Surah Al-Kahf provides profound allegorical connections between the People of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf) and the Children of Israel during Musa’s time. One such connection appears in the following verse:

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18:21
"And as such, We revealed their case so that they would know that the promise of God is true and that there is no doubt regarding the Hour. They argued among themselves regarding them, so they said: 'Erect a monument for them!' Their Lord is fully aware of them, those who managed to win the argument said: 'We will construct a temple (place of worship) over them.'"

 

This verse highlights a divine revelation meant to affirm the truth of Allah's promise. It also speaks of a debate about the Ashab al-Kahf, concluding with the decision to build a place of worship over them. This suggests their profound impact on faith and history. Notably, the people of the cave were described as frightening to look at:

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18:18 "And you would think they were awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched its forelegs at the threshold. If you looked at them, you would have turned away from them in flight and been filled with fear of them."

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This description prompts an essential question:

 

 Where else in the Quran do we find people blessed by Allah but feared by others?

 

The Parallels with the Children of Israel

A similar event occurs when Musa leads the Children of Israel to the Promised Land:

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5:21-26 "O my people, enter the holy land that Allah has decreed for you, and do not turn your backs, or you will become losers."

"They said: 'O Musa, in it are a mighty people, and we will not enter it until they leave from it. So when they leave from it, then we will enter.'"

"Two men from among those who were fearing, upon whom Allah had bestowed favor, said: 'Enter upon them through the gate, if you enter it then you will be the victors; and put your trust in Allah if you are believers.'"

"They said: 'O Musa, we will never enter it as long as they are in it, so go you and your Lord and fight, we will stay right here!'"

"He said: 'My Lord, I do not possess except myself and my brother, so separate between us and the wicked people.'"

"He said: 'It has become restricted to them for forty years, and they will be lost in the land.' Do not be sorrowful over the wicked people."

 

This passage reveals that the Children of Israel, after being freed from Firoun’s oppression, still lacked the faith to enter the Holy Land due to fear. Because of their hesitation, they were sentenced to wander the desert for 40 years.

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This brings us to the final path in the journey of Musa and the Servant, which explains the outcome of the believers and the significance of the 40-year waiting period.

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Decoding the Allegorical Meaning of the Final Path

 

The narrative now shifts to the parable of the collapsing wall:

 

18:77 "So they ventured forth until they came to the people of a town. They requested food from its people but they refused to host them. Then they found a wall which was close to collapsing, so he built it. He said: 'If you had wished, you could have asked a wage for it!'"

 

18:82 "And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphaned boys in the city, and underneath it was a treasure for them, and their father was a good man, so your Lord wanted that they reach their independence and bring out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord…"

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Now let’s analyse the allegorical meanings in the context of Musa’s journey:

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• People of the Town → The Children of Israel at Mount Sinai (20:85, 7:148, 2:54)

• Food → Allah’s help and blessings (e.g., Manna and Quails, 20:80-83)

• Refusal to accept guests → The worship of the golden calf and their rejection of divine guidance

• The Wall → The final barrier preventing them from reaching the Holy Land

• The Treasure beneath it → The Holy Land itself, which was promised to them but temporarily withheld

• The Father → Their inherited faith from Ibrahim

• The Two Orphan Boys → The Ashab al-Kahf, symbolising a community cut off from its heritage but destined to reclaim it in time

• Maturity → The 40-year waiting period before entering the Holy Land

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Thus, the allegorical understanding Musa would have gained is:

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18:77 "So they went on until they came to Mount Sinai, they asked for Allah’s help, but they refused and took a calf." Then they found a final barrier which was close to collapsing, so he built it. He said: 'If you had wished, you could have asked a wage for it!'

 

18:82 " As for the final barrier, it belonged to the Ashab al-Kahf, and underneath it lay the Holy Land, and their religion (the faith of Ibrahim) was correct. So your Lord desired that they should undergo a 40-year waiting period before finally attaining the Holy Land, as a mercy from your Lord."

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This interpretation suggests that the children of Israel were denied immediate entry to the Holy Land because a "wall" was erected, a test of faith and perseverance. This wall, metaphorically speaking, also connects to the barrier mentioned in the Ashab al-Kahf’s story.

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Additional Connections Between Ashab al-Kahf and Musa’s Journey

 

A striking link emerges between the Ashab al-Kahf and the two orphan boys:

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• 18:19 – The Ashab al-Kahf were told to take their coin to "l-madīnati" (the city)

• 18:82 – The orphan boys were also in "l-madīnati" (the town)

 

This strengthens the idea that the two orphans represent the Ashab al-Kahf themselves. Furthermore, how many people approached them to enter the Holy Land?

