And they ask thee of Zul Qarnain. Say thou: I shall recite unto you of him some mention. 83 Behold, We established him securely on earth, and endowed him with [the knowledge of] the right means to achieve anything [that he might set out to achieve]; 84 He travelled on a certain road; 85 until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and nearby he found a nation. 'ThulKarnain' We said, 'you must either punish them or show them kindness' 86 He replied, "I shall punish the unjust ones among them and then they will return to their Lord, who will punish them more sternly". 87 "But as for him who believes (in Allah's Oneness) and works righteousness, he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain) shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)." 88 And once again he chose the right means [to achieve a right end]. 89 To the extent that when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising upon a nation for which We had not kept any shelter from it. 90 Thus it was. And surely We have encompassed all that was with him in knowledge 91 Then he followed the road, 92 Till he reached a place between two mountains, and found this side of it a people who understood but little of what was spoken. 93 'ThulKarnain' they said, 'Look, Gog and Magog are corrupting the earth. Build for us a barrier between us and them, and we will pay you a tribute' 94 He said: "The ability my Lord has given me is better. So help me with your manual labour; I will build a wall between you and them. 95 Bring me ingots of iron!" Then, after he had [piled up the iron and] filled the gap between the two mountain-sides, he said: "[Light a fire and] ply your bellows!" At length, when he had made it [glow like] fire, he commanded: "Bring me molten copper which I may pour upon it." 96 Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it. 97 and he said, "This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will level it to dust. My Lord's promise is ever true!" 98 ۞ And on that Day We shall let some of them surge like waves against others, and the Trumpet shall be blown. Then We shall gather them all together. 99 And on that Day We shall place hell, for all to see, before those who denied the truth 100 Unto those whose eyes had been under a covering from My remembrance, nor had they been able to hear. 101