Was Alexander the Great a Muslim?

[FEMTO]

Salaam,

About a couple of hours ago I had finished watching a documentary called, walking in the footsteps of Alexander the great. Anyway, one part that caught my attention is that supposedly Alexander the great is mentioned in the Quran. I decided to further check this up which I had no idea about. Anyway, I came across the following,

“According to the Quran (Surah 18:89-98) Alexander the Great was a devout Muslim and lived to a ripe old age. Historical records however show that Alexander the Great died young at 33 years of age (356 - 323 B.C.), and believed he himself was divine, forcing others to recognize him as such. In India on the Hyphasis River (now Beas) Alexander erected twelve altars to twelve Olympian gods.”

Could some please explain this in more detail whether this is truth or what?

[Omar HH]

Shaykh Abu Qanit al-Hassani told me:

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Powerful

Assalamu `Alaykum.

Dear Honest Student,

Sidi, you wrote:

> I thought Alexander the Great was a Prophet named Dhul Qurnayn? Thats
> what I was taught.

Another fact which you you should be aware of that it is agreed upon
by authentic scholars that all prophets from the time of Musa to `Isa
were raised in the Bani Isra'il. No other nation (e.g., the greeks)
had any prophet during this time.

To place Musa historically, know that the Exodus took place
approximately
1640 years before the common era.

From this you can see that neither Alexander the Great nor Socrates
could have been a prophet according to the vast majority of traditional
scholars - who base this view on primary text excerpts which state that
all prophets were in the Bani Israel between Musa and `Isa and this
is the meaning of verses in the Qur'an which state that Allah favored
the Bani Isra'il over other peoples (of that time).

Isra'il if you don't know is another name for Ya`qub ibn Ishaq ibn
Ibrahim.

And,

Sidi, you wrote:

> I thought Alexander the Great was a Prophet named Dhul Qurnayn? Thats
> what I was taught.

You are wrong. What you learned was first proposed by the
famous Qur'an translator Yusuf `Ali in his explanatory footnotes.

This was his own opinion which he proposed from conjecture.

Dhul Qarnayn mentioned in the Qur'an does not match either the
time frame nor the journey path used by Alexander the Great.

In the related subject, Yusuf Ali also errored in his footnotes
in mis-identifying the gate of Gog and Magog (which was built
by Dhul Qarnayn many, many generations before Alexander was born).
And his stating that Ya'juj and Ma'juj had already broken free
from this gate is also an error which does not correspond to
Qur'an Nass nor to authentic hadith reports about this matter, which
place the emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj shortly after `Isa kills
Dajjal. And the exact method of their emergence is also mentioned
in the Qur'an surah Anbiya', verse 96 - wa hum min kulli hadabin
yansilun. "and they shall proceed out of every hill."

This points to the fact actually that they ar a subterranean kingdom
of giant warriors.

Reference(s):
See Encyclopedia Entry for Alexander the Great to learn that
he was a student of Aristotle.

And,

> "To place Musa historically, know that the Exodus took place
> approximately
> 1640 years before the common era."
>
> So this means Gautama Buddha or Lao Tzu could not have been Prophets
> right. I have seen this in many American Islamic books (before I got
> into Traditional Islam). They said that they could have been prophets
> who taught the Chinese and Indians.
>

No. None of these people were prophets. When studying these
issues with our completed aqidah student Harun al-Bostanian, we
concluded that these people were trying to revive some remnants
of some ancient teachings of an ancient prophet


> If all the Prophets were Bani Isra'il then the Bani Isra'il went to
> India and China? Because Allah (SWT) sent Prophets to every people.
Or
> where the Prophets to India and China (and North America and South
> Africa and Europe) sent before 1640 BCE and after 33 AD?

Ignorance is widespread today. You should know that Bani Isra'il
also had a Golden Age in which they had a "global" kingdom
which culminated in the age of Prophet Sulayman. What do you think
Allah meant when He stated that the "winds were at Sulayman's command"?

Thus, they had representives all over the world. So, much so that
the rare lost book of Enoch even describes North America as
being divided by a large river (a.k.a. the Mississippi). Also many
of Sulayman's mine colonies were in South America - as Hebrew artifacts
have been found and evidence of gold and silver mining exists still.

As a last item, please note that the Prophet (May Allah bless him
and give him peace) stated in an authentic hadith in Abu Dawud
concerning `Isa that "laysa bayni wa baynahu nabiyy", which means
that *no* prophets came from the time Isa was raised up to the heavens
until the Prophet Muhammad turned forty. Thus, the conclusion is
that when the Qur'an says "wa in min ummatin illa kha fiha nadhir"
[35:24], it is referring to before the dispatchment of Musa `alayhi
s-salam.