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5:23 Two men from among those who were fearing, upon whom Allah had bestowed favor, said: 'Enter upon them through the gate, if you enter it then you will be the victors; and put your trust in Allah if you are believers.'"

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Also, the mystery surrounding their number in 18:22 provides another clue:

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18:22 "They say (they were) three, the fourth of them their dog; and they say (they were) five, the sixth of them their dog, guessing about the unseen; and they say (they were) seven, and the eighth of them their dog. Say, 'My Lord knows best their number. None knows them except a few.'"

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Notably, the possibility of two and their dog is absent while speculations are mentioned, yet Allah does not dismiss the notion outright. This subtle hint aligns with the idea that the two orphan boys are the number of Ashab al-Kahf.

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Dhul-Qarnain (The Two-Horned One)

 

Immediately, in the next ayah, we are told:

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18:83 And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain (The Two-Horned One), say: "I will recite to you a remembrance of him."

 

Why would Allah say, "And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain" (18:83)? 

 

This question is not without purpose, and its implication runs much deeper than a simple inquiry.

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Consider the scenario: If I were to say, "I went to the beach with my friend," the natural follow-up question would be, "Who was your friend?" The mention of my friend automatically sparks curiosity. If I had never introduced my friend or provided any details about them, no one would think to ask about this mysterious companion. In the same way, the mention of Dhul-Qarnain in the Qur'an is no mere passing reference; it is a deliberate introduction that invites further exploration. Only after Allah has provided some details about him do the questions arise. Without these preliminary clues, no one would even think to inquire about Dhul-Qarnain.

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Now, here's the striking connection that unfolds: the servant who travels with Musa on his mysterious journey, the one who makes decisions that seem perplexing at first glance, such as damaging the boat and taking the life of the boy, is none other than Dhul-Qarnain himself. This is the key that unlocks the story.

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When we look at the Qur'anic narrative as a whole, we see that the servant's actions were not arbitrary. They were, in fact, part of a larger divine plan, a plan that would only be fully understood once the identity of the servant, who is none other than Dhul-Qarnain, is revealed. The servant's actions, seemingly harsh or unsettling, were precisely those needed to protect the believers and maintain cosmic balance, just as Dhul-Qarnain later builds barriers to protect people from the destructive forces of Gog and Magog.

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By introducing Dhul-Qarnain in this way, the Qur'an prepares us for a deeper understanding of his role and his significance. His actions, which we may initially find hard to comprehend, are integral to the unfolding of Allah's will. His identity as the servant on the boat links his earlier deeds to the larger purpose he fulfills in history, protecting the righteous, separating good from evil, and ensuring the fulfillment of Allah's ultimate plan.

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Thus, the mention of Dhul-Qarnain in Surah Al-Kahf serves as a foundation, upon which the Qur'an will elaborate more fully in subsequent verses. This connection between the servant on the boat and Dhul-Qarnain is a profound narrative thread that weaves together divine wisdom, mystery, and the guiding hand of Allah's mercy. What we will see is Dhul-Qarnain, who, like the servant on the boat, erected a wall, a barrier between the unbelievers and their due reward. The symmetry in the narrative is striking. The ayat preceding and following 18:83 point to the same figure.

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The term "Two Horns" signifies the authority to open the walls of the Holy Land (Heaven) and to contain Gog and Magog (Hell).

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Now, let’s present the evidence that the servant on the boat and Dhul-Qarnain are, in fact, the same character.

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As shown before, Dhul-Qarnain’s name, derived from the root qarn (meaning horn or trumpet), uniquely positions him as the possessor of two horns. This term is not just symbolic of his power, but of his crucial role in the cosmic transition between life and the afterlife.

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In the Qur'an, the blowing of the trumpet twice is a key moment of transformation, signaling the end of time:

 

39:68 "And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead, except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will rise up, looking on." 

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This event, described in Surah Az-Zumar, marks the beginning of the final resurrection. Dhul-Qarnain’s role is highlighted in 18:99, where he speaks of the trumpet being blown after he erects the barrier:

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18:99 "And We (will) leave some of them on that Day to surge over others, and (will be) blown in the trumpet, then We (will) gather them all together."

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The link between Dhul-Qarnain and the trumpet becomes clear when we consider the meaning of his name. Dhul-Qarnain can be understood as "the possessor of the two horns," signifying that he holds the power to blow the trumpet twice. This trumpet is not just a signal of the end of time, but also the key to opening the gates of heaven and hell.

 

Therefore, Dhul-Qarnain is not a pivotal historical figure but the one who will blow the trumpet, marking the ultimate transition. He is the one destined to open the doors of the eternal realms, guiding the final moments of humanity's fate.

