Also Zul Qarnain is the title of some one who covered both centuries. That is, he lived from one century into another. Because QARN means century. Zul Qarnain mean having two centuries. i.e a one whose time period covers parts of two centuries
Read 4 urself this explanation presented in deep knowledge. Don’t lean to ur baseless argument! Oh BTW this is rather long, so it might not fit to ur mind!!!
Folklore in Qur’an-Who was Zul-Qarnain?
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Syed Kamran Mirza
Virginia, USA
The Zul-qarnain story was narrated in Qur’an by series of verses (18:83-98). Here let me cite a few verses related to Zul-qarnain story:
Quran-18:83—84: They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say “I will rehearse to you something of his story.” Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and means to all ends.
Quran-18:86: 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.”
Quran-18:90: 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.
Quran-18:94: They said: “O Zul-qarnain! The Gog and magog (people) do great mischief on earth, shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightiest erect a barrier between us and them?”
Questions to ponder: If Allah did not consider the earth FLAT how in the world He sent Zul-qarnain to the (end of the world) place where sun was setting? Or. To the place where sun was rising? Does anybody needs to reach a setting or rising place to observe sun-set or sun-rise?
Who was Zul-Qarnain?
Many Islamic thinkers and intellectuals consider that the said Zul-Quarnain mentined in Quran is the Greek conqueror Alexander the great. Here are some source from where Islamic thinkers perhaps got this idea of Quranic Zul-qarniain as Alexander the great. The famous Quranic translator maulana A. Yousuf Ali gave a long story as Appendix Vll (titled: Who was Zulqarnain; page 760-765) detailing the facts and figures why most Islamic scholars including himself considered very strongly that, Quranic Zulqarnain was nobody but Alexander the Great. In this long Appendix, maulana yousuf Ali tried to justify why he thought that the person in Quran by the name of Zul-qarnain was nobody but Alexander the Great. Readers please see for yourself the above mentioned appendix in the Maulana Yousuf ali’s Translated Quran. Because, here in this essay I will only illustrate some important quotations (supporting Maulana Yousuf ali’s assertion) from this Appendix. Readers please note that, Maulana Yousuf ali’s quotations are in italics:
Maulana Yousuf Ali stated, “I have not the least doubt that Zul-qarnain is meant to be ALEXANDER THE GREAT, the historic Alexander, and not the legendary Alexander, of whom more presently. My first appointment after graduation was that of lecturer in Greek history. I have studied the details of Alexander’s extraordinary personality in Greek historians as well as in modern writers, and have since visited most of the localities connected with his brief but brilliant career.”
What is the meaning of the name Zul-qarnain? According to Maulana Yousuf Ali—“Lord of the two Qarns (horn). And other meanings may be applicable as implying: (1) is a man or a great king; (2) Lord of East and West, Lord of wide territory or of two kingdoms; (3) Lord of two crests on his diadem, typifying two kingdoms, or rank superior to that of an ordinary king; (4) Lord of more than one Epoch—one whose power and influence extend far beyond his lifetime.”
Maulana Yousuf Ali stated, “If we accept the popular identification of Zulqarnain with Alexander, all the three letter designations would be applicable to him, as he was the Lord of the West and the East, Lord of the Greek states united for the first time (Hellenic Captain-General) and of the widely-extended Persian Dominion which included all Western Asia, Egypt, central Asia, Afghanistan, and the Punjab. He was represented on his coins with two horns on his head: considered himself a son of Jupiter Amon (who had the two horns of ram), with a divine mission.”
“Now the generality of the world of Islam have accepted Alexander the Great as the one meant by the epithet Zul-qarnain. But some of our Ulama have raised doubts about it and made other suggestions: (1) An earlier pre-historic king contemporary with Abraham, because they say Zul-qarnain was a man of faith (Quran-18:88-98) while Alexander the Great was a pagan and believed in Grecian Gods.”
to be continued
