Who Are Yajuj And Majuj?

Praise be to Allah.

Who Are Yajuj and Majuj? While there may be some inkling of a metaphysical reality within the story, like another dimension or something more profound. There is no doubt that Yajuj and Majuj are two huge nations of the sons of Adam. Anyone who reads the story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn and how he dealt with this nation in Surat al-Kahf will know for sure that they exist and that the barrier which was built is not metaphorical or imaginary, but is a physical barrier built of iron and melted copper. 

The basic principle is that we should take this Quranic text as it is, without resorting to any kind of misinterpretation or trying to twist the intended meaning.

Wall of Dhu’l-Qarnayn: Real or imaginary?

The Quran has told us how the barrier was built and what materials were used, so it is not right to say that it is a metaphorical or imaginary barrier. In Surat al-Kahf, Allah has told us the story of the Muslim king and the great leader Dhu’l-Qarnayn (may Allah have mercy on him):

“Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them, a people who scarcely understood a word.

They said, ‘O Dhu’l-Qarnayn! Verily! Yajuj and Majuj are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?’

He said: ‘That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier.

Hadiths about Yajuj and Majuj 

What indicates that these nations exist at present, and indeed are attempting on a daily basis to get out and attack people, is the hadith reported by Ibn Majah with a sahih isnad from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that Yajuj and Majuj are digging every day until they can almost see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them says, “Go back, we will dig again tomorrow.” Then Allah restores (the barrier) and makes it stronger than it was. (This will continue) until the appointed time. When Allah wishes to send them against the people, they will dig until they can almost see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them will say, “Go back, we will dig again tomorrow, in sha Allah.” This time he will say “in sha Allah”, so when they come back (the next day), they will find it as they left it, so they will dig their way out and emerge to attack the people. They will dry up water (by drinking it, because of their great numbers), and the people will seek to protect themselves from them in their fortresses. They will fire their arrows into the sky, and the arrows will come back down covered in blood (as a test for them), and they will say, “We have defeated the people of the earth and have gained the upper hand over the people of heaven.” Then Allah will send worms on the napes of their necks, which will kill them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the beasts of the earth will grow fat from their flesh.” (Sahih Ibn Majah, 3298)

Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan reported from Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered upon her in an agitated state and said, “La ilaha ill-Allah, woe to the Arabs from an evil that has approached! Today a hole like this has been opened in the barrier of Yajuj and Majuj ,” and he made a circle with his thumb and forefinger. Zaynab bint Jahsh said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, will we be destroyed even though there are righteous people among us?’ He said, ‘Yes, if evil becomes overwhelming.’” (Reported by al-Bukhari, 3097).

Their Appearance Is Among The Last Signs

Muslim scholars have different views concerning the order of the signs of the Judgement Day because no such order of events is narrated in the Sunnah. For more, see the detailed answer.

Order of the Signs of the Judgement Day 

With regard to the order in which the portents of the Hour will appear, there is some difference of opinion among the scholars, the reason being that no such order of events is narrated in the Sunnah. However the scholars have determined the order of some of the events, as follows:

Appearance of the minor signs of the Hour 

1 – The appearance of the minor portents of the Hour, of which there are many which will not appear in any specific order. These include: 

1. the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his death; 
2. the plague of ‘Amwas; 
3. the appearance of tribulations;
4. the loss of honesty; 
5. the disappearance of knowledge; 
6. the spread of riba, 
7. musical instruments and alcohol; regarding these things as permissible; 
8. competition in erecting tall buildings; 
9. a great deal of killing; 
10. time passing more quickly; 
11. adornment of the mosques; 
12. prevalence of shirk; 
13. the spread of immorality; 
14. a great deal of stinginess; 
15. many earthquakes; 
16. landslides, 
17. transformations and pelting with stones from the heavens; 
18. disappearance of righteous people; 
19. believers’ dreams coming true; 
20. neglect of the Sunnah; 
21. a great deal of lying; 
22. a great deal of false testimony; 
23. a great deal of sudden death; 
24. a great deal of rain but little growth of vegetation; 
25. wishing for death; 
26. increase in numbers of the “Romans” and fighting them; 
27. and other signs which are narrated in sahih ahadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 

Appearance of al-Mahdi

2 – The appearance of the Mahdi , who will appear before the Dajjal and before the descent of ‘Isa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). This is indicated by the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “ ‘Isa ibn Maryam will come down and their leader the Mahdi will say to him: ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ But he will say: ‘No, one of them should lead the others in prayer, as a sign of honour from Allah to this ummah.’: Narrated by al-Harith ibn Abi Usamah in his Musnad. 

And Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Manar al-Munif (1/147): its isnad is jayyid. The hadeeth is narrated with a mawsul isnad in Sahih Muslim, without naming their leader. Muslim’s report says: “… ‘And ‘Isa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will come down and their leader will say to him: ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ But he will say: ‘No, one of them should lead the others in prayer, as a sign of honour from Allah to this ummah.’” Narrated by Muslim, 225. 

So ‘Isa (peace be upon him) will follow the Mahdi in prayer, which indicates that the Mahdi will appear before ‘Isa, and ‘Isa will kill the Dajjal, which indicates that the Dajjal will appear during the time of the Mahdi. 

Appearance of al-Dajjal

3 – The appearance of the Dajjal – a man created by Allaah, who will appear at the end of time because of something that makes Allaah angry. He will spread corruption on earth and will claim divinity, calling on people to worship him. They will be tested by the extraordinary powers that Allaah will grant him, such as causing rain to fall, reviving the earth with vegetation and extracting the treasures of the earth. He will be a young man with a ruddy complexion, short of stature, with curly hair. He will be one-eyed; his right eye will be flat and his other eye will have a thick piece of flesh over it. Written between his eyes will be the word “Kaafir” (disbeliever). Most of those who follow him will be Jews. He will meet his end at the hands of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary) who will kill him with a spear in Lod, which is in Palestine.

The descent of Jesus

4 – The descent of ‘Isa ibn Maryam and his killing the Dajjal. 

5 – The appearance of Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog). One indication that Yajuj and Majuj will emerge at the time of ‘Isa (peace be upon him) is the hadith of al-Nawwas ibn Sam’an, which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told them about the Dajjal, and said: “Whilst he is like that, Allah will reveal to ‘Isa: ‘I have released slaves of Mine whom no one will be able to fight. Take My slaves to safety in al-Tur (Sinai),’ and Allah will send Yajuj and Majuj , who will come swarming down from every mound. The first of them will pass by Lake Tiberias and will drink the water in it, and the last of them will pass by it and will say, ‘There was water here once.’” Narrated by Sunan Ibn Majah 4075.  

Then the signs will come quickly, one after another. According to a hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The signs will come one after another, like beads falling from a string”. Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami’. Then the sun will rise from the west, the Beast will emerge, and there will be landslides and other major signs.  We ask Allah to make us steadfast unto death.

And Allah knows best.