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Now to show that Dhul-Qarnain and the servant on the boat are essentially the same figure, both embodying divine wisdom and purpose. Their paths mirror each other as they navigate through distinct phases of Allah's plan. Dhul-Qarnain’s acts of building barriers and guiding people reflect the servant’s seemingly puzzling actions on the boat, both serving as instruments of divine will to maintain balance and safeguard the future. These similarities highlight their intertwined destinies, culminating in their roles in the eschatological events, with Dhul-Qarnain being the one to blow the trumpet to open the doors of heaven and hell.

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First Path

 

18:86-88 Until he reached the setting of the sun; he found it setting at a hot spring, and he found a people near it. We said: "O Two-Horned One, either you shall punish, or you shall do them good."

 

He said: "As for he who has done wrong, we will punish him, then he will be returned to his Lord and He will punish him an awful punishment. And as for he who believes and does good, then he will have the reward of goodness, and we will speak to him simply of our plan."

 

Now compare this to the servant on the boat:

 

18:79 "As for the boat, it belonged to (some) poor men who worked on the river, and I wished that I should damage it, and there was behind them a king who seized every boat by force."

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Dhul-Qarnain was given the choice to either chastise or do good. But looking at the boat incident, we see that his "damage" was, in fact, a benefit, shielding them from tyranny. Both stories mirror each other.

 

Side Note: The phrase "setting of the sun" allegorically signifies the conclusion of a test, the arrival of fate, or the completion of a decree, just as it happened to the Egyptians.

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Second Path

 

18:90-91 Until when he reached the land of the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people to whom We had given no shelter from it; Even so! We had full knowledge of what he had.

 

Compare this to:

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18:80-81 "And as for the boy, his parents were believers and we feared lest he should make disobedience and ingratitude come upon them. So we desired that their Lord might give them in his place one better than him in purity and nearer to having compassion."

 

The first clear connection between these two passages lies in 18:91:

"Even so! We had full knowledge of what he had."

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Mirrors:

"We feared lest he should make disobedience and ingratitude come upon them."

This mirrors the reasoning behind the slaying of the boy. Both situations illustrate preemptive divine intervention, reshaping outcomes before corruption takes hold.

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Third Path

 

18:93-98 Until when he reached (a place) between the two mountains, he found on that side of them a people who could hardly understand a word. They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Surely Gog and Magog make mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute on condition that you should raise a barrier between us and them?"

 

He said: "That in which my Lord has established me is better, therefore you only help me with workers, I will make a fortified barrier between you and them. Bring me blocks of iron; until when he had filled up the space between the two mountain sides, he said: Blow, until when he had made it a fire, he said: Bring me molten brass which I may pour over it. So they were not able to scale it, nor could they make a hole in it."

 

He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it level with the ground, and the promise of my Lord is ever true."

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Now compare this to:

 

18:77 So they went on until when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he put it into a right state.

 

18:82 "And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father was a righteous man; so your Lord desired that they should attain their maturity and take out their treasure, a mercy from your Lord, and I did not do it of my own accord. This is the significance of that with which you could not have patience."

 

The similarities between these two narratives are remarkable:

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• Servant on the boat: The people refused to entertain them as guests.

• Dhul-Qarnain: The people were unable to communicate ("could hardly understand a word").​

 

• Servant on the boat: Musa mentions the "recompense" he could have earned for the task.

• Dhul-Qarnain: The people offer tribute in exchange for his help.​

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• Servant on the boat: Two orphan boys.

• Dhul-Qarnain: Two mountains.​

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• Servant on the boat: A wall built to protect a hidden treasure.

• Dhul-Qarnain: A wall erected to protect people from Gog and Magog.

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• Servant on the boat: The wall was destined to collapse once the boys reached maturity.

• Dhul-Qarnain: The wall will eventually crumble when the divine decree is fulfilled.

 

Conclusion

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The parallels between Dhul-Qarnain and the servant on the boat cannot be ignored. The structure of the narratives, the allegorical depth, and the thematic echoes all indicate that they are the same figure, operating under divine command.

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Dhul-Qarnain is a symbol of divine justice and intervention, bridging two ages, guiding believers, and standing between the righteous and their adversaries, whether Pharaoh, the oppressors of belief, or the forces of Gog and Magog.

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These stories are not disjointed. They weave together a profound truth: that in the hands of Allah, barriers can be both a mercy and a test, and that sometimes, what appears as hardship, like a damaged boat or a slain child, is, in reality, a shield against unseen calamity.

