They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story." 83 We established him in the land, and We gave him a way to everything; 84 He travelled on a certain road; 85 until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of murky water and near it he found some people. We said, "Dhu'l-Qarnayn! You can either punish them or else you can treat them with gentleness." 86 He said, "We shall certainly punish him who does wrong; then he shall be brought back to his Lord who will punish him with a grievous punishment, 87 but whoever believes and does good works shall have a good reward and We shall facilitate his matter by Our command." 88 Then he followed a road 89 [And then he marched eastwards] till, when he came to the rising of the sun he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it: 90 So (it was). And We knew all concerning him. 91 Then he followed (another) way, 92 Until when he arrived between the two mountains, he found beside them a people who well-nigh understood not a word. 93 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? 94 He said, "What My Lord has given me is better [than any tribute]. Help me with a force of labourers and I will erect a barrier between you and them: 95 "Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." 96 Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it. 97 Dhu al-Qarnayn said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: but when the time of my Lord's promise shall come, He will level the rampart with the ground. My Lord's promise always comes true." 98 ۞ And We shall leave them on that day surging one against other and the trumpet shall be blown, and then We shall assemble them together. 99 And We will present Hell that Day to the Disbelievers, on display - 100 Those whose eyes had been within a cover [removed] from My remembrance, and they were not able to hear. 101