سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 94
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا ﴿94﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog) are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
يَـٰذَا
yādhā
O Dhul-qarnain
ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ
l-qarnayni
O Dhul-qarnain
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
يَأْجُوجَ
yajūja
Yajuj
وَمَأْجُوجَ
wamajūja
and Majuj
مُفْسِدُونَ
muf'sidūna
(are) corrupters
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the land
فَهَلْ
fahal
So may
نَجْعَلُ
najʿalu
we make
لَكَ
laka
for you
خَرْجًا
kharjan
an expenditure
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
[on]
أَن
an
that
تَجْعَلَ
tajʿala
you make
بَيْنَنَا
baynanā
between us
وَبَيْنَهُمْ
wabaynahum
and between them
سَدًّۭا
saddan
a barrier
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 94) ➊ { قَالُوْا يٰذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ …:} When they were hardly able to understand any speech, then how did they converse with Dhul-Qarnayn? The answer is: through sign language, which is an international language, or Allah Almighty especially enabled Dhul-Qarnayn to understand their language, just as Allah Almighty taught Dawud and Sulayman (peace be upon them) the speech of birds.
➋ { فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا …:} Between this nation and Gog and Magog were two mountains, between which there was a pass, from where those people would come and plunder and then leave. Only a resolute king, who possessed all kinds of resources, could build a high wall equal to the two mountains between them. No matter how wealthy a nation is, it cannot accomplish this task. Therefore, they offered to pay the expenses and requested the construction of a barrier between themselves and Gog and Magog, which could block their path like the mountains.
➋ { فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا …:} Between this nation and Gog and Magog were two mountains, between which there was a pass, from where those people would come and plunder and then leave. Only a resolute king, who possessed all kinds of resources, could build a high wall equal to the two mountains between them. No matter how wealthy a nation is, it cannot accomplish this task. Therefore, they offered to pay the expenses and requested the construction of a barrier between themselves and Gog and Magog, which could block their path like the mountains.
