| Chapter 18 : Surah Al-Kahf |
(Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context The first revolt took place after the time of David as a consequence of which the Jews were expelled from their native land. They repented of their sins and their homeland was restored to them. But they again relapsed into iniquitous practices, defied God's commandments and revolted for the second time in the time of Jesus. This second defiance brought upon them severer punishment. Their holy places were destroyed and they were exiled from their beloved Land of Promise. These prophecies had also mentioned the conditions and circumstances under which the first part of the Israelitesthe Jews-had to pass. A description of their condition, however, gave rise to two obvious questions: (a) If Christians, who form the second part of the Mosaic Dispensation, have been spared the punishment with which the Jews who were its first part were afflicted, does it not follow that Christians are heirs to the Divine blessings and favours promised to the Jews? (b) Why are Muslims warned to be on their guard lest they incur Divine displeasure by following in the footsteps of the Jews, and what does this warning portend and what has the future in store for them? Subject-Matter The answer which this Surah gives to this question is that these parables describe in metaphorical language the rise and fall of Christian nations and also the hardships and tribulations which the Muslims were to suffer from them on account of their own iniquities. In order to expand the subject and give it more clarity, the Isra' (Spiritual Journey) of Moses has been mentioned after the parable of the "Two Gardens." This Spiritual Journey of Moses describes in metaphorical language the great material and moral progress which his followers were to make, Just as the phenomenal progress of the followers of the Holy Prophet has been described in his own Isra', mentioned in Chapter Bani Isra'il. The Isra' of Moses describes in detail when and how this great advancement would commence and where it would stop and when the Israelites would become deprived of Divine favours which would be transferred to the House of Ishmael. After this we are told that the Ishmaelites, after having inherited God's favours, would, in their turn, incur His displeasure by defying His commandments and would be punished by Gog and Magog who would, at one time, spread over and dominate the entire world. Towards the end of the Surah mention is made of one-Dhu'l Qarnain, who stood in the way of the domination of the whole world by Gog and Magog. Thus light is thrown on the material and spiritual conditions of Christians both in the early stages of their Faith and in the Latter Days. The Dwellers of the Cave symbolize early Christians in the period of their weakness, and Gog and Magog represent them in the heyday of their glory in the Latter Days. The Surah closes with an assurance to the followers of Islam that God would break and shatter the forces of irreligiousness unleashed by Gog and Magog, and would bring about the deliverance of Muslims by means of a second Dhu'l Qarnain. This second Dhu'l Qarnain is the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement who is a follower of the Holy Prophet. The Surah being very important, some additional details of its subject-matter may be mentioned. It states that God has revealed the Qur'an in order to remove the errors that had crept into previous heavenly Scriptures. It warns those who ascribe a son to God that by so doing they incur Divine displeasure. These people hate Islam, and their beginning is not like their end. In the beginning they were very weak and were subjected to bitter persecution. God had mercy on them and delivered them from their trials and tribulations and put them on the road to progress and prosperity. But when they grew rich and prosperous, they resorted to idolatrous practices, and instead of turning to God they turned to the world and became entirely lost in it. Muslims are warned to take a lesson from their fate and in the day of their own power and glory to be on their guard, particularly against being remiss in Divine worship, against excessive love of wealth and worldly possessions, and against a life of ease and luxury. The glory and power of Christian nations as compared with the degradation and poverty of Muslims are then graphically depicted in 'the parable of two men,' one rich and the other poor. The rich man-Christian nations-would be proud of his riches while the poor man would turn to God. Pride and conceit would come to grief in the long run and circumstances beyond human control would bring about the rich man's decline and fall. The Surah proceeds to give some details of those great changes which were revealed to Moses in his Vision in which he was told that the development and progress of his Dispensation would fall far short of the great heights which another and a later Dispensation would attain. This later Dispensation-Islam-would bring to perfection and completion the teaching which the Mosaic Dispensation had left incomplete, and would emerge triumphant from the ashes of a declining and decadent Christendom. After having dealt with the decline and fall of Christian nations and with the rise of Islam, the Surah describes the conditions which would follow the triumph of Islam. It is stated that a time would come when Muslims would also turn their backs upon religion and would become entirely engrossed in the pursuit of material wealth and power. To punish them for their sins God would once again grant success and prosperity to Christian nations which for a time had been restrained from advancing into Southern and Eastern regions. Then would come great destruction upon the world and nations of the world would become divided into two hostile camps, wedded to two opposite ideologies. Sin and iniquity would prevail in the world and injustice and tyranny would become rampant. When things would come to such a pass God would create circumstances which would finally check the seemingly irresistible onrush of the flood threatening to engulf the entire world. While dealing with this subject the Surah clearly hints that the same people would play an important part in arresting and stopping this flood who had once before broken the political power of Gog and Magog-true followers of the Holy Prophet.
