Juz 16 — Qala Alam

[Al-Khidh r] said, "Did I not tell you that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

[Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."

So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidh r restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment."

[Al-Khidh r] said, "This is parting between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.

And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief.

So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy.

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience."

And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."

Indeed We established him upon the earth, and We gave him to everything a way.

So he followed a way

Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."

He said, "As for one who wrongs, we will punish him. Then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment.

But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of Paradise, and we will speak to him from our command with ease."

Then he followed a way

Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield.

Thus. And We had encompassed [all] that he had in knowledge.

Then he followed a way

Until, when he reached [a pass] between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand [his] speech.

They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"

He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], but assist me with strength; I will make between you and them a dam.

Bring me sheets of iron" - until, when he had leveled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, "Blow [with bellows]," until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper."

So Gog and Magog were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration.

[Dhul-Qarnayn] said, "This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Lord true."

And We will leave them that day surging over each other, and [then] the Horn will be blown, and We will assemble them in [one] assembly.

And We will present Hell that Day to the Disbelievers, on display -

Those whose eyes had been within a cover [removed] from My remembrance, and they were not able to hear.

Then do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants instead of Me as allies? Indeed, We have prepared Hell for the disbelievers as a lodging.

Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds?

[They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work."