DhulQarnayn

Dhul-Qarnayn is a figure mentioned in the Qur’an, described as a righteous and powerful ruler who was granted authority by God. The name is often rendered as “the two-horned one” or “the possessor of two horns.” He is named in Surah al-Kahf (18:83–101). The Qur’anic narrative presents him as traveling to distant lands, first to the place where the sun sets and then to the place where it rises, and encountering diverse communities along the way.

In the most detailed portion, Dhul-Qarnayn encounters a people troubled by Gog and Magog and builds a barrier between two mountains to contain them, using iron and molten copper. He requests that oppression be restrained, and God grants him strength and success; the barrier is said to endure until a future time when God wills its removal. The story emphasizes justice, piety, and the responsible use of power.

Regarding identity, there is no consensus among Islamic scholars. The Qur’an itself does not name him, and traditional exegesis offers various identifications. Some commentators linked Dhul-Qarnayn to Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid Empire; others to Alexander the Great; still others view him as a symbolic or legendary figure representing a righteous ruler rather than a specific historical person. In some traditions, the two horns are interpreted metaphorically, or as references to horizons (east and west) rather than physical horns.

Historically, the figure has influenced later folklore and polemics, and the narrative has been cited in discussions about end-times and barriers against Gog and Magog. But the Qur’anic account remains the primary source, with many details left ambiguous and open to interpretation.