1662. The Qur'an as Qayyim (guardian) performs a double function. It is a guardian over the previous Scriptures in that it corrects and removes the errors that have found their way into them, and it is also a guardian over future generations because it takes upon itself their spiritual upbringing and guides them to the paths which lead to the realization of the sublime object of human life. 1663. The Qur'an is first spoken of as 'giving warning,' next as 'giving glad tidings' (v. 3). and then again as 'giving warning' as in the present verse. Disbelievers have been warned twice and in between these two warnings the believers have been given glad tidings. This double warning interspersed with glad tidings for Muslims implied three prophecies: (a) the discomfiture and destruction of the Holy Prophet's opponents in his own time. (b) the phenomenal rise of Muslims to power and glory, and. (c) after the departure of their glory, the punishment in store for the nations who say that 'Allah has taken unto Himself a son.' 1664. Bakhi' being active participle from Bakha'a which means, he did a thing most effectively, the verse speaks volumes for the Holy Prophet's concern and solicitude for the spiritual well-being of his people. His grief over their rejection of the Divine Message and opposition to it had almost killed him. God 's Messengers and His Prophets are full of the milk of human kindness. They cry and weep and grieve for mankind. But such is human ingratitude that those very people for whom they feel so deeply persecute them and seek to kill them. 1665. Of all the innumerable things that God has created there is not one which has not its particular use or which is devoid of all good. All of them add to the beauty of human life. Muslims were enjoined always to keep in view the great truth underlying these simple words and to devote their time and energy to delving into the great secrets of nature and to exploring the unlimited properties of elements. 1666. The verse implies a prophecy that the Christian nations of the West, after acquiring wealth, power and dominion and making great discoveries and inventions, would make God's earth abound, as the Bible says, in sin and iniquity. Divine wrath would be excited and, as the prophecies uttered by the mouths of God's great Prophets in the Old and New Testaments and the Qur'an and Hadith, widespread calamities would descend upon the earth and all the progress that they will have made and all their handiworks, their lofty and stately buildings, the beauty of their land and all their pomp, glory and grandeur would be completely destroyed. 1666A. The expression, Ashb al-Kahf has been variously interpreted as 'People of the Cave;' 'Men of the Cave;' 'Companions of the Cave;' 'Inmates of the Cave' and 'Dwellers of the Cave.' 1667. The verse declares that the Dwellers of the Cave were not strange things. There was nothing about them which might be considered as a departure from the ordinary laws of nature. Curiously enough many fantastic legends have been woven round them. The memorable story of the "Seven Sleepers," as told by Gibbon in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," provides an important clue to the solution of the mystery that surrounds the Dwellers of the Cave. 'When the Emperor Decius,' says Gibbon, 'persecuted the Christians, seven noble youths of Ephesus concealed themselves in a spacious cavern in the side of an adjacent mountain, where they were doomed to perish by the tyrant, who gave orders that the entrance of the cavern should be firmly secured with a pile of huge stones. Now it is a well known historical fact that early Christians had to suffer untold persecution at the hands of the idolatrous Roman Emperors for their belief in Divine Unity. This persecution began as early as the time of the notorious Emperor Nero who is said to have set fire to Rome; he was fiddling while that great seat of learning and civilization burnt. It continued intermittently till after a brief respite of about forty years it began with renewed fury under Emperor Decius who wanted to restore the religion and institutions of ancient Rome, and with this object in view he began a systematic extermination of Christians. The edicts of Diocletian in 303 A.D.; however, surpassed all anti-Christian measures. By these edicts Christian churches in all the provinces of the Empire were demolished, all their sacred books were publicly burnt and the property of the Church was confiscated and Christians were put out of the protection of the land' (Gibbon's Roman Empire, Enc. Brit. & Story of Rome). To save themselves from this cruel and inhuman persecution its helpless victims sought refuge in hiding in the catacombs at Rome. For this purpose these catacombs were admirably adapted both by the intricacy of their labyrinthine passages and the numerous small chambers and hiding places at different levels which might remain undetected in the dark by pursuers. From the inscriptions on the tombstones in the catacombs it appears that the early Christians were strict monotheists. Jesus has been mentioned only as a shepherd, or a Prophet of God and Mary, his mother, as nothing more than a pious woman. It also appears that Christians who took refuge in the catacombs kept dogs at their entrance which would announce the approach of strangers by their barking. The account of the Dwellers of the Cave thus, in fact, represents the history of early Christians and shows how they suffered untold persecution for their belief in the Unity of God. The position and description of the Cave, as given in v. 18; is of secondary importance. It applies more fully and in greater detail and exactness to the catacombs at Rome than to any other place. The story of the Dwellers of the Cave may also be taken to apply to Joseph of Arimathaea and his companions. According to William of Malmesbury, Joseph was sent to Britain by St. Philip and having been given a small island in Somersetshire there constructed with twisted twigs the first Christian church in Britain, which afterwards became the Abbey of Glastonbury. According to another account Joseph is said to have wandered into Britain in the year 63 A.D .... According to legends the first Church of Glastonbury was a little wattled building erected by Joseph of Arimathaea as the leader of the twelve apostles sent over to Britain from Gaul by St. Philip (Enc. Brit., 10th edition & 13th edition, under "Joseph of Arimathaea" & under "Glastonbury"). The latest theory, which also finds powerful support from a study of "Dead Sea Scrolls," assigns the caves, in which the early Christians sought refuge and where they committed to writing their beliefs and teachings, to the valley near the Dead Sea. "Cave" and "Inscription" represent two most prominent aspects of the Christian Faith, viz., that it began as a religion of renunciation and withdrawal from the world and has ended by becoming a religion of entire engrossment in worldly affairs, a religion of business and trade in a world of writings and inscriptions. 1668. The Arabic expression Daraba'ala Udhnihi means, he prevented him from hearing. The Quranic expression means, 'We prevented them from hearing.' It also means, 'We made them sleep by preventing any sound from penetrating into their ears in consequence of which they would have awakened' (Lane). Literally, the verse means, 'We prevented any sound from penetrating into their ears,' i.e., for a number of years they remained wholly isolated from the affairs of the outside world and did not know what was happening there. 1669. There seemed to be two parties among the early Christians: (a) Those who did not like to dissemble or dissimulate and knowing no compromise with unbelief and idolatry suffered persecution for their faith with patience and fortitude. These people had to seek refuge in caves. (b) Those who thinking prudence to be the better part of valor concealed their faith and saved themselves from persecution. "Two parties" may also refer to the persecutors and the persecuted. 