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 So he followed a course. 85 to the West where he found the sun setting into a warm source (spring) of water and a people living near by. We asked him, "Dhu 'l-Qarnayn, you may punish them or treat them with kindness?" 86 He said: As for him who doeth wrong, we shall punish him, and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with awful punishment! 87 But as for him who believes and acts righteously, his will be a goodly reward and we shall enjoin upon him only mild commands." 88 Then he followed the road, 89 Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. 90 So (it was). And We knew all concerning him. 91 Then he set out on another expedition 92 until when he reached a place between the two mountains, he found beside the mountains a people who scarcely understood anything. 93 They said, "O Dhu'l-Qarnayn! Gog and Magog are causing corruption in the land, so may we pay you tribute on condition that you 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 ingots of iron' After he had leveled between the two cliffs, he said: 'Blow' And when he made it a fire, he said: 'Bring me molten copper so that I may pour over it' 96 And thus [the rampart was built, and] their enemies were unable to scale it, and neither were they able to pierce it. 97 "This is the benevolence of my Lord," he said; "but when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will reduce it to a mound of dust; and the promise of my Lord is true." 98 ۞ And on that day We will leave a part of them in conflict with another part, and the trumpet will be blown, so We will gather them all together; 99 That will be the Day We shall place Hell before the unbelievers 100 Whose eyes were veiled against My warning, and they could not hear. 101