Hadith 3346

وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ} .
Allah, the Exalted, said in Surah Al-Kahf «قالوا يا ذا القرنين إن يأجوج ومأجوج مفسدون في الأرض‏»: "They said, 'O Dhul-Qarnayn! Verily, Gog and Magog are spreading much corruption in the land.'"
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا فَاتَّبَعَ سَبَبًا} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {ائْتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ} وَاحِدُهَا زُبْرَةٌ وَهْيَ الْقِطَعُ {حَتَّى إِذَا سَاوَى بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ} يُقَالُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ الْجَبَلَيْنِ، وَالسُّدَّيْنِ الْجَبَلَيْنِ {خَرْجًا} أَجْرًا {قَالَ انْفُخُوا حَتَّى إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا} أَصْبُبْ عَلَيْهِ رَصَاصًا، وَيُقَالُ الْحَدِيدُ. وَيُقَالُ الصُّفْرُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ النُّحَاسُ. {فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ} يَعْلُوهُ، اسْتَطَاعَ اسْتَفْعَلَ مِنْ أَطَعْتُ لَهُ فَلِذَلِكَ فُتِحَ أَسْطَاعَ يَسْطِيعُ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمُ اسْتَطَاعَ يَسْتَطِيعُ، {وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا قَالَ هَذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا} أَلْزَقَهُ بِالأَرْضِ، وَنَاقَةٌ دَكَّاءُ لاَ سَنَامَ لَهَا، وَالدَّكْدَاكُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ مِثْلُهُ حَتَّى صَلُبَ مِنَ الأَرْضِ وَتَلَبَّدَ. {وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ}، {حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ} قَالَ قَتَادَةُ حَدَبٍ أَكَمَةٍ. قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَيْتُ السَّدَّ مِثْلَ الْبُرْدِ الْمُحَبَّرِ. قَالَ: «رَأَيْتَهُ».
The statement of Allah, the Exalted «ويسألونك عن ذي القرنين قل سأتلو عليكم منه ذكرا * إنا مكنا له في الأرض وآتيناه من كل شىء سببا * فاتبع سببا‏»: "And they ask you (O Messenger) about Dhul-Qarnayn (the king). Say: I will recite to you a mention of him. Indeed, We established him in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything. So he followed a way..." The statement of Allah, the Exalted «ائتوني زبر الحديد‏»: "Bring me sheets of iron," up to «زبر». The singular of «زبرة» is «زبرة», and it means a piece. "Until, when he had leveled [the barrier] between the two mountain sides..." By «صدفين‏», mountains are meant. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, (in the explanation of «بين الصدفين‏»). And another recitation of «السدين الصدفين‏» is also in the meaning of «الجبلين» (two mountains). «خرجا‏» means the wage or payment. Dhul-Qarnayn said (to the workers): Now blow (with bellows) until, when he made it (like) fire, he said: Bring me molten lead (copper) so I may pour it over. The meaning of «أفرغ عليه قطرا‏» is that I will pour molten lead over it. (The meaning of «قطر») Some have said it is molten iron, and some have said brass; Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said its meaning is copper. Then the people of Gog and Magog (after this barrier) could not scale it. «يظهروه‏» means «يعلوه», and «أطعت له» is the form of istif‘al. That is why «أسطاع» «يسطيع» «يستطيع» is also recited, and Gog and Magog could not pierce it either. Dhul-Qarnayn said: This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it «دكا‏», meaning He will level it with the earth. The Arabs say «ناقة دكاء», by which is meant a camel without a hump. And «الدكداك من الأرض» is like land that has become flat and hard, not elevated. And the promise of my Lord is true. And on that day We shall leave them surging over one another. Until, when Gog and Magog are let loose, and they rush down from every elevation. Qatadah said that the meaning of «حدب» is hill. A companion said to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, that I saw this wall like a striped cloak, one stripe red and one black. Upon this, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Indeed, you have seen it.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ ، عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ ، أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَتْهُ ، عَنْ أُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ ، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ جَحْشٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُنَّ ، أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَزِعًا ، يَقُولُ : " لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ وَحَلَّقَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ الْإِبْهَامِ وَالَّتِي تَلِيهَا ، قَالَتْ : زَيْنَبُ ابْنَةَ جَحْشٍ ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَهْلِكُ وَفِينَا الصَّالِحُونَ ، قَالَ : نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ " .
Narrated Zainab bint Jahsh: That the Prophet once came to her in a state of fear and said, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near. An opening has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this," making a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zainab bint Jahsh said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us?" He said, "Yes, when the evil person will increase."
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب أحاديث الأنبياء / 3346
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
(1)
Their lineage is from the descendants of Adam.
Other than Adam, they are not created from anyone else.

(2)
They are so numerous that the Muslim community will be only a thousandth part compared to these disbelievers.

(3)
Riot and corruption are inherent in their nature.
Dhul-Qarnayn sealed those mountain passes with iron to protect others from their attacks, through which they used to assault others.

(4)
In the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), a person saw this barrier of Dhul-Qarnayn, which was like an embroidered cloth.

(5)
During the time of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that wall had become somewhat weakened, so that a small hole had appeared in it.

(6)
Near the Day of Judgment, that wall will become level with the ground, and Yajuj and Majuj will surge forth like the waves of the sea.

(7)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
The Hour will not be established
until the signs appear.
Among them is the attack of Yajuj and Majuj.
Soon after their onslaught, the Day of Judgment will be established.
The narrations transmitted regarding their stature do not meet the standards of authenticity set by the hadith scholars.

