Credible Theories
Quran · Surah 18:83–98

Dhul-Qarnayn's iron and copper wall

ReferenceSurah 18:83–98
Written610–632 CE
SetAn ancient king's travels
Give me pieces of iron — till, when he had levelled up (the gap) between the cliffs, he said: Blow! — till, when he had made it a fire, he said: Bring me molten copper to pour thereon. And (Gog and Magog) were not able to surmount, nor could they pierce (it).

Translation: Pickthall, 1930 · About the translator

Read it literally

'The Two-Horned One' travels to where the sun sets and where it rises, then builds a metal barrier to contain Gog and Magog until the end. What is behind the wall, and where is it?

What scholars say

Most scholars link him to Alexander the Great through the Syriac Alexander Legend (c. 630 CE); others to Cyrus of Persia.

Looks like technology Giants and hybrids
People and places hereAlexander the GreatCyrus the Great

Quick answers about Surah 18:83–98

Where is Surah 18:83–98 found?

Surah 18:83–98 (Quran). Translation quoted: Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930).

When was Surah 18:83–98 written?

610–632 CE.

What do scholars say about Surah 18:83–98?

Most scholars link him to Alexander the Great through the Syriac Alexander Legend (c. 630 CE); others to Cyrus of Persia.

Rabbit holes in this passage

PersonDhul-QarnaynThe Two-Horned One traveled to where the sun sets and rises, then sealed Gog and Magog behind a wall of iron and molten copper.BeingGog and MagogA people locked behind a wall at the edge of the world, who break loose at the end of time in the Bible and the Quran alike.

Sources

  1. Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930)Primary text
  2. Quran 18:83–98, trans. Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930)Primary text
  3. Ezekiel 38–39, King James VersionPrimary text

Scholarly dates are rounded. The wording follows the named public-domain translation.

Updated