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Misperception about Gog and Magog

 

There is a common misperception about Gog and Magog:

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21:96 "Even when Gog and Magog are let loose and they shall break forth from every elevated place."

 

21:101-102 "Surely (as for) those for whom the good has already gone forth from Us, they shall be kept far off from it; They will not hear its faintest sound, and they shall abide in that which their souls long for."

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This passage reveals a crucial reality, Gog and Magog emerge after judgment. By this time, the divine separation has already occurred: the believers are distanced from the unbelievers, ensuring they neither see nor hear the horrors of Gog and Magog. These forces are the gates to Hell itself, a final reckoning for those who rejected the truth. While the disbelievers behold this terrifying event, the believers witness a different reality, 21:104, the rolling up of the heavens, and 66:8, the completion of their light and divine protection. The two destinies could not be more starkly contrasted.

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The Mystery of the Youth's Comment and Musa’s Response

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18:63 "He (the youth) said: 'Do you remember when we rested upon the rock? I forgot the fish, and it was the DEVIL who made me forget to remember it. It made its way back to the sea amazingly!'"

 

18:64 "He (Musa) said: 'That is what we have been seeking!' So they went back retracing their steps."

 

Was Musa truly seeking the devil?

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Of course not. Yet this phrase, blaming the devil for forgetting, is strikingly similar to another episode from Musa’s past:

 

28:15 And he entered the city unexpectedly, without being noticed by the people. He found in it two men who were fighting, one was from his clan, and the other was from that of his enemy. So the one who was from his clan called on him for help against his enemy, whereby Moses punched him, killing him. He said: "This is from the work of the devil; he is an enemy that clearly misleads.

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28:18-21 "And he was in the city, fearing, awaiting, when lo! he who had asked his assistance the day before was crying out to him for aid. Musa said to him: 'You are most surely one erring manifestly.' So when he desired to seize him who was an enemy to them both, he said: 'O Musa! do you intend to kill me as you killed a person yesterday? You desire nothing but that you should be a tyrant in the land, and you do not desire to be of those who act aright.'"

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Does this story sound familiar?

 

To make the allegory clear:

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• One being of his party → Israelites

• The city → Mount Sinai

• The other, his foes → Egyptians

• The killing → Slaying of the Egyptians

• The Israelite that he saved → The Israelites at Mount Sinai

• 'Surely one erring manifestly' → The calf-worshiping Israelites

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With this understanding, the passage can be read allegorically:

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28:15 And he entered the Mount Sinai unexpectedly, without being noticed by the people. He found in it two men who were fighting, one was an Israelite, and the other was an Egyptian. So the Israelite called on him for help against the Egyptians, whereby Musa slayed the Egyptians. He said: "This is from the work of the devil; he is an enemy that clearly misleads."

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28:18-21 "And he was at Mount Sinai, fearing, awaiting, when lo! The Israelites, who had asked his assistance the day before, were crying out to him for aid. Musa said to him: 'You are most surely one following a calf.' So when he desired to seize him who was an enemy to them both, he said: 'O Musa! do you intend to kill us as you killed the Egyptians? You desire nothing but that you should be a tyrant in the land, and you do not desire to be of those who act aright.'"

 

This sheds light on Musa’s growth: he was being prepared by Allah to control his anger. His past mistake, killing a man in haste, was meant to teach him patience. When his people took the calf as an idol, rather than resorting to punishment, Musa commanded them:

 

2:54 "And when Musa said to his people: 'O my people! You have surely been unjust to yourselves by taking the calf (for a Allah), therefore turn to your Creator (penitently), SO KILL YOUR NAFS, that is best for you with your Creator: so He turned to you (mercifully), for surely He is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.'"

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Summary of the Dhul-Qarnain Connection

 

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1. Musa journeyed to the meeting of the seas (Qarnayn/barrier) and met Dhul-Qarnain.

2. On the journey, Dhul-Qarnain revealed the past, present, and future of Musa’s people and Firoun’s people.

3. Dhul-Qarnain, with Musa’s assistance, erected a barrier between the believers and the Holy Land (symbolised by the repaired wall over the treasures of Ashab al-Kahf).

4. He then erected a second barrier, one that blocked the cursed land of Gog and Magog.

5. Dhul-Qarnain is the possessor of two horns, symbolic of his role in opening the doors to Heaven and Hell.

6. The one who blows the Trumpet, an act traditionally attributed to Israfil, is never named in the Qur'an. Instead, with all the provided evidence, Dhul-Qarnain emerges as the figure responsible for this monumental event after the Day of Judgment.

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Thus, Dhul-Qarnain is not merely a past king as assumed by scholars, but a cosmic figure whose role extends to the final moments of existence itself.​