The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 700
PT. 16 CH. 18 AL-KAHF 94. Until, when he reached the place between the two حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ mountains, he found beneath قَوْلًا them a people who would a قَالُوْا يُذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ Dhul- scarcely word. 2130 understand 95. They said, '0 Qarnain, verily, Gog and وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ Magog are creating disorder in نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَى أَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا tribute on condition that thou وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّان the earth; shall we then pay thee set up a barrier between us and them?'2131 قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِي فِيْهِ رَبِّ خَيْرٌ فَاعِيْنُونِي He replied, “The power with. 96 which my Lord has endowed me about this is better, but you may help me with physical strength; I will set up between you and them a rampart. '2132 2130. Commentary: The verse means to say that the people of these regions spoke a different language from that of Cyrus but living in the immediate neighbourhood of Persia and, having constant contact with the Persians and the Medians, they had learnt to understand and speak their language, though very imperfectly and with very great difficulty. The region in which the wall was built was adjacent to Persia and later formed a part of it. Now, however, it is included in the Russian territories. The word (mountains) signifies two barriers. The pass of Derbent in which the wall was built was بِقُوَّةٍ اَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا ل bounded on one side by the Caspian Sea and on the other by the Caucasian mountains. These two served as two barriers for it. 1908 2131. Commentary: The people who lived on the route of the depredatory incursions of Gog and Magog into Persia asked Cyrus to build a wall across the pass through which they made their raids. 2132. Commentary: Cyrus said to the inhabitants of the place that he had the plan of the wall and other necessary material ready with him but they must provide human labour. The word * means physical strength i. e. human labour.