people <strong>of</strong> Paradise." We shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" He fur<strong>the</strong>r said, "You (Muslims)(compared with non Muslims) are like a black hair in <strong>the</strong> skin <strong>of</strong> a white ox or likea white hair in <strong>the</strong> skin <strong>of</strong> a black ox (i.e. your number is very small as comparedwith <strong>the</strong>irs)." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)This Hadith denotes <strong>the</strong> numerousness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir numbers and that <strong>the</strong>y are ahundred-fold <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> all mankind. Moreover, <strong>the</strong>y are from among <strong>the</strong><strong>of</strong>fspring <strong>of</strong> Nuh (Noah (Peace be upon him)) in particular for Allah <strong>the</strong> Almightyinforms us in His Glorious <strong>Qur</strong>'an that Nuh (Peace be upon him) invoked Himagainst <strong>the</strong> people <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earth saying: {And Nuh (Noah) said: "My Lord!Leave not one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> disbelievers on <strong>the</strong> earth!} (Nuh, 26) And, Allah <strong>the</strong>Almighty Himself says: {Then We saved him and those with him in <strong>the</strong>ship}. (Al-'Ankabut, 15) And, {And, his progeny, <strong>the</strong>m We made <strong>the</strong>survivors}. (As-Saffat, 77) This is in addition to <strong>the</strong> Hadith transmitted in ImamAhmed's Musnad and <strong>the</strong> Sunan <strong>of</strong> Abu Dawud that mentioned: that <strong>the</strong>re werethree sons born to Nuh (Peace be upon him): Shell, Ham and Japheth. Shemwas <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Arabs; Ham was <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sudan; and Japheth was<strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Turk. 7 Moreover, Gog and Magog are just a part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Turkfrom among <strong>the</strong> Mangols who were stronger and spread mischief in <strong>the</strong> land.Some people claimed that Gog and Magog were created out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> semen <strong>of</strong>Adam (Peace be upon him) that mixed with <strong>the</strong> earth and thus <strong>the</strong>y were notfrom Eve. But, this claim -which was held by Sheik Abu Zakariya An-Nawawi inhis explanation <strong>of</strong> Sahih Muslim and by o<strong>the</strong>r scholars who declared it to beweak and strange -is too weak. As, <strong>the</strong>re is not any pro<strong>of</strong> on this and moreover,it contradicts <strong>the</strong> obvious text <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Glorious <strong>Qur</strong>'an -mentioned earlier -that allmankind <strong>of</strong> today are from <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fspring <strong>of</strong> Nuh (Peace be upon him). Inaddition, some people claimed that <strong>the</strong>y (Gog and Magog) are <strong>of</strong> differentshapes and figures: some are as tall as palm-trees, some are too short, andsome take one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ears as a bed and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r as a cover or blanket.However, all <strong>the</strong>se claims are groundless and cannot stand <strong>the</strong> slightestrefutation. But, <strong>the</strong> correct view is that: <strong>the</strong>y are from among <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong>Adam (Peace be upon him) and that <strong>the</strong>y bear <strong>the</strong> same qualities and shapes.Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Allah created Adam, making him 60cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, "Go and greet that group <strong>of</strong>angels, and listen to <strong>the</strong>ir reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and <strong>the</strong>greeting (salutations <strong>of</strong> your <strong>of</strong>fspring. " So, Adam said (to <strong>the</strong> angels), As-Salamu 'Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, "As-Salamu' Alaikawa Rahmatu-l-lahi" (i. e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus <strong>the</strong> angelsadded to Adam's salutation <strong>the</strong> expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lah.' Any person whowill enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People havebeen decreasing in stature since Adam's creation." This Hadith blocks <strong>the</strong> waybefore those who falsely claim things that are groundless.7 The ‘Turk’ here does not mean those <strong>of</strong> Turkey. (Translator)www.islambasics.com
