Questions:

Assalam Alaikum
Hope this message is reached with good health and iman inshallah.  I am studying the tafseer of Surah al-Kahf and I would appreciate some clarity on the following subjects.

Q:1a) Are Ya’juj and Ma’jooj humans? The tafseer says that they are the sons of Adam.  This tells me that they are not monsters or creatures (as the popular belief) but a mischievous human tribe, that might have unique physical characteristics? (email to site)

Q:1b) who is dajjal. Are agog and magog roaming the earth? Who is agog and magog?  Are they (xxxxxx) (names of current nationalities have been removed. We find such speculative labeling of ethnicity inappropriate.) (text)

Q:2) Do Christians believe in Dhul-Qarnyan?  The ancient Jews at the time of Rasulallah (S) did since they were the ones that told the Meccans to ask the Prophet about 3 questions, one being the man who traveled alot.

Q:3) On the day of Judgment it is said that the people will be divided —into believers and disbelievers groups, and that hell will be presented (in full view) to the disbelievers.  Where do the disobedient fall?  In the believers category until Allah (swt) judges them, or will they be presented hell just like the disbelievers?

Q4) What is meant by the fact that Dhul-Qarynan traveled to where the sun set and where the sun rose?  Is it literally the point of earth where the sun looked the biggest when setting (flat plain like area with no mountains)?  Or is the message simply the fact that he traveled alot from one point of the earth to the other?
JAK

Time: Wednesday March 10, 2010 at 9:18 am

Q:1a) Are Ya’juj and Ma’jooj humans? The tafseer says that they are the sons of Adam.  This tells me that they are not monsters or creatures (as the popular belief) but a mischievous human tribe, that might have unique physical characteristics? (email to site)

Q:1b) who is dajjal. Are agog and magog roaming the earth? Are they (xxxxxx) (names of current nationalities have been removed. We find such speculative labeling of ethnicity inappropriate.) (text)

Answers 1a  and 1b:

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May Allah grant you continual great health and well being as well. We are pleased that you are studying tafseer. It is a very deep science that you have embarked upon. It is a life long journey. May Allah give us all the ability to learn and practice His Sacred Words, Ameen.

According to the tafseer of Ibn Abbas, Agog and Magog happen to be two men who are the descendants of Yaphete and are called as such due to the large number of their descendants. Jalalain, also a book of tafseer, states that these two names are non Arabic in nature and are linked to that which would create plunder on earth.

According to the majority, your claim of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj being human is correct, based on the scrutiny of the hadith and the definitions established by masters of tafseer. As duly noted by the one questioning: children of Adam are not all the same. In aspects they can be the same as well as different. One need not be a monster to do the work of a monster. Allah presents strength to whomsoever He wishes to whatever extent He wishes for whatever reason He so wishes.

Two ahaadith that answer 1a and 1b have hereby been translated for (y)our better understanding to the matter of Agog and Magog as well as Dajjal. In the saheeh it is mentioned:

Hadith one: Sayidinah Abdullah ibn Umar (radiAllaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah (SWT) divided humankind into ten parts. Nine tenths is made up of  Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj whilst the remaining one tenth constitutes the rest of humankind.

Hadith two relates to Dajjal and the issue of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj:

Sayidinah Nawwaas bin Sam’aan reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) made mention of the Dajjal one day in the morning. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)  sometimes described him to be insignificant and sometimes described (his mischief) as if he were in the cluster of the date-palm trees. When we went to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in the evening and he noticed (fear) upon our faces, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: What is the matter with you? We said: oh Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), you made a mention of the Dajjal in the morning (sometimes describing him) to be insignificant and sometimes very important, until we began to think as if he were present in some (near) part of the cluster of the date-palm trees. Thereupon Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)  said: I gauge fear in regard to you in so many other things besides the Dajjal. If he comes forth while I am amongst (you), I shall contend with him on your behalf, but if he comes while I am not amongst you, a man must contend on his own behalf and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) would take care of every Muslim on my behalf. He would be a young man with twisted hair and a blind eye. I compare him to ‘Abdul Uzza bin Qattaan. He who amongst you would survive to see him should recite over him the opening verses of Sura Kahf. He would appear on the way between Syria and Iraq and would spread mischief right and left. O servant of Allah! Adhere (to themessage of Allah and his messenger). We said: Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), how long would he stay on the earth? He (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said. For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days. We said: oh Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), would one day’s prayer suffice for the prayers of a given day (or would this one given prayer be) equal to one year? Thereupon Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and pray). We said: Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), how quickly would he walk upon the earth? Thereupon Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Like a cloud driven by the wind. He would come to the people and invite them (to a wrong religion) and they would affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He would then give command to the sky and there would be rainfall upon the earth and it would grow crops. Then in the evening their posturing animals would come to them with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their sides stretched. He would then come to another people and invite them, but they would reject him. So he would go away from them and there would be drought for them and nothing would be left with them in the form of wealth.

