Gog Magog The (Dam) Barrier:

The (Dam) Barrier:

It was mentioned earlier that Dhul-Qarnain has built it out of iron and copper and elevated it to a very high point that is equal to the very lofty mountains.
However, there is no on earth an equal building in terms of loftiness or
benefiting to mankind. Imam Al-Bukhari transmitted in his Sahih the following Hadith saying: ((A man told the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that he had seen the dam (of Gog and Magog). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked: (How did you find it?' the man said: (I found it like Al-Burd Al-Muhabbar (stripped garments).' The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: (You have seen it like that. '"
In Ibn Jarir's exegesis of the Qur'an, a slight different narration was reported by Qatadah who said: ('I was told that a man said: (0 Allah's Messenger! I have seen the dam of Gog and Magog. 'The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: (describe it to me. The man said: 'It looked like stripped garments, with red and black stripes.' The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: 'You have seen it. '"
It was mentioned that the Caliph, Al-Wathiq sent some messengers with
messages to different kings to allow them travelling from one country to another till they reach the dam and stand on its reality. When they came back to the Caliph, they described it to him saying that it has a huge door with many locks.
It is a very high and tight building and that the remnants of its building materials and tools are kept there in a tower. Also, there are still guards keeping an eye on it. They added that its location is on the northern-east side of the earth. It was also said that their land is very spacious and that they live on farming and hunting and that their numbers are countless.
How can we compromise between the Qur'anic Verse that reads: {So they
(Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog)) could not scale it or dig through
it}. (Al-Kahf, 97) and the Prophetic Hadith that is transmitted by Imam Al-
Bukhari and Imam Muslim on the authority of Mother of the Believers, Zainab Bint Jahsh (May Allah be pleased with her) as saying: That the Prophet (Peace be upon him) once came to her in a state of fear and said: ('None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near. An opening has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this," making a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zainab Bint lahsh said: ('0 Allah's Messenger! Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us?" He said: "Yes, when the evil persons will increase." And in another narration: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Allah has made an opening in the wall of the Gog and Magog (people) like this, and he made with his hand (with the help of his fingers)." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The answer is that: this means one of two things: the first is that this is an
indication of the opening of gates of evil and turmoil and hence, this is a mere example set for us. The second view considers this as narrating a concretematter for His Statement, {So they (Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog)] could not scale it or dig through it}, i.e. at their time for the sentence is in the past tense, the matter which does not contradict the possibility of its taking place in the future with the Permission of Allah the Almighty. But, as for the other Hadith that is narrated by Imam Ahmed in his Musnad that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Verily, Gog and Magog dig through the dam every day, till they could see the sun rays (through it), their leader would say: 'Go back and you will finish it tomorrow. ' On the next day, they find it as strong as before. Till when their appointed term comes and Allah desires to send them against mankind, they dig it till they could see the sun rays (through it) and their
leader says: 'Go back and you will finish it tomorrow, if Allah wills!' On the next day, they find it as they had left the day before and they dig through it and come against mankind. They will drink (every drop of water they pass by). The people will resort to strongholds. And, Gog and Magog will throw their arrows towards the sky. When they come back to them stained with what looks like blood, they will say: 'we have defeated the people on earth and those in the heaven as well.’
Then, Allah the Almighty sends against them worms in their necks that kill them all. Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: 'By Whom in Whose Hand Muhammed's soul rests! Living creatures of the earth would go fat and be thankful due to eating their flesh and (drinking their) blood. ", Imam Ahmed transmitted it also on the authority of Hasan Ibn Musa after Sufyan after Qatadah. At-Tirmidhi transmitted the same Hadith on the authority of Abu, Awanah after Qatadah, then he said: it is a Strange Hadith that reached us from none but this Chain of Transmission.