We hoped their Lord would give them a substitute better than him in virtue and goodness.

As for that wall, it belonged to two orphan boys of the city, and their treasure was buried under it. Their father was an upright man. So your Lord willed that on reaching the age of maturity they should dig out their treasure as a favour from their Lord. So, I did not do that of my own accord. This is the explanation of things you could not bear with patience."

They ask you about Dhu´l-Qarnain.

Say: "I will cite before you his commemoration." We gave him authority in the land and means of accomplishing every end.

So he followed a certain road

Till he reached the point of the setting sun, and saw it set behind a muddy lake, and near it found a people. We said: "O Dhu´l-Qarnain, you may either punish them or treat them with kindness."

He said: "I shall punish whosoever is wicked. He will then be sent back to his Lord who will inflict on him a terrible punishment.

But he who believes and does the right will have an excellent reward, and we shall make things easy for him."

He then followed (another) road

Till he reached the point of the rising sun, and saw it rise over a people for whom We had provided no shelter against it.

It was so, for We were fully informed about him.

He then followed (another) road

Till he reached a place between two mountains, and found this side of it a people who understood but little of what was spoken.

They said: ´O Dhu´l-Qarnain, Gog and Magog are oppressing the land. May we pay you some tribute so that you could build a rampart between us and them?"

He said: "The ability my Lord has given me is better. So help me with your manual labour; I will build a wall between you and them.

Bring me ingots of iron," (which they did) until the space between two mountain sides was filled up. "Blow your bellows," he said; (and they blew) until it was red hot. "Bring me molten brass," he said, "that I may pour over it."

Thus (Gog and Magog) could neither climb over it nor dig a hole through (the rampart).

"This is the benevolence of my Lord," he said; "but when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will reduce it to a mound of dust; and the promise of my Lord is true."

We shall leave them on that day surging like waves pressing one against the other, and the trumpet blast will be sounded, when We shall gather them all together.

Then We shall bring Hell right before the infidels

Whose eyes were veiled against My warning, and they could not hear.

Do the unbelievers think they can make My own creatures their protectors against Me? We have prepared Hell for the hospitality of infidels.

Say: "Shall I tell you whose labour will be wasted?

Theirs whose effort is misspent in pursuit of the pleasures of the world, even though they think they are doing good things."

They are those who reject the signs of their Lord, and the meeting with Him. So their good deeds will be fruitless, and on the Day of Judgement We shall not appoint any weighing for them.

Their requital will be Hell, because they disbelieved and mocked My signs and messengers.

But surely those who believe and do the right will have gardens of Paradise as gift,

Where they will abide for ever, never wanting a change.

Say: "If the ocean turned to ink for writing down the colloquy of my Lord, the ocean itself would be exhausted ere the words (and wonders) of my Lord come to end, even if we brought another like it for replenishment."

Say: "I am only a man like you, but it has been communicated to me that your Lord is one and single God, and that whosoever hopes to meet his Lord should do what is right, and not associate any one in the worship of his Lord."