Page 38 - Beauties for Life in the Qur'an

36 BEAUTIES FOR LIFE IN THE QUR'AN

profound hatred for religion. As the verses inform us, Allah
willed them to remain in a deep sleep for many years. From
these verses, we understand that during these long years they
kept a dog at the cave's entrance to ensure their security.

Bringing Everlasting and Substantial Solutions
They said: "Dhu'l-Qarnayn! Yajuj and Majuj are causing corrup-
tion in the land. Can we, therefore, pay tribute to you in return
for your constructing a barrier between us and them?" He
replied: "The power that my Lord has granted me is better than
that. Just give me a strong helping hand, and I will build a solid
barrier between you and them. Bring me ingots of iron." Then,
when he had made it level between the two high mountain-
sides, he said: "Blow!" When he had made it a red-hot fire, he
said: "Bring me molten brass to pour over it." They were, there-
fore, unable to climb over it or to make a breach in it. (Surat al-
Kahf: 94-97)
The lesson here is self-explanatory: Rather than devising im-
potent and weak precautions, Dhu'l-Qarnayn employed the
highest technology of his time, from the material to the con-
struction methods, to build an insurmountable barrier so that
the community's security would be restored. As a second pre-
caution, he further strengthened the barrier by having molten
brass poured over it.
This is the level of precaution that the Qur'an provides to be-
lievers. In light of these recommendations, any undesirable sit-
uation or adversity, be it minor or major, is prevented due to the
believers' ability to devise workable, substantial, and irre-
versible solutions and projects.