left with when reading the English Noble Quran, is the subject that the Noble Verses are talking about.  But he/she doesn't see the beautiful and complex stylistic and linguistic Divine Miracle that the Arabic text carries in it.

At any rate, Allah Almighty Chose for the Noble Quran to be Difficult to comprehend, and to be quite a challenge to interpret and translate, because:

1-  He Chose to have the Miracle of the Noble Quran be an ever lasting one by living in the text of the Holy Book Itself.

2-  To demonstrate Its Divinity to the Arabs back then, who were very experienced/mature, fluent and also addicted to poetry, along with the Arabic-speaking people today, and to challenge them and to show them that certainly the Noble Quran is not just an average everyday book.  It is indeed a Divine Miracle, proving that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is indeed a Truthful and real Prophet.

3-  This is Allah Almighty's way to Lead to the Right Path whom He pleases and to Lead astray whom He pleases.

---

Commentators : See The Next Part

---

Very Easy To Send

Posted in: Hypothesis,Misunderstand