Islamic Exemplary Stories

Ya'juj and Ma'juj

Yes’juj and Ma’juj is one of the big signs of the arrival of the apocalypse, which is after the killing of Dajjal by Prophet Isa AS. But Ya’juj and Ma’juj itself had existed long before the passing of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. 

Some scholars mention that Ya’juj and Ma’juj is a type, nation or human race also descended from one of the grandson of the Prophet Noah AS, Sanaf bin Yafits bin Noah, it's just not known for sure in what generation. What is clear, the nation or race Ya’juj and Ma’juj has high aggressiveness, which is very destructive and disturbing to other human lives. They like to attack and rob the surrounding nations, and act so cruelly, that it becomes a scourge and a threat to the surrounding community.

‘Rekaman’ is most authentic about the existence of Ya’juj and Ma’juj is contained in QS Al Kahfi verses 92 to 98, which is part of the story of Dzul-Qarnain. The emergence of the near apocalypse, after the release of Ya’juj and Ma’juj from the steel wall made by Dzul-Qarnain, cited in QS Al Anbiya verse 96. Some hadith about the signs-andachiamat, also explain about the existence of Ya’juj and Ma’juj this.

Dzul-Qarnain, otherwise known as Iskandar Zulkarnain, is historically sometimes associated (equalized) with the name Iskandar of Macedonia or The Great Alexander, not a Prophet or Apostle, but someone who has the virtues and achievements so extraordinary that his name is immortalized in the Qur’an. Some accounts say he lived during the time of Prophet Isa AS, but there are also mentions before, which is around the year 300 BC. There is also an opinion that says he lived about 1500 before Hijri, or 900 BC, Wallahu A’lam. 

Allah gave to Dzul-Qarnain faith, intelligence, strength and power, and a very strong army. It can conquer and unite the western (African) to the eastern (India) region, eliminate all kinds of tyranny and spread faith and peace in these areas. Then Dzul-Qarnain continued his mission northward until he arrived in a mountainous country. Some say it was in Turkey, or Azerbaijan or Armenia today. 

Dzul-Qarnain had difficulty communicating with the people of the area because they had different languages, but finally he understood that the people there often experience interference and threats from the nation Ya’juj and Ma’juj who dwell among the towering mountains. 

They said: "Hi Dzul-Qarnain, verily Ya'juj and Ma’juj are the ones who make mischief on the face of the earth, then can we give you something to pay, so that you may build a wall between us and them?"

Since the beginning of doing ‘muhibah’ to all corners of the earth, Dzul-Qarnain has a mission to spread goodness and security solely because it hopes the pleasure of Allah, not because of the ambition of power, wealth and big names. Therefore he said, “What my Lord has empowered me against him is better, so help me with strength (men and tools), that I may make a wall between you and them!!”

Dzul-Qarnain began to mobilize his troops to create a wall or dam project that would close Ya’juj and Ma’juj access out of his territory, with the help of the locals. He asked them to pile pieces of iron and copper as the material for making it. Some scholars say, the wall or dam consists of two layers of iron as high as two mountains flanking it, in the middle of which poured copper that has been melted with very high heat. 

Whether the technology or architecture used by Dzul-Qarnain in realizing the steel dam, so that it is so sturdy until the coming of the doomsday later. But clearly, it is inseparable from the guidance of the inspiration (revelation) of God to him. The attitude of tawadhu Dzul-Qarnain is seen when the wall or dam has been completed. He said, “

This (wall) is a mercy from my Lord, so when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it crumble, and the promise of my Lord is true!!"

Some of the history mentions, the residence Ya’juj and Ma’juj it is a ravine that is so deep, confined by two mountains that walled it so high, almost can not be climbed because it is so slippery. Behind the mountains are only very steep and steep rocks, and a vast sea that is so fierce waves. After the exit was covered with walls made by Dzul-Qarnain's, practically Ya’juj and Ma’juj isolated from the outside world, even the sunlight could not penetrate his residence. However, by the will of God, they survive until the end of the world, and even multiply so quickly that they are far more numerous than humans. 

In the evening God restored the wall of the mountain or dam as before, so that in the morning they had to dig again from the beginning. When they had almost penetrated and barely seen the sunlight, again the leader stopped to continue the excavation the next day. In the evening God restored their quarry as it had been. That is how it is over and over again until the end of the world comes, and it is what Allah wills, Ya’juj and Ma’juj will appear when the apocalypse is really very close. 

