Surah 18

"So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and nearer to mercy.

"And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord. And I did them not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things) over which you could not hold patience."

And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: "I shall recite to you something of his story."

Verily, We established him in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything.

So he followed a way.

Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water. And he found near it a people. We (Allâh) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness."

He said: "As for him (a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allâh) 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).

"But as for him who believes (in Allâh’s Oneness) and works righteousness, he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain) shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)."

Then he followed another way,

Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allâh) had provided no shelter against the sun.

So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnain).

Then he followed (another) way,

Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word.

They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog)[7] are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?"

He said: "That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier.

"Give me pieces (blocks) of iron;" then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: "Blow;" then when he had made them (red as) fire, he said: "Bring me molten copper to pour over them."

So they [Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog)] could not scale it or dig through it.

(Dhul-Qarnain) said: "This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true."

And on that Day [i.e. the Day Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog) will come out], We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another; and the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them (the creatures) all together.

And on that Day We shall present Hell to the disbelievers, plain to view -