1670. The verse shows that many fantastic stories were current about the Dwellers of the Cave in the Holy Prophet's time. The truth about them, however, is that they were young men of noble conduct who had staked their all for the sake of their Lord and that their faith had steadily grown under persecution. 1671. Though their people were against them and mercilessly persecuted them, yet the Dwellers of the Cave could not be intimidated into giving up their religion. God had strengthened their hearts and had bestowed upon them firmness of faith. 1672. The people to whom the Dwellers of the Cave belonged were idol-worshippers. Such were the Romans. 1673. The verse brings to light the fact that those monotheistic young men were no scattered individuals but formed part of an organized and disciplined religious community whose members met frequently in private. The verse shows that when these young men talked of taking shelter in the Cave they had some specific Cave in mind. This Cave seems to have already been used as a place of refuge by Roman slaves when they fled from their cruel masters. The words, And now when you have withdrawn from them, signify that they had already been the victims of a severe social boycott and had lived apart from their people in a separate group of their own. 1674. It appears that the Cave was so situated that it faced north-west, for the sun passes a place, which has its face to the north, from right to left. It seemed to cover a vast area as the words 'spacious hollow' show. The catacombs at Rome which still exist confirm this view. They enclose a vast area, which has been estimated variously as extending over as many as 870 miles (Enc. Brit.). It also appears that the catacombs admitted very little light. The Cave was made in such a way as to serve as a hiding place. St. Jerome, who visited the catacombs in the 4th century, says, "It is all so dark that the language of the Prophet (Ps. 55:15) seems to be fulfilled, 'let them go down quick into Hell." Only occasionally is light let in to mitigate the horror of the gloom, and then not so much through a window as through a hole' (Enc. Brit., 11th edition). 1675. The Muslims in the Holy Prophet's time were forewarned that Christian nations in northern regions were lying in a state of dormancy but they would soon rise from their deep sleep of centuries and would spread all over the world and hold it under their sway. 1675A. The words, 'We shall cause them to turn over to the right and to the left' seem to refer to their going about in the world, spreading in all directions in search of new markets and making new conquests. 1676. The words, besides referring to the great fondness of Western Christian nations for dogs, may also be taken as referring to the Byzantine Empire which then kept guard over Europe on both sides of the Sea of Marmora, and which looks like a dog keeping watch with its forelegs stretched forth on both sides. 1677. These words refer to the time when Christian nations of the West were to acquire great political power. The Qur'an foretold this fact hundreds of years ago when Christian nations were yet sunk in a deep sleep of centuries and the wildest stretch of imagination could not have foreseen the power and glory to which they subsequently rose. The verse contains a characteristic picture of the domination of Western nations over Eastern and Southern lands, their peculiar mode of life and the fear and awe they inspire among the peoples of these regions. 1678. The verse seems to refer to the Christian nations of the West after they had spread all over the world. The words, We raised them up, refer to the great progress which these nations were destined to make in the future. The words, One of them said, 'How long have you tarried,' signify that Christian nations would begin to feel that it was now time for them to bestir themselves and shake off their lethargy. This awakening took place in the time of the Crusades when the monarchs of England, France and Germany made common cause and the whole of Europe united to make a concerted attack upon Muslims to wrest the Holy Land from their hands. According to Arabic idiom the words 'a day or part of a day' denote an indefinite period. Elsewhere the Qur'an (20:103, 104) has specified as one thousand years the period during which Christian nations of the West remained in a state of sleep or inactivity. "Ten days" in 20:103, 104 stand for ten centuries and the words "blue-eyed in these verses refer to the peoples of the West who generally have blue eyes. It is a well-known historical fact that the foundations of British power in the East were laid in the beginning of the seventeenth century ("March of Man"). This period approximates to one thousand years after the Holy Prophet. 1679. When the Dwellers of the Cave saw that the wave of persecution against them had subsided, they sent one of their members to the city with some old coins to buy provisions and to find out how matters stood with regard to them. T a c h may signify such articles of food as wheat, barley, millet, dates, etc. (Lane). This refers to the commercial expeditions of the Western nations to all parts of the world. 1680. European businessmen have a special knack for being gentle and courteous in their commercial dealings. To this characteristic of theirs the expression, And let him be courteous, seems to refer. It also means. 'Let him conduct himself with caution.' 1681. The words, but let him not inform anyone about you, refer to the quiet and unobtrusive penetration of the Western influence in the East. 1682. The words mean, 'If the people to whom you are sending trade parties became acquainted with your real intentions, or before your feet became firmly established in their country some political quarrel or commercial disagreement arose and you were overpowered, then you would either have to quit their country or embrace their religion. In either case you would fail to gain a permanent foothold and all your dreams of establishing a great empire in their country would come to naught.' 1683. The words, We will surely build a place of worship over them, mention one of the distinctive marks of the Dwellers of the Cave which is that their successors; the Christian nations, will build churches in memory of their dead saints. It is further worthy of note that many such churches have been found in the catacombs. 1684. These guesses seem to be based on inscriptions on the walls of some of the chambers in the catacombs; but each inscription has reference only to a particular family, party or group. The total number of those who took refuge in the catacombs at any time is not known. A dog seems; from the inscriptions, to have always accompanied a party of refugees. 