Jazakallahu Khayrun

[ahsanirfan]

Salaam,

About a couple of hours ago I had finished watching a documentary called, walking in the footsteps of Alexander the great. Anyway, one part that caught my attention is that supposedly Alexander the great is mentioned in the Quran. I decided to further check this up which I had no idea about. Anyway, I came across the following,

“According to the Quran (Surah 18:89-98) Alexander the Great was a devout Muslim and lived to a ripe old age. Historical records however show that Alexander the Great died young at 33 years of age (356 - 323 B.C.), and believed he himself was divine, forcing others to recognize him as such. In India on the Hyphasis River (now Beas) Alexander erected twelve altars to twelve Olympian gods.”

Could some please explain this in more detail whether this is truth or what?

Salam o alaikum

Alexander could be a Muslim. In this regard, I must mention a couple of points:

1) The documentary is making a sweeping assertion. No one belives Alexander the Great is a Muslim. It's simply a possibility.

2) The personality mentioned in the Quran is Sayyiduna Dhul Qarnain (a.s.). This is the one who is commonly thought of as being Alexander.

As for why exactly is Dhul Qarnain thought of being Alexander, we would first have to look at the the Ayahs that mention him. These Ayahs appear at the end of Surah Kahf, after Ayah no. 83. One reading will tell you the story of Sayyiduna Hazrat Dhul Qarnain. Contrasting this story to the story of Alexander the Great will give you great similarities. However, there are some important differences as well, for example, his Greek pagan inclinations, and his age. Historians usually screw up history. So we can never know for sure whether Alexander was really Dhul Qarnain or not.

The first person to draw such a parallel between the two stories was Abdullah Yusuf Ali. You might want to check out his tafseer for that. However, his tafseer is not regarding as authentic, and so we should remain carefull of it.

Wallahu Ta'ala 'Alam

[FEMTO]

Salam o alaikum

1) The documentary is making a sweeping assertion. No one belives Alexander the Great is a Muslim. It's simply a possibility.

But shouldn’t this possibility be rejected especially when Alexander was known to be a pagan and a bisexual.

[abdul518ca]

Sh. Abdul Hakim Muarad [db] said that "if the historical accounts about Alexander the Great are correct, then Alexander was not a Muslim."

But as Ahsan said, some similarities between Sayyidina Duhul Qurnayn and Alexander are somewhat astonishing.

For example, Ayah 86 of Surah Kahf says, "... until he reached the setting-place of the sun, and found a people around it...," this might be referring to Lake Ohrid in Macedonia, which happens to be the most Westerly point in Alexander's dominion.

Ayah 93 says "... he reached [a tract] between the two mountains, and found beneath them a people who scarcely understood a word." This is when Hadhrat Dhul Qurnayn [ra] was asked to build a barrier which would seal the gap between these two mountians, and stop the Ya'juj and Ma'juj from carrying out raids. This might be referring to the Iron Gates near Bukhara (Imam Bukhari's birthplace), which stood between Transoxiana and Mongolia.

[Omar HH]

But as Ahsan said, some similarities between Sayyidina Duhul Qurnayn and Alexander are somewhat astonishing.

For example, Ayah 86 of Surah Kahf says, "... until he reached the setting-place of the sun, and found a people around it...," this might be referring to Lake Ohrid in Macedonia, which happens to be the most Westerly point in Alexander's dominion.

Ayah 93 says "... he reached [a tract] between the two mountains, and found beneath them a people who scarcely understood a word." This is when Hadhrat Dhul Qurnayn [ra] was asked to build a barrier which would seal the gap between these two mountians, and stop the Ya'juj and Ma'juj from carrying out raids. This might be referring to the Iron Gates near Bukhara (Imam Bukhari's birthplace), which stood between Transoxiana and Mongolia.

Argue what you will about Alexander the Great being Muslim or not, but Alexander the Great was NOT Dhul Qarnayn.

Jazakallahu Khayrun

[abdul518ca]

^I ought to have used better words, my bad. I just checked it in the book again, Sh. Abdul Hakim Murad had actually said "... if the historical accounts are true, then Alexander the Great was not Dhul Qurnayn."

Anyway, a debate on this is really not necessary.

[ahl-e-bayt]

Shaykh Abu Qanit al-Hassani told me:



And,



And,



Jazakallahu Khayrun

salam ... ohossino i never heard about jewish colonies in south america at the time of sulayman r.a. Do you know where the sheikh got this piece of information? I tried looking for it but couldnt find it.

jazakallah

[IlyasLahoz]

Was Alexander the Great a Muslim?

