Dhul Qarnain Using Copper To Construct His Wall
In Chapter 18 (Surah Al-Kahf) Allah tells us the story of Dhul Qarnain. He was an ancient ruler that some have hypothesized to be either Alexander the Great or Cyros the Great.
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 Quran even gives us some very specific details about the construction of this wall:
Bring me sheets of iron” – until, when he had leveled (them) between the two mountain walls, he said, “Blow,” until when he had made it (like) fire, he said, “Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper.”
Chapter 18 Verse 96
Just stop a minute and think. Have you ever wondered why this much detail was given to us in the Quran? 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.
Well, when I decided to look further into the properties of iron and copper, I learned some interesting things.
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 relatively soft metal, and an excellent conductor of electricity. But the most amazing thing about copper is that it does not rust when exposed to water! In fact, the British Navy used to coat the bottom of their ships with copper.
Another thing about copper is that it produces a green, protective layer after long exposure to oxygen (oxidization). The famous Statue of Liberty in New York City is made of copper. It used to be the reddish color 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 color of the earth, making it nearly impossible to find nowadays.
I don’t know about you, but I find it amazing that the building of such a perfectly powerful structure was described in the Quran.
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