1685. The verse may mean that in the time of their decline and degradation Muslims will lose all initiative for any real and useful work and will indulge only in daydreaming and all their activities will remain confined to talking about the future, and they will do nothing to improve their lot. 1686. The period in which early Christians were subjected to persecution and had frequently to take refuge in caves and other places of hiding extends approximately over 309 years, and historical data have corroborated this calculation. As popularly believed the persecution of Christians began with Jesus's Crucifixion in 28 A.D., and ended with Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity in 337 A.D. (Enc. Brit.), a period of about 309 years. And Constantine was not converted in 337 A.D., but in 309 A.D. The tragedy of the Crucifixion took place 28 years later than is generally believed (Chronology by Archbishop Ushers & Daily Bible Illustrations by Dr. Kitto). 1687. The early Christians were persecuted in many lands and at different times, e.g., in Rome, Alexandria, etc. They were compelled to seek refuge in caves and catacombs at different times and for different periods. Their stay in the catacombs was not a single, uninterrupted episode. The exact length of the total period of such stay is known only to Allah. 1687A. The words also mean: 'Clear is His Sight and keen His Hearing' or 'He sees all and hears all.' 1688. Gold bracelets being symbols of royalty, the verse may signify that Muslims will become rulers of vast and mighty empires and will enjoy great power, honor and dignity and their womenfolk will wear garments of fine silk and heavy brocade interwoven with gold. This prophecy was fulfilled when the treasures of Persia and Rome were laid at the feet of the illiterate Arabs who used to wear clothes made of coarse skins and of the hair of animals. 1689. With this verse begins, in the form of a parable. the conditions of the two peoples-Christians and Muslims, the "two men" representing these two peoples and "two gardens'' the two periods of the rise of the Christian nations. The verse denotes that in their chequered history Christian nations would rise to great power twice. The first period preceded the advent of Islam while the second began with the dawn of the 17th century. A.D., when Christian nations of Europe began to make great progress and acquire unprecedented power and prestige which reached its zenith in the nineteenth century. 1690. "The stream" represents the time of the Holy Prophet, through whom portions of the true teachings of Moses and Jesus were preserved. 1690A. The powerful and prosperous Christian nations would look down upon and taunt the poor and powerless Muslims for their poverty and lack of material resources. 1691. Being proud of their material progress Western Christian nations would give themselves up to a life of ease and luxury and in their conceit and arrogance misconceive that their power, progress and prosperity will last for ever, and being lulled into a false sense of security and complacency, they would be entirely lost in a life of sin and iniquity. 1692. This verse and vv. 36 and 40 speak of one garden only because of the two gardens (v. 33) one had practically perished before Islam. The "garden" which proved to be the greatest source of pride for Christians is the one which flourished after Islam-their present material great progress and power. 1693. The words 'from heaven' show that no earthly power will be able effectively to combat and resist the military might of Western Christian nations. God Himself will create circumstances which will bring about their destruction. It is to this irresistible might of Cog and Magog who represent the material glory of Christianity that the Holy Prophet referred when he is reported to have said, 'None will have the power to fight them' (Muslim, ch. on "Dajjal"). 1694. The springs of their great talents and intellectual attainments on which their material progress mainly depends or which, in the words of the Qur'an, keep their garden fresh and green, will dry up, resulting in the complete desolation of their "garden." Their springs of spiritual freshness will also dry up. 1695. All the efforts and endeavors of Christian peoples to maintain continuity of their material wealth will end in smoke and their power and prestige will speedily and unexpectedly decline. The verse incidentally shows that the word "garden" used in these verses has not been used in its literal sense because gardens do not fall upon their trellises. 1696. What an apt and forceful description of the transitoriness of worldly life! 1697. Jibal meaning "chiefs" (Lane), the verse may mean that the prophecy about the complete destruction of the forces of evil-Cog and Magog-mentioned in the few preceding verses will be fulfilled when in the words of the Bible 'nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places' (Matt. 24:7). The expression, Hasharna-hum, means that they will be gathered in battle array, facing each other, and will fight to the bitter end. 1698. The words signify that they will become divested of all power and authority and will be reduced to a state of subjection and disgrace as before. 1699. The verse seems to signify that at that time there will be general talk about a new world order which will herald an era of permanent peace and concord in the world and the so called leaders of political and social thought will seek and claim to establish it, but they will not succeed in their efforts because God has reserved for Himself the consummation of this supreme task. 1700. The verse may mean that these nations will set up high tariff walls or iron curtains and impose economic boycott upon one another, or it may mean that they will become involved in deadly wars which will ruin them. 1701. The disbelieving nations of the West will see a most destructive war approaching. They will try all possible means to avoid it but all their plans and efforts to this end will prove futile. The West has already passed through the ordeal of two most destructive wars which have almost destroyed its political domination and prestige in the world and have shaken Western civilization to its foundation. A third holocaust is staring it-perhaps the whole world-in the face. 1702. The verse may mean: (a) Of all God's creation man has been endowed with reason and intellectual faculties but regrettably he employs them to reject truth and for other evil purposes (b) or, it may mean that he is a victim of chronic misgivings and doubts, which seldom find satisfaction, and being a confirmed skeptic seeks to discover loopholes even in the most convincing arguments. 1703. The disbelievers persistently refuse to see reason and to make use of their God-given powers with the result that these powers and faculties become rusted and corroded and they are left floundering in sin and iniquity. 