Yes I am

[Idrees]

This is what i found on http://uk.geocities.com/muslimkingdom/islam.html

AND they ask you about Dhu-l-qarnain. Say: ''I shall recite to you something of his story.'' Verily, We established him on the earth, and gave him the means of everything. (S18 A83/4)

The kufars (non believers) of mecca asked the Ahel'e Kithab (Jews and Christians), that tell us such questions which Prophet Sall-Allahu-alaihi-wa-allam can not answer. One of these questions was concerning Dhu-l-qarnain (Alexander). The Prophet of Allah (swt) was given the answer through wahy (The revelation of Allah to his Prophets). The Holy Qur'aan mentions this event in some considerable detail.

The real identity of Dhu-l-qarnain has always been an unsure, doubtful and argumentative debate amongst the scholars. The Qur’aan has not mentioned much about the real identity of Dhu-l-qarnain and Ahadeth has also kept quiet about this issue. Most of the scholars have written that, Dhu-l-qarnain which is mentioned in Qur’aan is Alexander of Macedonia this was first mentioned by Muhammad bin Ishac, he was a widely accepted author in 12th century. Because of this very reason people were put in to misunderstanding by his publications.

There is another reason for Alexander of Macedonia to be Dhu-l-qarnain. In Arabian tradition Kings with vast empire were commonly known as Dhu-l-qarnain, in Yemen and Persia some kings were known to be Dhu-l-qarnain.

Dhu-l-qarnain literately means ''Two horn one'' but in Arabic literature it also means time and era. If there was a king with vast empire which was spread from east to west and if he ruled over this land for a long time, he will too, be known as Dhu-l-qarnain.

It is disappointing that most of the scholars did not even have the urge to do more deep research but took Muhammad bin Ishac’s statement as there last, despite of this important historic fact we should at least remember that the Qur’aan has mentioned the qualities, character and life of Dhu-l-qarnain.

The Qur`aan makes it clear and evident that Dhu-l-qarnain was a very pious, fair and kind king and there is no doubt in him being a Muslim and having a belief in monotheism (one God) but on the other hand Alexander of Macedonia (birth 356 BC 20 July) being a barbaric, violent and a polytheistic king. Alexandra also believed that he was in some sense ‘son of God’.

Here just a few statements regarding Alexander of Macedonia;
There is a very well known event, on his return to Macedonia he reached the city of Susa, when it was clear that he will not make it back due to his illness he sent a weird letter to the cities of the Greek league, announcing he wished to be recognised as a god.

(In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great, by Michael Wood, page 76 & 218)

Allama Bustani has mentioned him as;

''...he was a proud and arrogant king, who gave orders to Greek and other people under him to prostrate in front of him and made them say that he was there lord...''

(Da'ier-ul-Marif Bustany vol. 2 PG. 547)

Imam Bukhari has mentioned in 'Ahadith-ul-Anbia', Dhu-l-qarnain event before Hadrat Ibrahim (AS). Famous Hadith spe******t Hafiz bin Hajer Usqulani has written in his commentary of Bukhari;

''.....the reason why Imam Bukhari has mentioned Dhu-l-qarnain's event before Hadrat Ibrahim (AS) is so that people can contradict that Alexander of Macedonia being Dhu-l-qarnain.."...''

(Fath'ul Bari vol. 2 PG. 294)

This is not all, but Hafiz bin Hajer Usqulani has given more proof and detail from which we clearly understand that Alexander of Macedonia can not be Dhu-l-qarnain.

Hafiz bin Kathir has mentioned in his famous book 'Albda'ia-w-nahaia'

''...there is approximately 2000 year gap between Alexander of Macedonia and Dhu-l-qarnain. One of these is a Macedonian and the other Arabic saami and there is considerable amount of difference in both of these so if some one believes them as one person he is ignorant and far from facts....''

(Albda'ia-wa-nahaia. vol.1pg.106)

Imam Razi has given Alexander of Macedonia the title of Dhu-l-qarnain, BUT even he believes that Dhu-l-qarnain was a prophet and a pious person but Alexander of Macedonia was a non believer and he learned the teachings of Aristotle a Greek philosopher and also obeyed his orders.

Most scholars account is that Dhu-l-qarnain was of an Arab origin and a descendent of Saam bin Nuh (Saam the son of Prophet Nuh) and lived in the time of prophet Ibrahim (AS).