A Very Important Question:If it is said: How does <strong>the</strong> previously-mentioned Hadith -that was agreed upon -denote that <strong>the</strong>y will be treated as ransom for <strong>the</strong> Believers on <strong>the</strong> Day <strong>of</strong>Resurrection and that <strong>the</strong>y will enter Hellfire, while no Messengers were sent to<strong>the</strong>m and Allah <strong>the</strong> Almighty says: {And We never punish until We havesent a Messenger (to give warning)} (Al-Isra', 15)?The answer is that: They will never be punished until <strong>the</strong>y are givenwarning. Thereupon, if <strong>the</strong>y were existing before <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> Prophet Muhammad(Peace be upon him) and Messengers were sent to <strong>the</strong>m, thus, <strong>the</strong>y were givenwarning. And, if no Messengers were sent to <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>y would be treated as"People <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fitrah" and those to whom <strong>the</strong> Message <strong>of</strong> <strong>Islam</strong> did not reach orbe conveyed. However, it is indicated by <strong>the</strong> Hadith transmitted by some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Companions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Prophet (Peace be upon him) that he said: "Those and <strong>the</strong>like will be tested on <strong>the</strong> pathways <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Resurrection: and whoever responds to<strong>the</strong> caller, he will enter Paradise. And, whoever refuses, he will enter <strong>the</strong> Fire."However, testing <strong>the</strong>m nei<strong>the</strong>r necessitates <strong>the</strong>ir salvation, nor contradicts with<strong>the</strong> saying that <strong>the</strong>y will enter Hell-fire. For Allah <strong>the</strong> Almighty reveals to HisProphet (Peace be upon him) what He wills <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Unseen, and hence, Heinformed him that <strong>the</strong>y will be from among <strong>the</strong> people <strong>of</strong> Hell and that <strong>the</strong>irnature denies <strong>the</strong> truth and submission <strong>the</strong>reto, as <strong>the</strong>y do not respond to <strong>the</strong>caller till <strong>the</strong> Day <strong>of</strong> Judgment. This indicates that, <strong>the</strong>y would be more stubbornin rejecting <strong>the</strong> truth if <strong>the</strong>y were to come to know it in this present life. In <strong>the</strong>pathways <strong>of</strong> Resurrection, some <strong>of</strong> those who used to belie <strong>the</strong> truth in <strong>the</strong>present life will submit <strong>the</strong>mselves to <strong>the</strong> truth. Almighty Allah says: {And ifyou only could see when <strong>the</strong> Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers,poly<strong>the</strong>ists, sinners) shall hang <strong>the</strong>ir heads before <strong>the</strong>ir Lord (saying):"Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back (to <strong>the</strong>world), that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily! We now believewith certainty "}. (As-Sajdah, 12) However, <strong>the</strong> Prophetic Hadith indicatingthat <strong>the</strong> Prophet (Peace be upon him) invited <strong>the</strong>m on <strong>the</strong> Night Journey toembrace <strong>Islam</strong> and <strong>the</strong>y refused, this Hadith is an invented and fabricated one.The one who fabricated it was <strong>the</strong> liar, `Amr Ibn As-Subh.The (Dam) Barrier:It was mentioned earlier that Dhul-Qarnain has built it out <strong>of</strong> iron and copperand elevated it to a very high point that is equal to <strong>the</strong> very l<strong>of</strong>ty mountains.However, <strong>the</strong>re is no on earth an equal building in terms <strong>of</strong> l<strong>of</strong>tiness orbenefiting to mankind. Imam Al-Bukhari transmitted in his Sahih <strong>the</strong> followingHadith saying: ((A man told <strong>the</strong> Prophet (Peace be upon him) that he had seen<strong>the</strong> dam (<strong>of</strong> Gog and Magog). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked: (How didyou find it?' <strong>the</strong> man said: (I found it like Al-Burd Al-Muhabbar (strippedgarments).' The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: (You have seen it like that. '"www.islambasics.com
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StoriesOfThe QuranBy: Ibn KatheerTr
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Translator's NoteAll praise and tha
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Publisher's NoteAll Praise is due t
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In the Name ofAllah, Most Gracious,
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me along with your previous sins. 1
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whom was mentioned second was the w
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Allah the Almighty says:In the Name
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Sulaiman's dearest and most preciou
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Prophet, by Allah, he was nothing b
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