The Mystery of Alexander The Great

[Alvis Rofhessa]

When I was younger I got mixed up and could never be sure whether Dhul-Qarnain was 2 horns or 1 horn despite the plural -im/in ending, and to this day I still can't be sure if I did see it somewhere also alt as 1 horn or not.

In GW Cox there is a Semitic god with almost same name (lost when my 15yrs notes destroyed in crisis 2yrs ago).
Some say Nimrod wore the slain bull horns.
The horns may represent West and East.
Hislop mentions how horns, tusks and teeth are linked in myths.
Horned serpent? Horned hand?
Ray = Eye?

In Daniel 8 there is the two horned Ram vs the one horned He-Goat (unicorn in Celt) which are conventionally supposed to be Iran (P & M) and Macedonia respectively. In Revelation 13:11 there is the 2 horned lamb-dragon (note lamb ~ ram, also goats and sheep closely linked in myth).

So Dhul-Qarnain could be (a) proto-historical Nimrod/Dionysos, (b) historical Alexander/Iran, and/or (c) prophetic/future/end-times.

I'd like to know more about what you said about Dhul-Qarnain assoc with El-Khadir....

[Admiral_HangTuah]

i heard about zulqarnain assoc with prophet kheidir as well,, anybody who knows... please explain.

regards

[Alvis Rofhessa]

Reading your post a thought just occured, maybe they are indirectly connected thru there being gardens (of Eden) in west (El-Khadir) and/or in east (Alexander the Grt/Dhul-Qarnain)?
My 1st thought was similar to Sheddad ben Ad and Luqman (or Hud?)
Also I see Michael Jordan says Khadir revered by Alexander the Grt.

[arthra]

Originally Posted by Admiral_HangTuah

i heard about zulqarnain assoc with prophet kheidir as well,, anybody who knows... please explain.

regards

OK this is pretty bizarre and a little weird to me but just now while I was reesponding to Postmaster about Saint George and Khizr this note also appeared:

"According to the commentator Husain, al-Khizr was a general in the army of Zul- Qarnain (Alexander the Great) while some legends maintain that he was Alexander's cook. Either way, the association of al-Khizr with Iskandar or Alexander the Great has persisted from pre-Islamic times and is amply testified over much of south, central, and western Asia. To this very day, encounters with al-Khidr by pious believers continue to occur, particularly at Khidr-gamam."

Source:

http://kataragama.org/islamic.htm

That Khizr could be Alexander's cook...well that sounds to me like someone maybe have smoked some potent Ghanj...a pipe dream maybe...

- Art

[inhumility]

Originally Posted by Admiral_HangTuah

They will ask thee of Zul-Qarnain. Say: I shall recite unto you a rememberance of him."

I would submit humbly that the account of Zul-Qarnain, a title, not a proper name does not match with Alexander of Macedonia, though he was a great conqueror. The medieval Islamic scholars were hardly research minded, they only copied what others had written and believed that blindly.
Mirza Mahmood Ahmad son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Masih & Mahdi a.s, had written a research article in his Tafseer-e-Kabir, an interpretation book of Quranic versed, quite a few pages in Urdu language, not yet translated in English.
To sum up, the Arabic root q-r-n has also the meaning of a century i.e. span of hundred years; thereby Qurnain would mean a period span of two hundred years. This means:

1. a great conqueror who had lived in two centuries hence called a conqueror of conspicuous two centuries
2. he received quite a bit revelation from God as is mentioned in Quran very clearly
3. he has a peculiar relation with the Jews, being their benefactor, releasing them from captivity of a cruel ruler and freeing them from him
4. he saved a people of his dynasty by erecting a wall of lead, steel, and concrete to protect them from invading warriors, as mentioned in Quran
5. He had a large dynasty spread over some parts of Africa, Middle East, Persia Central Asia and parts of India might be some parts of Europe.

All these signs fit on Cyrus the Great of Persia, whose account has also been mentioned in Bible.May be he was a prophet of God like David,a kind ruler as well.
Since Quran is not a book of stories, its Characters though real, have been generalized and used as prophecy for future, this is a characteristic and style of Quran. In that sense it has been referred to and title of Zul-Qarnain bestowed on Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in future, he lived in two centuries of most calendars in vogue in the world. Allah knows better
This is off the cuff.
If the members would be interested I would translate those pages from Urdu to English, may be that translation is not a standard translation, anyway the concept would be conveyed.
Thanks

[arthra]

O.K.that's two votes for Cyrus the Great King of the Medes and Persians. I suggested Cyrus in my post on August 4th.

I was also reading where Cyrus was an ancient exponent of multiculturalism and championed human rights:

http://www.farsinet.com/cyrus/

- Art

[inhumility]

I think it appropriate for the benefit of the members , that I provide hereuder the account of title Zul Qarnain from Quran.It is an interesting historical account:
The Holy Quran : Chapter 18:84-100 Al-Kahf
[18:84] And they ask thee concerning Dhu'l Qarnain. Say, 'I will recite to you something of his account.'
[18:85] We established him in the earth and gave him the means to achieve everything.
[18:86] The he followed a certain way.
[18:87] Until when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting as if in a pool of murky water, and near it he found a people. We said, 'O Dhu'l Qarnain, you may punish them, or treat them with kindness.'
[18:88] He said, 'As for him who does wrong, we shall certainly punish him; then shall he be brought back to his Lord, who will punish him with a dreadful punishment;
[18:89] 'But as for him who believes and act righteously, he will have a good reward with his Lord, and We too shall speak to him easy words of Our command.'
[18:90] Then indeed he followed another way.
[18:91] Until he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had made no shelter against it.
[18:92] Thus indeed it was. Verily, We had full knowledge of all that he had with him.
[18:93] Then he followed another way.
[18:94] Until when he reached the open place between the two mountain mountains, he found, beneath them a people who could scarcely understand a word of what he said.
[18:95] They said, 'O Dhu'l Qarnain, verily, Gog and Magog are creating disorder in the earth; shall we then pay tribute on condition that thou set up a barrier between us and them?'
[18:96] He replied, 'The power with which my Lord has endowed me about this is better than the resources of my enemies but you may help me with strength of labourers, I will set up a rampart between you and them;
[18:97] 'Bring me blocks of iron.' They did so till, when he had filled up the space between the two mountains sides, he said, 'Now blow with your bellows.' They blew till, when he had made it red as fire, he said, 'Bring me molten copper that I may pour it thereon.'
[18:98] So they (Gog and Magog) were not able to scale it, nor were they able to dig through it.
[18:99] Thereupon he said, 'This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord shall come to pass, He will break it into pieces. And the promise of my Lord is certainly true.'
[18:100] And on that day We shall leave some of them to surge against others, and the trumpet will be blown. Then shall We gather them all together.Unquote
Thanks