The existence of Gog and Magog and attributing them to human beings
Question:
Are Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog), that were mentioned in the Qur’an, on this Earth or are they in another world? Are they human beings or not?
Answer:
They are human beings from the children of Adam, the father of mankind (peace be upon him). They are living on this earth in the Furthest East. Allah (Exalted be He) says about Dhul-Qarnayn: “Then he followed another way, Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allâh) had provided no shelter against the sun. So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnain). Then he followed (another) way, Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: “O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog) 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?” He said: “That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier. “Give me pieces (blocks) of iron;” then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: “Blow;” then when he had made them (red as) fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper to pour over them.” So they [Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog)] could not scale it or dig through it. (Dhul-Qarnain) said: “This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true.” And on that Day [i.e. the Day Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog) will come out], We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another; and the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them (the creatures) all together.” [al-Kahf: 89-99]
Dhul-Qarnayn and those who passed by them from the east or the west are all human beings. For more information, you can read the story of Dhul-Qarnayn in Surah al-Kahf and its interpretation in Tafsir Al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, and other reliable books of exegesis in order to understand the story and to find a detailed answer for your question.
It was authentically narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O Adam.’ Adam will reply: ‘Labbaik wa Sa’daik’, and all the good is in Your Hand.’ Allah will say: ‘Bring out the people of the fire.’ Adam will say: ‘O Allah! How many are the people of the Fire?’ Allah will reply: ‘From every one thousand, take out nine-hundred-and ninety-nine.’ At that time children will become hairy headed, every pregnant female will have a miscarriage, and one will see mankind as drunken, yet they will not be drunken, but dreadful will be the Wrath of Allah. The companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Who is that (excepted) one?’ He said: ‘Rejoice with glad tidings; one person will be from you and one-thousand will be from Gog and Magog …’” 1 This Hadith was reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Book on prophets, no. 3348; Muslim, Sahih, no. 222, Book on faith; and Ahmad, Musnad, vol. 3, p. 33. ↩
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