Al-Kahf (The Cave)

83. “And they ask you about Zulqarnayn. Say: ‘I will recite unto you a remembrance of him’.”

The Arabic term /qarn/ has two meanings: ‘a long time’ and ‘the animal horn’. Zulqarnayn was called by this appellation because: either he ruled for a very long time, or two handles of his hair were braided like two horns on his head, or there were two horns on his hat.

The objective meaning of the term /qarnayn/ may also be the east and the west of the world, (as the Arabs often say ‘qarni-ash-Shams’ which means ‘two horns of the sun’ intending the east and the west of the world). Then, since he had occupied the lands of the east and the west of the world of his time, he was called ‘Zul-Qarnayn’.

Imam Baqir (as) said:

“Zul-Qarnayn was not a prophet, but he was a righteous man whom Allah loved. He enjoined his people to piety. It happened that people knocked on one side of his head. After that, he disappeared for a length of time.

Then he returned and repeated his invitation again. People struck another knock on the other side of his head. Therefore, because of those two knocks, he had been known as Zul-Qarnayn.”¹

Regarding the statements of two Greek historians, and some points from the Turah (Book of Isaiah, Chapter 46, No.11 and so on), and the discovery of the statue of Cyrus in the nineteenth century A.D. which had a crown with two horns on its head, Tafsir-i-Nemunah adapts Zul-Qarnayn with Cyrus.

But, the late Sha‘rani has said that Zul-Qarnayn and Eskandar Maqduni had been the same, and he had been the student of Aristotle from the time when he was thirteen years old. The author of Al-mizan believes that he was Cyrus.

However, it is not definitely known that how long Zul-Qarnayn ruled, what his real name was, how long he lived, whether he was a human or an angel, a prophet or a righteous servant, whether he was Alexander or Cyrus, why his name was Zul-Qarnayn, how much possibilities and forces he had, what part of the land he ruled, how long was the length and the width of the dam he built, what age it was, whether this dam is the Wall in China or not.

Concerning these ideas, opinions are divided, and there have been cited many statements and discussions upon these matters which are not of avail to be mentioned here. The aim should be looked for, not the insignificant matters which produce no guidance.

Therefore, this verse says:

“And they ask you about Zulqarnayn. Say: ‘I will recite unto you a remembrance of him’.”

The beginning phrase of this verse shows that the story of Zul-qarnyn had been being discussed among people before they came to the Prophet (S) and asked their differences and ambiguities from him.