Gog and Magog: a destructive nation capable of

becoming the sole superpower

Dhul Qarnain's kingdom was an unchallenged superpower
with unlimited technology (innaa makkanna lahoo fil ardi wa
aataynahu min kulli shay'in sababaa, Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:84). He
conquered every nation of the known world, from the far west to
the far east, punished the unjust and rewarded the righteous
(Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:85-91). When he reached a place near the
middle of the Two Barrier-Mountains (assaddain, Qur’ā n, al-Kahf
18:93), he received a peculiar cry for help from a people who lived
there.
َ‫إن ن ِ ي ن ر اْلق ذا يا قاُلوا‬
ِ ‫يْأ‬ ‫جو‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ْمأ و‬ ‫جو‬ ‫ج‬ ‫فس ْ م‬
ِ
‫ل ْ ه ف ض ِ ر اْل في ن دو‬
‫أن على جا ر خ ك ل ل ُ ع ج ن‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل ع ج‬
‫دا س م ه ن ي ب و نا ن ي ب‬
“They said, 'O Dhul Qarnain, [the nation of] Gog and Magog are certainly
perpetrators of destruction on Earth [or perpetrators of global destruction,
mufsidoona fil ard]. Shall we raise a tax for you in return for converting
(taj'ala) what is between us and them [the Two Barrier-Mountains,
assaddain, which have a pass between them and thus are not a complete
barrier] into a [complete] barrier [saddan, a single barrier without a
pass]?' ” (Qur’ā n, al-Kahf, 18:94)
22
One would think that Dhul Qarnain would conquer the nation
of Gog and Magog and punish them as he did with other unjust
peoples. Instead, he agreed to convert the mountains into a barrier
(Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:95). This can only mean that he knew that it
was Allah's will that the nation of Gog and Magog could not be
vanquished by man, not even by a superpower like his that
possessed advanced technology. This means that Gog and Magog
are capable of becoming the sole superpower on earth. In Chapter
Four, Shaykh Hosein includes these properties of Gog and Magog
in his depiction of their profile.
Al-Radm: the barrier of Gog and Magog consists of
two mountains and a crack between them that was
patched by Dhul Qarnain
Gog and Magog traveled through the only existing pass
between two mountains which are very high and barrier-like
(assaddain, Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:93) and attacked their neighbors on
the other side of the mountains.
The victimized people asked Dhul Qarnain to convert (taj'ala)
what is between them and Gog and Magog (baynana wa
baynahum, i.e., a mountain range with a crack for a pass) into a
perfect barrier (saddan, Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:94). He replied: “aj'al
baynakum wa baynahum radman,” i.e., “I shall patch (aj'al . . .
radman) what is between you and them (Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:95).
Dhul Qarnain blocked the pass outlet with heated iron ore upon
which he poured molten copper. The barrier of Gog and Magog
consists of two mountains and a crack between them that was
patched by Dhul Qarnain (al-Radm).
23
If someone wears a patched shoe, we say he wears radman
(something patched). Because of the phrase “aj'al baynakum
wabaynahum radman” (I shall convert what is between you and
them into radman), it would be wrong to assume that the term
radman refers to the patch alone. Grammatical imprecision has led
this researcher and others to make this mistake. The above
clarification allows for better ta'weel.
In Chapter Five, Shaykh Hosein identifies the geographical
location of al-Radm based on ta'weel of Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:93-97.
The Two Barrier-Mountains are the eastern and western sections of
the Caucasus mountain range, separated by a narrow pass called
the Daryal Gorge. The Caucasus mountain range stretches from the
Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east.
A large gap in the barrier was created before Islam—a
hilly coastal passage was exposed by the receding Caspian
Sea
Allah declared that Gog and Magog initially could not climb
over the patched barrier nor were they able to penetrate it (fa
mastaa'oo an yazharoohu wa mastataa'oo lahoo naqba, Qur’ā n,
al-Kahf 18:97). Dhul Qarnain knew that the barrier only offered
temporary protection. He announced, on authority from Allah,
“This [al-Radm, the patched mountain barrier] is mercy from my
Lord-God, but when the Promise of my Lord-God comes, then He
shall turn it into dakkaa' [dakkaa' = 'hilly area' or 'demolished']”
(qaala haadha rahmatun min rabbee, fa idha jaa'a wa'du rabbee
ja'alahoo dakkaa', Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:98).
24
Allah promised each of His prophets that a last prophet would
come with a great final law (the Qur’ā n). In some scriptures (e.g.,
the Torah), this is referred to as “The Promise.” The Promise that
Dhul Qarnain refers to is Islam. A few decades before the birth of
the Prophet of Islam sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam, around 550 A.D.,
the Caspian Sea receded to expose a hilly coastal passage on the
east end of the Caucasus Mountains. Gog and Magog used this
passage to invade Persia before Islam. Umar radiallahu 'anhu
launched military campaigns against Gog and Magog through this
passage.
Many ahadeeth confirmed that “The Promise” was Islam by
warning that the Arabs were targets (wailun lil 'arab) because a
gap in the Gog and Magog radm (patched barrier) was opened.
What frightened the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam was the
width of this gap: 90 units, possibly 90 farsakh (1 farsakh = 3.5
miles). This is wide enough to allow large waves of Gog and
Magog to devastate the Arabs. The prophecy was fulfilled: “And
on that day [when the barrier is opened], we shall let them merge
into each other like waves (wa taraknaa ba'dahum yawma idhin
yamooju fee ba'd, Qur’ā n, al-Kahf 18:99).
Moreover, Gog and Magog are described as “coming out of
every hill” (min kulli hadabin yansiloon, Qur’ā n, al-Anbiyaa'
21:96). The use of the term hill (hadabin) in this context strongly
supports the choice of the meaning “hilly area” for dakkaa'.
The wide passage by the sea made the patch itself
insignificant. The patch came down later and the narrow Daryal
Gorge was opened.
25
Based on Hadith terminology, early Muslims referred to Gog
and Magog as al-Turk (the Turks), named after their ancestor Turk.
This is not to be confused with modern day Turks.