ثُمَّ

أَتۡبَعَ

سَبَبًا

٩٢

Then he travelled a ˹third˺ course

until he reached ˹a pass˺ between two mountains. He found in front of them a people who could hardly understand ˹his˺ language.

They pleaded, “O Ⱬul-Qarnain! Surely Gog and Magog¹ are spreading corruption throughout the land. Should we pay you tribute, provided that you build a wall between us and them?”

He responded, “What my Lord has provided for me is far better. But assist me with resources, and I will build a barrier between you and them.

Bring me blocks of iron!” Then, when he had filled up ˹the gap˺ between the two mountains, he ordered, “Blow!” When the iron became red hot, he said, “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.”

And so the enemies could neither scale nor tunnel through it.