In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Merciful,
Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) has been a mysterious character in the Qur'an. There has been a lot of debate over his identity. However, this is not much discussion of him being in the Bible. In this post, I will be discussing my views of who he is.
Many people suggest that Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) was Alexander the Great for three main reasons. First of all, they argue that he was often depicting with two horns, as the name "Dhu al-Qarnayn" literally means "two horns." The second reason they pose is that Alexander the Great had a large empire, which aligns with the following Qur'an verse:
قَالَ أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُكْرًا
-Qur'an 18:84
Translation:
Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and the means to all ends.
The third reason they give is that Alexander the Great is known for creating a large wall known as Alexander's Wall.
However, there is a major issue with calling Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great followed Greek Polytheism. However, Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) believed in one great Lord, Allah, as he is quoted from in the Qur'an:
قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ ۖ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا
-Qur'an 18:98
Translation:
He (Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS)) said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: but when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it into dust; and the promise of My Lord is true."
In this verse, Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) uses the term "my Lord" to refer to Allah. Therefore, Alexander the Great could not have been Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS). There were many other people in history that rule a large portion of the world.
For example, Cyrus II of Persia, also known as Cyrus the Great, ruled over an area from modern-day India to Turkey. He is also usually depicted with two horns, as seen in the this picture:
https://imgur.com/a/fdODyILIt is debated on what religion he practiced, but I believe that he was a Muslim (or Jewish Muslim) because it says this in the Old Testament when most other people suspected as being Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) are not mentioned in the Bible. He came from a Zoroastrian upbringing, but according to the Bible, he converted. After releasing the Jews from Babylonian Exile and allowing the rebuilding of Jerusalem for no cost, Cyrus the Great receives a revelation from Allah. The Bible states, "This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of ..." (Isaiah 45:1). Notice how Allah refers to him as His anointed one, His messiah, showing that this person is given special status by Allah. This shows that he is a prophet of Allah in the Bible. Allah also gives him "a title of honor" (Isaiah 45:4).
Also, according to the Bible, Allah says to Cyrus the Great, "'I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me'" (Isaiah 45:5). It also says that Allah tells him, "I will raise him up in my righteousness" (Isaiah 45:13). This shows that before this revelation, Cyrus the Great was not a Muslim (submitting to Allah). He was Zoroastrian, just as his parents were. It says that Allah will give him more power and make him grow his empire, just as stated in verse 18 of Surah al-Kahf.
After this, the Bible says that Allah said, "'so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me'" (Isaiah 45:6). This shows that Cyrus the Great had a duty to spread the religion of Allah. This is why he reaches where the sun sets and finds the people that he could not understand, as stated in the Qur'an:
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَنْ تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا
-Qur'an 18:86
Translation:
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: near it he found a People: We said: "O Dhu al-Qarnayn! (thou hast authority) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
The account of Cyrus the Great from the Bible aligns perfectly with that of Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS) in the Qur'an. He was a great ruler, was a Muslim, given a higher status by Allah, and he was told to travel till the place of the setting of the sun. Therefore, I believe Cyrus the Great is Dhu al-Qarnayn (AS).
