It has been mentioned above that, according to the
majority of historians, there were no other prophets sent
between Nûh and Ebrahim, except Hûd and Sâlah.
Some of the ancients, however, tell us that the greater
Zulqarneen had been honoured after Sâlah and before
Ebrahim with the exalted dignity of ambassadorship and
prophecy; and Mujâhad has informed us after A’bdullah
Bin O’mar—u. w. b., etc.—that the greater Zulqarneen was
one of the prophets sent by God, and that the reason for
the truth of this assertion is, because the glorious Lord of
unity had honoured him with the allocution, ‘O Zulqarneen!’*
which cannot be addressed except to the perfect
essences and virtuous spirits of prophets, u. w. b. p.
According to the most correct tradition Zulqarneen was not
Alexander the Grecian, whose biography is recorded in the
history of the kings of Persia, because his genealogy ascends
to Yâfuth the son of Nûh, whereas Alexander the Greek is
one of the descendants of A’yss the son of Esahâq, of the
children of Sâm the son of Nûh. This view has been
adopted by commentators, such as I’mâd-ud-din Bin
Kathir in his book entitled ‘Bedâyet wa Nuhâyet,’ and
arguments have been adduced in support of the truth of
his having been a prophet. Sanân Bin Thâbut Allashbuhi
has related in his work entitled ‘Jâmi’ that Zulqarneen
had been sent after Sâlah, and that he lived in Europe,
possessed of great power and an extensive kingdom, and
was constantly engaged in waging wars against infidels,
until his noble disposition impelled him to visit various
cities and countries. He first undertook an expedition to
the West, and, as infidels dwelt there who would not be admonished
by his words, nor desist from idolatry, infidelity
and sinful acts, he sojourned one year among them, and
attacked and exterminated the majority of them with his
merciless scimitar. After having established a Musalmân
colony in that country, he went to Jerusalem and remained
there for some time; then he turned towards the East, and
journeyed till he approached the habitations of Yajûj and
Majûj.*
Zulqarneen there entered a city which contained
a large population, governed by a noble, affable and handsome
king, who hastened to meet Zulqarneen; as soon as
he was informed of his approach, he brought offerings of
nice and acceptable presents, and became a partaker in the
obedience to the Lord of both worlds.*
Zulqarneen looked
at the sovereign and the people of that country with mercy,
and rejoiced them with his favours. As they had been for
a long time oppressed and injured by Yajûj and Majûj, and
were unable to resist them, they were glad to inform
Zulqarneen of all this, who, trusting in divine grace, made
the necessary preparations to remove the oppression and
tyranny of Yajûj and Majûj.