THEY WILL ASK YOU ABOUT DHU’L-QARNAYN. SAY, “I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT HIM.” (Surat al-Kahf, 83)
Many of the hadith of our Prophet (saas) report that Surat al-Kahf of the Qur’an contains references to the End Times and to Hazrat Mahdi (as) bringing Islamic moral values to prevail across the world and his intellectual elimination of the antichrist. Looked at in the light of these signs in the story of Kahf, it does indeed appear that the events described also contain important information regarding the End Times. One such piece of information is concealed inside the name of Hazrat Dhu’l-qarnayn (as), who appears in the story.
Islamic reference sources provide the following information about the name Dhu’l-Qarnayn:
The word Dhu’l-Qarnayn is Arabic. It is made up of the words Dhu and Qarnayn. DHU MEANS OWNER AND RULER. QARN MEANS FRINGE OR TASSEL, TIME AND SUN. QARNAYN MEANS TWO OF QARN. (Al Fairuzabadi, Al-Qamus al-Muhit, Cairo, 1332, IV, 257 vd)
One of the names of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is “SAHIB AZ-ZAMAN.”That means “OWNER OF TIME.”The name Dhu’l-qarnayn consists of the words “Dhu: Owner”, “Qarn: Time”and “Qarnayn: Two times.” The name Dhu’lqarnayn therefore means “THE OWNER OF TWO TIMES.”The fact that the names of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and Dhu’l-qarnayn (as) mean the same thing is an important indication that the events described in the Qur’an in the story of Dhu’l-qarnayn (as) also contain information about events in which Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be instrumental in his own time. Indeed, in one hadith our Prophet (saas) notes this fact by saying “The time of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be like that of Dhu’l-qarnayn (as):”
Ahmad Ibn Ishaq says: "I approached Imam Asqari ...And he said, O Ahmad Ibn Ishaq! HE [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] IS LIKE "KHIDR" (AS) AND “DHU’L-QARNAYN” (AS) TO THIS COMMMUNITY...”(Sheikh al-Saduq, Kamal al-Din, Vol. 2, p. 384)
All this information shows that Dhu’l-Qarnayn will be the owner of the time of the Prophet Jesus (as) and of his own time.
It is related from Madan ibn Abu Talha: “WHOEVER KNOWS 10 VERSES FROM THE FORMER PART OF THE SURAT AL-KAHF BY HEART, HE WOULD BE CERTAIN OF THE ANTICHRIST’S FITNAH.”
Abu Dawud said: “Related from Dushtu Waida, Katada but he said so: “WHOEVER KNOWS 10 VERSES FROM THE LATTER PART OF THE SURAT AL-KAHF BY HEART; HOWEVER SHUBA NARRATED FROM KATADA: “FROM THE LATTER PART OF THE SURAT AL-KAHF.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 5/122)
Hazrat Abu Darda (ra) reported Allah’s Messenger (saas) saying, "Anyone who reads the first three verses of Surah Kahf, he will be protected from the trial of the antichrist." (Sunan Tirmidhi, 5/30)
Whoever of you lives to see the antichrist, LET HIM READ THE BEGINNING OF SURA AL-KAHF IN HIM, the end of this sura is your salvation from the corruption of the antichrist. (Sunan Abu Dawud, 5/121)
Related by Abu Umamah al-Bahili:
Whoever enters his [the antichrist'] Hell, let him seek refuge with Allah and recite the opening verse of Surat al-Kahf, and it will become cool and peaceful for him, as the fire became cool and peaceful for Abraham. (Ibn Kathir)
