They (_namely, the Jews_) will ask thee concerning Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn.[208] (_His name was El-Iskender, and he was not a prophet._) Answer, I will recite unto you an account of him. We gave him ability in the earth, _by facilitating his journeying therein_, and gave him a way to _attain_ everything _that he required_. And he followed a way _towards a place where the sun setteth_, until, when he came to the place where the sun setteth, he found that it set in a spring of black mud, _as it appeared to the eye; but really that spring was greater than the world_; and he found near it a people _who were unbelievers_.[209] We said, _by inspiration_, O Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn, either punish _the people by slaughter_, or proceed against them gently, _taking them captive_. He said, As to him who offendeth _by polytheism_, we will punish him _by slaughter_: then he shall be taken back to his Lord, and He will punish him with a severe punishment, _in the fire of hell_. But as to him who believeth, and doeth that which is right, he shall have as a reward paradise, and We will say unto him, in Our command, _that which will be_ easy _unto him_.—Then he followed a way _towards the place where the sun riseth_, until, when he came to the place where the sun riseth, he found that it rose upon a people (_namely, the Zenj_) unto whom We had not given anything wherewith to shelter themselves therefrom, _neither clothing nor roof; for their land bore no building; but they had subterranean dwellings, into which they retired at sunrise, and they came forth when the sun was high_. Thus _was the case_; and We comprehended with Our knowledge what were with him (_namely, Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn_), _of weapons and forces and other things_.—Then he followed a way until, when he came between the two barriers (_or mountains, at the confines of the country of the Turks, between which is the barrier of El-Iskender, as will be related presently_), he found before them a people who could scarce understand speech. They said, O Dhu-l-Ḳarneyn, verily Yájooj and Májooj [Gog and Magog[210]] are corrupting in the earth, _by plunder and tyranny, when they came forth unto us_. Shall we therefore pay thee tribute, on the condition that thou make a barrier between us and them?—He answered, The ability which my Lord hath given me, _by wealth and other things_, is better _than your tribute, which I need not. I will make the barrier for you gratuitously_: but assist me strenuously _by doing that which I desire_: I will make between you and them a strong barrier. Bring me pieces of iron _of the size of the blocks of stone used in building.—And he built with them, and placed amid them firewood and charcoal_, until, when it [the mass] filled up the space between the upper parts of the two mountains, _and he had put the bellows and fire around that mass_, he said, Blow ye [with the bellows]. _So they blew_ until, when he had made it (_that is, the iron_) _like_ fire, he said, Bring me molten brass, that I may pour