1704. With this verse begins the subject of the Isra' (Spiritual Night Journey) of Moses. As stated above, the followers of Jesus Christ achieved great material power and prosperity, and in their chequered career left their indelible imprint twice on world's history. This double prosperity of Christian nations has been likened to "two gardens" in v. 33. The first of these two periods began with the conversion to Christianity of the Roman Emperor; Constantine, when it became the religion of the State, and continued till the birth of the Holy Prophet of Islam. The second and more important of these two periods is represented by the present age when Christian nations of the West have acquired so much power and prestige that the nations of Asia and Africa have to dance attendance upon them like serfs and slaves. Between these "two gardens" flowed a "stream" (v. 34). This "stream" denoted the birth and rise to power of Islam which left its deep mark on human history during the interval between these two periods. In order to provide an historical setting to the account and to make it look like a connected whole, a somewhat detailed description of the Isra' or Spiritual Journey of Moses has been given in the present and following few verses. Moses had foretold the advent of a Prophet like unto him (Deut. 18:18). This prophecy has been referred to in the Qur'an in 73:16. By putting the account of Moses's Spiritual Journey between those of the Dwellers of the Cave and Gog and Magog-representing the two periods of the beginning of Christianity and its later progress and advance-the Qur'an has pointed out to the fact that the Prophet referred to in Moses's prophecy, who was also to be his counterpart, was to appear during the interval between these two periods. Thus have these incidents been mentioned in their historical order. 1704A. Huqub is plural of Huqbah which means, long time, indefinite time; an age; seventy years or more (Lane & Mufradat). The Isra' of Moses was, like the Isra' of the Holy Prophet (17:2), no physical journey but a spiritual experience by means of which Moses was transported from his body of flesh and blood to a spiritual tabernacle. The Bible and the Qur'an both support this view. Some of the arguments advanced in its support are as follows: (1) The Bible which is considered by Christians to be more or less a reliable record of Moses's life has omitted all mention of this most unusual and wonderful incident and has failed even to make a passing reference to it. (2) Before and after he was commissioned as a Divine Prophet, Moses is known to have undertaken only one journey and that was to Midian. The Bible and the Qur'an have both referred to this journey. Both also agree that Moses undertook the journey to Midian alone, while in the journey referred to in the present and the following verses he is described as having been accompanied by 'his young companion.' (3) There is no place in the world which is known by the name, Majma'a al-Bahrain. The expression can only mean 'the junction of two seas.' Such junctions nearest to the place where Moses lived, after he had left Egypt, are Bab al-Mandab which unites the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and the Straits of Dardanelles which joins the Mediterranean Sea with the Sea of Marmora and AI-Bahrain where the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean meet. Of all these places the Straits of Dardanelles alone can possibly be the point where such a meeting could have taken place because on its way from Egypt lies Canaan which was the destination of Moses but which he could not reach in his lifetime. All these three points were about one thousand miles distant from Moses's place of living, and considering the absence of good means of communication and transport in those days it would have taken him several months to cover such a long distance and Moses could not afford to remain absent from his people for such a long time without seriously jeopardizing their spiritual well-being, specially after his bitter experience with them when he was absent from them on Mount Tur only for forty days. The expression Majma'a al-Bahraln, seems to mean the junction of the two Dispensations-Mosaic and Islamic. Besides this external evidence there is much internal evidence in vv. 61-83 which shows that the journey was not a physical event but a spiritual experience of Moses:- (a) The "Servant of God" made a big hole in the boat (v. 72) to save it from being forcibly seized by the king. But did the boat remain seaworthy after it was damaged. or did it not? If it did. why did not the king seize it? If it did not, why did it not sink? In this physical world no boat is ever known to have remained floating after a big hole had been made in its bottom. In the world of visions, however, such things are possible. (b) In this world of flesh and bones no sensible person. much less a Prophet of God, would take the life of another person without a legitimate cause, as "the Servant of God" is stated to have done (v. 75). (c) How could a great Prophet of God and a most noble and broadminded person like Moses have found fault with the "Man of God" for not demanding payment from two poor orphan boys for repairing their broken wall because the people of their town had refused to entertain them? What had the two orphan boys done to deserve Moses's displeasure? It was the people of the town and not they who had refused to entertain them as guests. (d) It is inconceivable that a great Prophet of God like Moses should have undertaken a long arduous journey in search of a "Servant of God" to learn from him how to break a hole in a boat or to kill a young man or to repair a wall and demand no remuneration for it. Moreover. the 'Holy Prophet' is reported to have said, 'Would that Moses had kept silent, so that God would have revealed to us many more secrets of the unseen (Bukhari; Kitab al-Tafsir). But there was nothing of the secrets of the unseen in the unusual acts which the "Servant of God" is stated to have done. According to Mawardi; the person whom Moses had gone to see was no human being but an angel of God (Kathir). All these facts taken together constitute very solid and weighty evidence, that the journey of 1705. Hut when seen in a vision denotes houses of worship of the righteous people (Ta'tir al-Anam). In this sense of the word the expression, when they reached the place where the two seas met, they forgot their fish, signifies that at the time when the Mosaic and the Islamic Dispensations would meet, i.e., when Mosaic Dispensation would cease to function and the Islamic Dispensation would come into force, true righteousness would depart from among the followers of Moses and Jesus, and would henceforward become the special mark of the followers of the new Dispensation (48:30). 1706. 'Asking for morning meal or breakfast' in a vision denotes 'weariness' (Ta'tir al-Anam); and the verse purports to say that after passing the 'junction of the two seas' and going on their separate journeys for a long time and being tired of vainly waiting for the Promised Prophet (Deut. 18:18), Moses and his young companion would begin to wonder that he may have already appeared but that they had failed to recognize him. In the verse Moses and his young companion (Jesus) may stand for Jews and Christians respectively. 