And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report." 83 We had given him great power in the land and all kinds of resources. 84 He set out (westwards) on an expedition, 85 to the West where he found the sun setting into a warm source (spring) of water and a people living near by. We asked him, "Dhu 'l-Qarnayn, you may punish them or treat them with kindness?" 86 He said: As to him who is unjust, we will chastise him, then shall he be returned to his Lord, and He will chastise him with an exemplary chastisement: 87 But as for him who believes and acts righteously, his will be a goodly reward and we shall enjoin upon him only mild commands." 88 Then he followed the road, 89 until, when he reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had not appointed any veil to shade them from it. 90 thus [We had made them, and thus he left them; and We did encompass with Our knowledge all that he had in mind 91 Then he followed a way 92 until when he reached a place between the two mountains, he found beside the mountains a people who scarcely understood anything. 93 'ThulKarnain' they said, 'Look, Gog and Magog are corrupting the earth. Build for us a barrier between us and them, and we will pay you a tribute' 94 He said, "What My Lord has given me is better [than any tribute]. Help me with a force of labourers and I will erect a barrier between you and them: 95 Bring me ingots of iron!" Then, after he had [piled up the iron and] filled the gap between the two mountain-sides, he said: "[Light a fire and] ply your bellows!" At length, when he had made it [glow like] fire, he commanded: "Bring me molten copper which I may pour upon it." 96 Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it. 97 He said, “This is the mercy of my Lord; then when the promise of my Lord arrives, He will blow it to bits; and my Lord’s promise is true.” 98 ۞ And on that day We will leave a part of them in conflict with another part, and the trumpet will be blown, so We will gather them all together; 99 We will fully expose the view of hell on that Day to the disbelievers, 100 (To) Those whose eyes had been under a covering from My Reminder (this Quran), and who could not bear to hear (it). 101