They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog798 are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"
Notes
[798] Savage tribes who had ravaged large parts of central Asia, committing every kind of atrocity.
Verse 94 of Surah Al-Kahf (18:94), 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 94 of Surah Al-Kahf
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Tafsir of verse 94
Al-Mukhtasar
They said: “O Dhu’l-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog (meaning two great nations from the children of Adam) are causing corruption on earth by killing and so forth, so can we give you some wealth so you can make a barrier between us and them?”
They said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are spreading corruption in the land. Can we give you some payment in return for you to construct a barrier between us and them?”
They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog)7 are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?"
Notes
[7] (V.18:94) Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj [Gog and Magog (people)]: To know about them in detail - please see Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. II, Pages 55-58.
Narrated Zainab bint Jahsh that one day Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم entered upon her in a state of fear and said, " Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh)! Woe to the Arabs from the great evil that has approached (them). Today a hole has been opened in the dam of Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog) like this." The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made a circle with his index finger and thumb. Zainab bint Jahsh added: I said, "O Allâh’s Messenger!, Shall we be destroyed though there will be righteous people among us?" The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "Yes if Al-Khabath * (evil persons) increased." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.9, Hadith No.249).
*The word Al-Khabath is interpreted as illegal sexual intercourse and illegitimate children and every kind of evil deed. (See Fath Al-Bari, Vol. 16, Page 225).
They said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Lo! Gog and Magog are spoiling the land. So may we pay thee tribute on condition that thou set a barrier between us and them?
They said: "O Zul-qarnain! the Gog and Magog (People) do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them?
They said: O Zulqarnain! surely Gog and Magog make mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute on condition that you should raise a barrier between us and them
They said, "O Thulqarnayn! Surely YaÉjûj and MÉajûj (God and Magog) are corruptors in the earth; so shall we make for you a tribute on condition that you make a barrier between us and them?" (Literally: between us and between them)