He would then walk through the (various parts of the) land and say to it: Bring forth your treasures and the treasures would come out and accumulate before him like a swarm of bees. He would then call a person with striking youthfulness and strike him with the sword and cut him into two pieces and (make each piece would sit the distance approximately) between the archer and his target. He would then call the boy and he will come forward laughing with his face glowing and it would at this very time that Allah would send Essa the son of Mariam (alayhimusalaam). And he (alayhisalaam) will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and placing his hands on the wings of two Angels. When he (alayhisalaam) would lower his head, there would fall beads of perspiration from his head, and when he would raise it up, beads like pearls would scatter from it. Every non-believer who would attain the aroma would die and his breath would reach as far as he would be able to see. He would then pursue the Dajjal until he would take hold of him at the gate (of Lodd – English pronunciation is incorrect) and would kill him. Then a people whom Allah had protected would come to Essa (alayhisalaam), the son of Mariam, and he would wipe their faces and would inform them of their ranks in jannah and it would be under such conditions that Allah would reveal to Essa (alayhisalaam) these words: I have brought forth from amongst My servants such people against whom none would be able to fight; you take these people safely to Toor, and then Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) would send Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj and they would swarm down from every slope. The first of them would pass the lake of Tibering (location: Northern Palestine) and drink out of it. And when the last of them would pass, he would say: There was once water there. Esaa (alayhisalaam) and his companions would then be besieged here (at Thur, and they would be so much hard pressed) that the head of the ox would be dearer to them than one hundred dinaars. Essa (alayhisalaam) and his companions would supplicate to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) who would send to them insects (to attach their neck area) and in the morning they would perish like one single person. Essa (alayhisalaam) and his companions would then come down to the earth and they would not find in the earth as much space as a single span which is not filled with their putrefaction and stench. Essa (AS), and his companions would then again beg Allah (for assistance). Allah would send birds whose necks would be like those of (type of) camels and they would carry them and throw them where Allah would wills.

Then Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) would send rain which no house of clay or (the tent of) camels’ hairs would keep out and it would wash away the earth until it could appear to be a mirror. Then the earth would be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing and as a result this, there would grow pomegranate (so large) that a group of persons would be able to eat that, and seek shelter under its skin and a cow would give so much milk that a whole gathering would be able to drink it. And the camel would give such so much milk that the whole tribe would be able to drink out of that and the sheep would give so much milk that the whole family would be able to drink out of that and at that time Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) would send a pleasing wind which would soothe humans even under their armpits that would take the life of every Muslim and only the wicked would survive who would commit adultery like asses.  And at that time the Last Hour would come to them. (Muslim Shareef)

It has been recommended that we recite surah Kahf of a daily bases to attain protection from the Dajjal and his agents. The least one can recite surah Kahf is once a week on Friday. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) give us the ability to act upon this sunnah.

Q:2) Do Christians believe in Dhul-Qarnyan?  The ancient Jews at the time of Rasulallah (S) did since they were the ones that told the Meccans to ask the Prophet about 3 questions, one being the man who traveled alot.

Answer 2: Christian factor:  Ibn Hisham has noted: Dhu al-Qarnyan is Alexander the Greek. He was viewed as the king of Persia and Greece, or was indeed the king of the east and west. Thus he was called Dhul-Qarnayn (the two-horned one).
There are some that identify Dhul-Qarnayn alongside with Alexander the Great.

Al-Farabi, Avicenna, etc. view Dhul-Qarnayn as a former Greek king. Likewise, many Christians view him as such and often refer to him as the two-horned man.

Orientalists studying ancient Christian legends regarding Alexander the Great conclude that the Quranic view of Dhul-Qarnayn is comparable to traditions about Alexander the Great found in ancient Hellenistic and Christian writings.

There are also those amongst the Christians who view him as a fable and nothing more.

As can be noted, Christians have multiple opinions regarding Alexander the Great (just as Muslims do).

Jewish factor: The Quran makes mention of the Jews knowing about DhulQarnayn. However, the idea is not to merely inform us as to what they Jews had known, or not known.  The Quran mentions Jewish knowledge so as to enlighten us that knowledge alone does not create submission. Also, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) is telling the Muslim that they must not become like the Jews and ask unwanted questions to their prophet (Sallalaahu alayhi wa sallam). They must be more trusting in Allah and His Rasull (Sallalaahu alayhi wa sallam) in all their matters. Likewise, this aspect also refers to not asking questions that are not relevant to our existence on a regular basis!

Q:3) On the day of Judgment it is said that the people will be divided —into believers and disbelievers groups, and that hell will be presented (in full view) to the disbelievers.  Where do the disobedient fall?  In the believers category until Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) judges them, or will they be presented hell just like the disbelievers?

Answer 3: One simple view amongst the many correct views:

Fact: Allah is Just and would have all present before Him to maintain His Justice. To segregate before awarding of a sentence would not be Fair for Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala). All would be in rows and would only speak with the permission of Allah (Quran, surah Naba). Hadith adds by saying: 80 rows of Muslims and 40 rows of other nations. One meaning of the above is that believing groups would be together and each group would appeal to their given prophets (peace be upon them all), or their evil leaders seeking assistance or intersession on their behalf, etc. Allah would summon each and award them heaven or hell. Once awarded, a third group would remain positioned in-between heaven and hell– hoping they did a single more of a good deed so to be placed in heaven with ease (Surah al Araf).
Q:4) What is meant by the fact that Dhul-Qarynan traveled to where the sun set and where the sun rose?  Is it literally the point of earth where the sun looked the biggest when setting (flat plain like area with no mountains)?  Or is the message simply the fact that he traveled alot from one point of the earth to the other?

Answer 4: This traveling refers to him traveling to the most distant part regarding the eastern, western and northern direction. The ‘message’ has nothing to do with his traveling as much as it has to do with him making a contribution to every place that he arrived upon. Thus Allah makes mention of his travels. The Quran is emphasizing his service to humanity regardless of his ability to ruin/rule peoples lives, etc. Also we derive, travel in Islam is linked to a spiritual purpose, or else one would be questioned for such wastage of time and money on the day of Qiyamah.

Our response does injustice to the detail that needs to be exercised. InshallAllah, we would go over this matter in the future during the Jummah session. We applaud your questions. May Allah grant you greater insight to His teachings, Ameen.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.