Until, when he reached the setting of the sun [i.e., the west], he found it [as if] setting in a body of dark water,795 and he found near it a people. We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."
Verse 86 of Surah Al-Kahf (18:86), a Meccan surah, is in juz 16, on page 303 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 86 of Surah Al-Kahf
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Tafsir of verse 86
Al-Mukhtasar
And he travelled on earth until he reached the end of the land towards the setting place of the sun, seeing it as though it was setting in a hot spring of black clay. And he found an unbelieving people by the setting place of the sun. So I said to him, to test him: “O Dhu’l-Qarnayn, you can either punish these people by killing them or through other means, or you can be good to them”.
until when he reached the far west, he found the sun setting in a dark body of water, and he found some people nearby. We said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, either punish them or treat them with kindness.”
Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water. And he found near it a people. We (Allâh) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness."
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
Until when he reached the place where the sun set, he found it going down into a black sea, and found by it a people. We said: O Zulqarnain! either give them a chastisement or do them a benefit.
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, (The western part of the then known world) he found it setting in a muddy spring, and he found a people at it. We said, "O Thulqarnayn, either you will torment (them) or you will take to yourself towards them a fair (way)."