Hadith translation:
Yahya ibn Bukayr narrated to us, he said: Layth narrated to us, from ‘Uqayl, from Ibn Shihab, from ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr, from Zaynab bint Abi Salamah (radi Allahu anha), from Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan, from Zaynab bint Jahsh (radi Allahu anha) that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came to her in a state of anxiety.
Then he said that there is no deity except Allah, destruction will come upon the Arabs because of this evil which is drawing near; today Yajuj and Majuj have made such a hole in the wall, then the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made a circle with his thumb and the finger next to it to show the size.
Umm al-Mu’minin Zaynab bint Jahsh (radi Allahu anha) narrated that I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Will we be destroyed even though there are righteous people among us? He replied: When immorality and wickedness increase,
(then surely there will be destruction).

Hadith Commentary:
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 3346
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
1.
In the first hadith, "evil" refers to the tribulations (fitan) that appeared among the Arabs. Indeed, the tribulations that emerged after the martyrdom of Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) were extremely painful and distressing. Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) saw that the wall of Gog and Magog (Ya’juj wa Ma’juj) had a hole the size of a ring made by two fingers. This hole is also a sign of the appearance of tribulations.

2.
In the hadith, "khubth" refers to immorality, wickedness, and sins. That is, when people begin to commit many sins, their destruction will certainly draw near, because when wickedness prevails, the good deeds of righteous people become overpowered and suppressed.

3.
You (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) saw in a dream that after the treasures of Persia (Fars) and Rome (Rum) are obtained, an era of tribulations will ensue. This is because when conquests become numerous, the abundance of wealth and riches will give rise to envy, enmity, opposition, and hostility, which will serve as a prelude to bloodshed and widespread killing and plundering.

4.
Some commentators have interpreted this tribulation as referring to the Turks, who stirred up tribulations in Baghdad and other Islamic lands, which will continue until the emergence of the Dajjal. And Allah is the One whose help is sought.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 3598
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
In our time, many people are doubtful about this: when Gog and Magog (Ya’juj and Ma’juj) are such a large nation that not a single person among them dies until he has seen a thousand of his own descendants, then in which part of the world is this nation currently settled?
The geographers have surveyed the entire world; it is possible that a small island may have escaped their notice, but it is far-fetched to assume that such a vast land, inhabited by such a populous nation, would remain unseen.
Secondly, in this era, people climb very high mountains and even bore such tunnels through them that trains can pass through. So how could this wall possibly stop them? The hardest material in the world is steel, and even that can be easily pierced. No matter how high a wall is, people can climb it using tools.
With dynamite, it could be brought down in an instant.
The answer to these doubts is that we do not claim that the wall still exists and is holding back Gog and Magog.
However, until the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), it certainly did exist, and at that time, industry and technology were not so widespread in the world, so it is not surprising that the wild tribes of Gog and Magog were held back by this wall.
As for the statement that no person among Gog and Magog dies until he has seen a thousand of his own descendants—
It is also possible that this refers to that era when human lifespans used to be a thousand or two thousand years, not to our time, when the average human lifespan has been reduced to a hundred or a hundred and twenty years.
After all, Gog and Magog are also human; just as our lifespans have decreased, so too would theirs. Now, as for the reports transmitted from the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) and the Followers (tabi‘in) regarding their stature and ears, their chains of transmission are not authentic or reliable. And among the nations that geographers have observed, two of the great nations are Gog and Magog.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 7135
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
The indication of ninety is that the tip of the index finger (kalima finger) of the right hand is placed at its base, and the indication of one hundred is also very close to this.
By "evil" is meant fornication (zina) or the abundance of children born out of wedlock; other acts of immorality and wickedness are also intended.
If the barrier of Gog and Magog (Ya'juj wa Ma'juj) had opened up this much during the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, then now it is not known how much it has opened, and it is possible that it has become level or has hidden within the mountains, and the geographers have not come across it.
This is the opinion of Mawlana Waheed al-Zaman.
As for myself, wallahu a‘lam bis-sawab (Allah knows best what is correct), we have believed in what the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has said.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 7059
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:

Among the Arabs, the number ninety is indicated in such a way that the tip of the index finger (the finger of testimony) is placed at the base of the thumb, then the thumb is joined with the finger in such a manner that a circular mark is formed inside.


In the hadith, "filth" refers to the abundance of immorality and wickedness, and the prevalence of adultery and children born out of wedlock.
By Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) are meant those wild tribes from the far northeastern regions who used to attack the civilized nations of Europe and Asia through mountain passes.
Dhul-Qarnayn built a wall fifty miles long and one foot wide, blocking those passes, which could neither be scaled nor breached.
Near the Day of Judgment, this wall will be destroyed, and Yajuj and Majuj will surge forth in countless numbers like the waves of the sea, and will attack in the manner of a predatory animal that, freed from its cage, pounces upon its prey.
These two nations will unite and cause great turmoil, and this will occur near the Day of Judgment, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has declared their attack to be a sign of the Hour.
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Fitan, Hadith 7285(2901))


In the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that wall had opened up a little, and this opening will continue to increase day by day until, near the Day of Judgment, it will be completely gone.
In the hadith, the Arabs are specifically mentioned because they were the first to accept Islam, and when tribulations begin, they will be the first to be afflicted by them.
(Fath al-Bari: 18/13)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 7059
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: The Prophet specified the Arabs because, at that time, they were the majority and dominant among the Muslims, and they alone held authority and power. This hadith also proves that, "Along with the flour, the bran is also ground," meaning that in the majority of the wicked, the minority of the righteous cannot be saved from destruction, because they do not even attempt to put up a barrier against the majority, or their efforts go in vain.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 7237