بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Allah tells us that Dhul Qarnain was hired by a group of people to help them against a couple of warmongering tribes called Gog and Magog (Yajuj wa Majuj). The Qur’an even gives us some very specific details about the construction of this wall:
“Bring me sheets of iron – until, when he had levelled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, “Blow [with bellows],” until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, “Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper.” [18:96]
Just stop a minute and think. Have you ever wondered why this much detail was given to us in the Qur’an? Allah could have just said “Dhul Qarnain built a wall and it kept Gog and Magog out” and that would have been enough for most of us.
We all know that iron is one of the strongest metals on the planet but despite its strength, iron rusts when exposed to water.
Copper on the other hand, is a softer metal, and an excellent conductor of electricity but the most amazing thing about copper is that it does not rust when exposed to water.
Another thing about copper is that it produces a green, protective layer after long exposure to oxygen (oxidisation). The Statue of Liberty in New York City is made of copper. It used to be the reddish colour we all associate with copper but it turned green after a few years of being out in the open.
So Dhul Qarnain built his wall using iron blocks, heated them up until they became one solid wall, and then poured molten copper over it to keep it from rusting. After a few years, the copper exterior turned green and blended in with the natural colour of the earth, making it nearly impossible to find nowadays.
The building of such a perfectly powerful structure was described in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. Subhan’Allah.
Allah knows best.