(O Muhammad), they ask you about Dhu al-Qarnayn. Say: "I will give you an account of him." 83 Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and the means to all ends. 84 So he followed a course. 85 Until when he reached the place where the sun set, he found it going down into a black sea, and found by it a people. We said: O Zulqarnain! either give them a chastisement or do them a benefit. 86 He said: as for him who doeth wrong, presently we shall torment him, and thereafter he shall be brought back to his Lord, and He shall torment him with a torment formidable. 87 But as for him who believes and does righteous deeds - he will have the ultimate good [of the life to come] as his reward; and [as for us,] we shall make binding on him [only] that which is easy to fulfill." 88 Then he followed a way 89 Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering protection against the sun. 90 (He left them) as they were: We completely understood what was before him. 91 Then he followed still another path, 92 Till he reached a place between two mountains, and found this side of it a people who understood but little of what was spoken. 93 They said, 'O Dhool Karnain, behold, Gog and Magog are doing corruption in the earth; so shall we assign to thee a tribute, against thy setting up a barrier between us and between them?' 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 Give me pieces of iron - till, when he had levelled up (the gap) between the cliffs, he said: Blow! - till, when he had made it a fire, he said: Bring me molten copper to pour thereon. 96 Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it. 97 He said: This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord cometh to pass, He will lay it low, for the promise of my Lord is true. 98 ۞ On that day We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another: the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together. 99 And We shall set hell on that Day unto the infidels with a setting. 100 They whose eyes were under a cover from My reminder and they could not even hear. 101