1707. Sakhrah in the language of dreams and visions denotes 'a life of vice and sin.' So the expression. when we betook ourselves to the rock. signifies that when the two seas would meet. i.e., when the Mosaic Dispensation would come to an end and a new Prophet and a new Dispensation would appear, the Jews and Christians would be sunk into a life of sin and iniquity. The words. It took its way into the sea in a marvelous manner signify that true piety and worship of God would take leave of these peoples. 1708. Who is this "Servant of God" ('Abd) upon whom God had bestowed mercy and whom He had taught knowledge and in search of whom Moses, in pursuance of Divine command. had undertaken such a long and difficult journey and who is the central figure and the hero of the whole story? He is none other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad-his soul having taken an embodied form in Moses's Vision. Reasons for this are: (a) He has been called 'Abd servant of God, in the Qur'an (2:24; 8:42: 17:2; 18:2: 25:2; 39:37: 53:11 & 72:20). In fact, he is 'Abd Allah (God's servant) par excellence. (b) He has been spoken of as 'a mercy to the whole world' (21:108), an epithet applied in the Qur'an to none other than the Holy Prophet. (c) He was vouchsafed Divine knowledge in a very large measure (4:114; 20:115 & 27:7). (d) This "Servant of God" had told Moses that he (Moses) would not keep silent (v. 68 below), and the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, 'Would that Moses had kept silent! If he had done so, we would have been vouchsafed more knowledge about the unseen' (Bukhari, Kitab al-Tafsir). As a matter of fact, Moses had seen a manifestation of God 'in the fire' when travelling from Midian to Egypt (28:30). Later on, however, he was told that a Prophet would appear from among the brethren of the Israelites in whose mouth God would put His own Word (Deut. 18:18-22). The words of the prophecy signified that the Promised Prophet would be the object of a greater manifestation of God than Moses. Moses, therefore, naturally wished to see who 'that Prophet' could be. To satisfy his curiosity God made him see in his Vision 'that Prophet' of much higher spiritual powers. This learned "Servant of God" of Moses's Vision who has been popularly known by the name of Khadir was the spirit of our noble Master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, which had assumed a physical tabernacle. See also 7: 144. 1709. Moses was denied the heights which the spiritual knowledge of the Holy Prophet had attained. 1710. The patience and steadfastness under severe trials and difficulties of the followers of Moses were not of the same high order and pattern as those of the Holy Prophet's followers (5:22-25 & Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi). The verse also compares the natural dispositions of Moses and the Holy Prophet. Moses impatiently inquired the "Servant of God" about things which he did not understand; but the Holy Prophet waited patiently till Archangel Gabriel explained to him the meanings of the various things he saw in his own Mi'raj. This difference in the temperaments of these two great Prophets was also reflected in the behavior of their respective followers. While the Israelites continued to pester Moses with all sorts of unnecessary and foolish questions, the demeanor of the Holy Prophet's Companions was characterized by great dignity and restraint. They scrupulously avoided putting him questions on religious matters. Both the Holy Prophet and his Companions most faithfully observed the admonition contained in 20:115. 1711. The preceding several verses served only as an introduction to the subject of the Isra' of Moses. With the present verse; however, begins an account of the actual incidents which Moses actually saw in his Vision. The words, he made a hole in it, when interpreted, signify that the Holy Prophet would lay down commandments which would, as it were, make a hole in the boat which in the language of dreams denotes worldly riches, i.e., he would see to it that wealth did not accumulate in the hands of a few persons but was fairly distributed. 1712. The righteous "Servant of God" in Moses's Vision (the Holy Prophet) is here represented as saying to him that as there existed great difference between the teachings of the two, therefore he (Moses) could not accompany him. i.e., Moses's people would not accept him (the Holy Prophet). 1713. The word Intalaqa which has been used several times in these verses was exactly the one used by the Archangel Gabriel for the Holy Prophet in his Mi'raj (Spiritual Ascension). 1713A. A youth in the language of visions, among other things, signifies ignorance, strength and wild impulses. The killing of the young boy by the righteous "Servant of God" in Moses's Vision meant that Islam would require its Followers to bring a veritable death over their carnal desires and passions. 1714. The verse seems to signify that Moses and the Holy Prophet would seek the cooperation of Jews and Christians in the cause of God but it would be denied to both of them. 1715. The words, "poor people," here may represent "the Muslims." Making a hole in the boat meant that Islam would exhort Muslims to spend their money in the cause of Allah, by way of Zakat and charity. This would appear to be a source of economic weakness rather than of strength and true prosperity, which in fact it would not be. The tyrant king of the Isra' were the Byzantine and Iranian Empires which would have swallowed up Arabia had it not seemed to them a poor and barren land, not worth the trouble of conquering. It was thus preserved intact for the Holy Prophet. 1716. Ghulam (a youth). as stated above, in a dream or vision signifies ignorance, strength and wild impulses. "His parents" in the verse are the human body and soul, because the source (or the parents) from which spring all moral qualities is the combination of the human body and soul which are represented here as "believers" because. as taught by Islam. man by nature is inclined to virtue. These "believers" may be dragged into vice by the impulses represented as "youth." Islam eradicates these impulses and leaves man-the human body and soul combined, to develop along beneficent lines and thus to achieve the high purpose of human life. 1717. The orphan boys are Moses and Jesus, and their righteous father is Abraham. Their treasure was the true teaching bequeathed by them to their peoples which was in danger of being lost through the latter's irreligiousness. This treasure was safeguarded in the Qur'an in order that when they may awaken to a realization of truth of the Quranic teaching they may accept it. 1717A. It was done under Divine command. 1718. The Vision of Moses points to the fact that because Islamic teaching was based on laws and principles which differed fundamentally from some principles of the Mosaic Law, true and real cooperation between Jews and Muslims was impossible. 