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Dhu al-Qarnayn

Dhu al-Qarnayn, (Arabic: ذُو ٱلْقَرْنَيْن, romanized: Ḏū l-Qarnayn, IPA: [ðuː‿l.qarˈnajn]; lit. "The Two-Horned One") appears in the Quran, Surah al-Kahf (18), Ayahs 83–101 as one who travels to east and west and sets up a barrier between a certain people and Gog and Magog (Arabic: يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ, romanized: Yaʾjūj wa-Maʾjūj).[1] Elsewhere, the Quran tells how the end of the world will be signaled by the release of Gog and Magog from behind the barrier. Other apocalyptic writings predict that their destruction by God in a single night will usher in the Day of Resurrection (Yawm al-Qiyāmah).[2]

"Zulkarnain" redirects here. For the footballer, see Zulkarnain (footballer).

Dhu al-Qarnayn has most popularly been identified by Western and traditional Muslim scholars as Alexander the Great.[3][4][5][6] However, Wheeler[7] and a number of Muslim scholars differed,[8][9] identifying the character with several other historical figures,[10] such as the South Arabian king Sa'b Dhu Marathid[7][11] and the North Arabian king al-Mundhir ibn Imru al-Qays,[10] with modern Muslim commentators such as Maududi leaning in favour of identifying him as Cyrus the Great.[6]

Afrīqish al-Ḥimyarī, king of . Al-Biruni in his book, The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries, listed a number of figures whom people thought to be Dhu al-Qarnayn. He favoured the opinion that Dhu al-Qarnayn was the Yamani prince Afrīqish, who conquered the Mediterranean and established a city called Afrīqiah. He was called Dhu al-Qarnayn because he ruled the lands of the rising and setting sun. To support his argument, al-Biruni cited Arabic onomastics, noting that compound names beginning with Dhū, such as Dhū Nuwās and Dhū Yazan, were common among the kings of Himyar.[54]

Himyar

. According to al-Tabari's Tarikh, some say Dhu al-Qarnayn the Elder (al-akbar), who lived in the era of Abraham, was the mythical Persian king Fereydun, who al-Tabari rendered as Afrīdhūn ibn Athfiyān.[55]

Fereydun

In an account attributed to , Dhu al-Qarnayn is said to be an angel or part angel.[56]

Umar bin Khattab

(died 328 CE), a prince of the Lakhmids of southern Mesopotamia, an ally first of Persia and then of Rome, celebrated in romance for his exploits.[10][57]

Imru'l-Qays

a fabulous military saviour expected by Yemenite Jews.[58]

Messiah ben Joseph

.[59]

Darius the Great

Kisrounis, king.[60][10]

Parthian

Gates of Alexander

Iron Gate (Central Asia)

Ergenekon