Some scholars argue, when the emergence of the day before the apocalypse later, Ya’juj and Ma’juj has a form that is very different from the general human now, although actually derived from the human race as well. They are made up of three shapes of different sizes. The first is similar to bees or large trees (al arzi) with a very large size, which is 120 cubits or about 60 meters. Both are smaller in size and are rectangular in shape with very wide earlobes. When sleeping, one ear is used for the base and the other ear for the blanket. The third is very small, no more than an inch. But they were all clawed, or their nails were very long, and they sounded like the roar of a lion or the barking of a dog.

It is certainly difficult to explain scientifically how it could be, but to quote Darwin's Theory of Evolution, despite the fact that we should not believe his opinion that humans are from a type of primate or ape, it could be that Ya’juj and Ma’juj undergo evolution and undergo the adaptation process so that it becomes three different shapes and sizes like that. To note, Prophet Adam AS was created by Allah as high as 60 cubits or about 30 meters, of course the Prophet Noah AS was not much different from him. But whatever the shape and size, true or not like it is only God who knows better, they are indeed ‘prepared’ by God to be a big sign of the coming of the apocalypse. And all of them will only be the inhabitants of hell because no one believes.

In a long enough hadith about the signs of the end, from the friend of Nawwas bin Sim’an, the Prophet SAW recounts that after killing the Dajjal and saving the Muslims from his slander, Allah said to Prophet Isa AS, Allah said, “Verily I will bring out My servants who will not be defeated by anyone (meaning Ya’juj and Ma’juj), therefore save them (i.e., devout Muslims) to the hill of Thursina.!!”

So Prophet Isa took the Muslims to the hill of Thursina, and shortly after, by the will of Allah, the steel wall made by Dzul-Qarnain was successfully penetrated by Ya’juj and Ma’juj, respectively, which quickly moves ‘ flooded’ earth around it, as described in QS Al Anbiya verse 96, “Up to when opened (wall) Ya’juj and Ma’juj, etc, and they drop quickly from all over the high places.”.

Although in an unusual form like humans, but Ya’juj and Ma’juj it is also armed with a kind of arrows. They damage, attack and destroy anything they encounter. Humans and animals that have been killed, small or large, immediately eaten raw. Even if any of his fellows from Ya’juj and Ma’juj are dead, they eat them as well, and none of them die unless they have lowered (breed) at least a thousand people. When they went through the vast and water-filled lake of Thabariyah, they drank it up in an instant, even the rear of Ya’juj and Ma’juj found it dry, and said, “Surely here there is water before!!”

Almost all corners of the earth have been attacked and filled by Ya’juj and Ma’juj, except for four places, Makkah, Medina, Jerusalem and Thursina hills. Just as when the Dajjal roamed the earth, the four places were so closely guarded by the angels that they were unable to enter. Elsewhere, hardly any humans survived, or if any, they felt tremendous misery. There are no rivers, lakes or other water sources unless they have dried up. There are also hardly any trees and crops, or any other food source unless they have been destroyed, destroyed or consumed. Even the people who survived in the four places, including Prophet Isa AS and his followers also suffered unspeakable suffering due to limited food. One cow head at that time could be worth more than a hundred dinars (one dinar is a 22-carat gold coin weighing almost 4 grams). 

At the height of that suffering, Jesus prayed to Allah that Ya’juj and Ma’juj be eliminated, and Allah granted it. Suddenly they were afflicted with disease, a kind of caterpillar that gnawed at the neck and they fell in their respective places. Other accounts say they were hit by a whirlwind that once devastated the ‘Ad people, and in just an hour none of them were alive.

Jesus and the other Muslims immediately bowed in gratitude. But the problem is not finished there. Once down from the hill Thursina, they were very disturbed by the carcasses of Ya’juj and Ma’juj which they could not bury normally because of so many. Again Jesus prayed, and Allah sent thousands of ostriches, which were black and had large beaks. With their beaks, they brought the carcasses to a place where no man lived. In another account, the carcasses were thrown into the sea for the food of fish and other sea dwellers. 

Although the carcass has disappeared, but the dirt Ya’juj and Ma’juj is still scattered throughout the earth, as well as the smell that pierces the nose. So Jesus prayed to Allah again, and Allah sent down a rain so swift that it cleansed and purified the earth as before. But the smell can't just vanish, it can take seven years until the smell of Ya’juj and Ma’juj it is completely gone, sometimes aided by starting a fire to reduce the smell.

About Ya’juj and Ma’juj, there is also a group of scholars who consider that the name is just a term for a nation that likes to attack, disturb or slaughter other nations. For example, the Mongolian army led by Hulagu, which had destroyed almost half of Asia, including the Islamic empire at that time, followed the symbols and books of science. But the majority of scholars reject this opinion, because clearly the Qur’an and some sahih hadith explain its existence. Wallahu A’lam.