1719. Before proceeding to know and establish the identity of Dhu'l Qarnain, it is necessary to state the reasons why at all his story has been related in the Qur'an and why it has found such prominent mention in the present Surah. A pointed reference has already been made in this Surah to the two periods of the great material progress of Western Christian nations. Its opening verses give a somewhat detailed account of the Dwellers of the Cave. After an account of the early persecution of the Dwellers of the Cave and the later material progress and prosperity of their successors, the Western Christian nations, an account of the Isra' or Spiritual Journey of Moses which represents the advent of the Holy Prophet of Islam has been given in some detail in order to show that with the Holy Prophet's appearance the first period of the material prosperity and progress of the Christian peoples would come to an end, and though it would still be possible for them to make some progress they would reach the zenith of their material glory and greatness for a second time long after his advent. This second period of material pomp and grandeur of the Christian people is represented in Divine Scriptures by the phenomenal rise to power of Gog and Magog which forms one of the central themes of the present Surah. Because politically Gog and Magog and Dhu'l Qarnain are inseparably linked with each other, as will appear from the following paragraphs, Dhu'l Qarnain's account also has been given at some length in this Surah. Dhu'l Qarnain seems to be the King who founded the Medo-Persian Empire which represented the two horns of the ram of Daniel's famous dream. "I saw the ram pushing westward and northward and southward, so that no beast might stand before him. neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will and became great" (Dan. 8:4, 20, 21). Quite in harmony with this part of Daniel's dream. the Qur'an mentions three journeys of Dhu'l Qarnain (vv. 87. 91, 94). This fact lends powerful support to the inference that Dhu'l Qarnain was the descriptive name of a king of Media and Persia. And of all kings of Media and Persia, the description given in the Qur'an most fitly applies to Cyrus. The Qur'an has mentioned four distinctive marks of Dhu'l Qarnain: (a) He was a powerful monarch and a kind and just ruler (vv. 85, 89). (b) He was a righteous servant of God and was blessed with Divine revelation (vv. 92. 99). (c) He marched to the West and made great conquests till he came to a place where he found the sun setting. as it were. in a pool of murky water and then he turned to the East and conquered and subdued vast territories (vv. 87, 88). (d) He went to a midway region where a savage people lived and where Gog and Magog made great inroads; and he built a wall there to stop these inroads (vv. 94-98). Of the great rulers and famous military captains of ancient times Cyrus possesses, in the greatest measure, the four above-mentioned qualities. He. therefore. rightly deserves to be considered the Dhu'l Qarnain of the Qur'an, (Isaiah. ch. 45: Ezra, ch. 1 & 2: I1 Chron., ch. 36:22, 23; Historians' History of the World, under "Cyrus"). 1720. See Ezra, 1: 1, 2; Isa., 45:1-3 & Historians' History of the World. 1721. The words, the setting-place of the sun, signify the westernmost parts of Cyrus's Empire or the north-western boundary of Asia Minor and refer to the Black Sea, because it formed the north-western boundary of his Empire. The verse refers to the expedition which Cyrus undertook against his enemies in the West (Enc. Brit. & Historians' History of the World, under "Cyrus"). 1722. Cyrus believed in Life after death. He was a follower of Zoroaster and of all religions, second only to Islam, Zoroastrianism has laid the greatest stress on Life after death. 'Their can be no doubt that Cyrus and his Persian followers were faithful believers in the pure doctrine of Zoroaster, and disdainfully regarded foreign cults' (Jew. Enc., vol. 4, p. 404). 1723. See Isa., 45:1-3 & 2 Chron. 6:22, 23. 1724. This verse refers to Cyrus's expedition to the East-to Afghanistan and Baluchistan which were treeless barren tracts on which the sun beat down fiercely. It may also apply to the people who lived in the plains which extended for hundreds of miles to the east of Seistan and Herat and to the north of Duzdab up to Meshed. 1725. The verse refers to Cyrus's third expedition to the north of Persia-to the territory between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasian mountains. 1726. "The two mountains" signify two barriers. The pass of Derbent in which the Wall was built was bounded on one side by the Caspian Sea and on the other by the Caucasian mountains. These two served as two barriers for it. 1727. The people of these regions spoke a language different from that of Cyrus but living in the immediate neighborhood of Persia and, having constant contact with the Persians and the Medians, they had learnt to understand and speak their language, though very imperfectly and with very great difficulty. The region in which the Wall was built was adjacent to Persia and later formed a part of it. Now, however, it is included in the Russian territories. 1728. The words, Yajuj and Mayuj (Gog and Magog), are both derived from the root word Ajja which means, he was quick in his pace; he or it became the flaming fire (Lane), and refer to the Scythians of the farthest East. Or, as some say, all nations inhabiting the north of Asia and Europe (Enc. Brit. & Jewish Enc. under "Gog" and "Magog," and Historians' History of the World; vol. 2; p. 582 & Ezekiel; 38:2-6 & 39:6). The words may also apply to Christian nations of the West as they have made much use of burning fire and boiling water and because all their material progress and great discoveries and inventions are due to the right and very extensive use of these things. Or, the words may imply the restless behavior of these nations as they are always on the lookout restlessly and impatiently to make new conquests. The description of Gog and Magog as given in the Bible leaves no doubt that it applies to some Christian Powers of the West: First, because they are represented as very numerous; powerful and mighty:-'Thou shalt ascend, and come like a storm, Thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, Thou and all thy bands and many people with thee' ( Ezekiel, 38:9 ). 'Gog and Magog ... the number of whom is as the sand of the sea' (Rev. 20:8). 'Every feathered fowl, and every beast of the field is thus addressed, ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth' (Ezekiel 39:18, 19). Secondly, they are shown coming forth from the northern parts of the earth, and from the isles:-'And thou (0 Gog) shalt come from thy place out of the north, thou and many people with thee' (Ezekiel 38:15). Thirdly, they will spread all over the world:-'They went up on the breadth of the earth' (Rev. 20:9). Fourthly, from their home in the north, they will migrate to other lands and settle in all the four corners of the earth and in time of war they will gather together from their distant colonies: 'Satan ... shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle' (Rev. 20:8). The Book of Ezekiel mentions Gog as 'Prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,' evidently Rosh standing for Russia, Meshech for Moscow and Tubal for Tobolsk. Gog is also spoken of as 'of the land of Magog' (Ezekiel, 38:2), and Magog, according to the commentators of the Bible, represents the regions which of old went by the name of Scythia (including Russia and Tartary), from which in the past issued many hordes of barbarians. As Russia was included in the land of Magog; Rosh, Meshech and Tuba1 may be taken as standing for Russia, Moscow and Tobolsk. Magog has also been spoken of as the name of a people in Ezekiel, 39:6 and in Rev.,20:8. In the former, Magog has been mentioned along with those 'that dwell carelessly in the isles.' According to these passages Gog and Magog represent some of the great Powers of Europe, including Russia. In the Qur'an (18:95) they have been spoken of as making raids into territories on the northern border of Iran, which signifies that they were the tribes generally known as Scythians. It is a known historical fact that in olden times the Scythians continued to move in large bodies from Asia into Europe, their route lying north of the Caucasus (Enc. Brit. vol. 12, p. 263, 14th Edit.). As one horde settled down in Europe, new hordes came forth from the East, pushing their predecessors further and further West. Thus the nations of Europe have been legitimately called Gog and Magog in the biblical prophecy. It is curious that the memory of two heroes named Gog and Magog is preserved to this day in Guild Hall (London) in the form of two statues. Again from Ezekiel and Revelation it appears that Gog and Magog were to make their appearance in the Latter Days, i.e., in the time just before the Second Coming of the Messiah: 'After many years thou shalt be visited in the latter years, thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword' (Ezekiel, 38:16. See also Rev., 20:7-10). These verses show that this prophecy refers to a people who were to appear in the distant future. The age in which Gog and Magog were to make their appearance was to be marked by wars, earthquakes, pestilences and terrible catastrophes. 1729. The Scythians or Gog and Magog occupied territories to the north and northeast of the Black Sea and they came from these regions through the pass of Darband and invaded and conquered and ruled over the Persians. Cyrus defeated them and delivered the Persians from their clutches (Historians' History of the World). Exactly, at the place which, according to Herodotus, was the pass through which the Scythians made raids upon Persia stood a wall, the famous Wall of Derbent. Derbent or Darband; a town of Persia, Caucasia, in the province of Daghestan, on the western shore of the Caspian ... And to the south lies the seaward extremity of the Caucasian wall, 50 miles long otherwise known as Alexander's Wall, blocking the narrow pass of the Iron Gate or the Caspian Gate. This, when entire, had a height of 29 feet and a thickness of about 10 feet, and with its iron gates and numerous watch-towers formed a veritable defence of the Persian Frontier (Enc. Brit. under "Derbent"). Against established historical data it is popularly believed that the Wall was built by Alexander the Great. But Alexander's military expeditions were like a whirlwind amidst which he could not attend to any vast project as the building of such a huge wall, nor did his death at a very early age leave him time for such a grand undertaking. The popular notion seems to have arisen from the fact that Muslim Commentators of the Qur'an mistook Dhu'l Qarnain for Alexander. The following circumstantial evidence shows that Cyrus built it; (b) The fact, that before the time of Cyrus the Scythians made constant and uninterrupted raids upon Persia but after his conquests these raids completely ceased, leads to the very probable conclusion that he must have set up a barrier which effectively checked these attacks and that the barrier must be the famous wall at Derbent, mistakenly known as Alexander's Wall. 1730. Cyrus told the inhabitants of the place to provide him with human labor, Quwwah meaning physical strength, i.e., human labor. 1731. In addition to human labor Cyrus demanded iron and molten copper from the local people. Copper, unlike iron, does not rust and when it is mixed with iron the mixture becomes harder still and defies rusting and corrosion. The engineering and technical skill were supplied by the technicians of Cyrus. 1731A. The rampart was built between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus range. 1732. When the building of the wall was completed, the raids of Gog and Magog from the north ceased. The wall was too thick to be broken through and too high to be scaled. It was 29 feet high and 10 feet thick (Enc. Brit.) and had iron gates and watch-towers. It most effectively defended the Persian frontier. 1733. Cyrus must have been informed by revelation that sometime in future Cog and Magog would again spread to the south-east and this wall would then fail to retard or check their progress. This may be the significance of the words, 'He will break it.' In 21:97 we are told that Cog and Magog would spread their tentacles all over the world. Metaphorically, the 'breaking of the wall' may mean the decline of the political power of Islam, particularly of the Turks in Europe. With the weakening of the Turkish power the way for Christian nations of Europe to conquer the East was made clear. 1734. At the time of the rise to power of Cog and Magog all the peoples of the world will come together and the whole world will become united like one country. And according to the Bible, nation shall fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom and malice, hatred and iniquity will abound. The reference seems to be to the present age. A veritable hell was let loose upon the world in the last two World Wars and human imagination shudders at the destruction that the Third World War will cause. According to Ezekiel (chaps. 38 & 39) the U.S.S.R. is Cog and the Western nations are Magog. Even now they are preparing for Armageddon. 1734A. For the dreadful and devastating Divine punishment that shall descend upon Gog and Magog see Surah AI-Rahman. 1735. These people look upon the acquisition of physical comforts and worldly gains as the sole aim and object of their life. They have no place for God in their hearts. 1736. Christian nations of the West boast of their great inventions and scientific discoveries and seem to labor under the misconception that they have succeeded in fathoming the secrets of creation itself. This is but a vain boast. God's secrets are so inexhaustible and unfathomable that what these people have discovered and what they will discover hereafter by all their striving will not be even like a drop in the ocean. 1737. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that the recitation of the first and last ten verses of this Surah makes one secure against the spiritual onslaughts of the Dajjal. This shows that the Dajjal and Cog and Magog are one and the same people-Christian nations of the West-the Dajjal representing their pernicious religious propaganda against Islam, and Cog and Magog their material and political power and predominance.
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