[Q 209] Understanding Gog and Magog in Islamic Eschatology

Question

What is yajuj majuj? I heard they come on the day of judgement but what exactly is it?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Gog and Magog (Yajuj and Majuj) are from the offspring of Yāfith bin Nūh (علیہ السلام).

King Dhul-Qarnayn (may Allah have mercy on him) blocked their path between two mountains with a wall of lead, which is mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf (verses 94 to 98) of the Holy Quran.

Close to the Day of judgement, when Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) will have come, that wall will be broken and this cruel nation will spread in the world, no one will be able to compete with them, this nation will drink all the water and eat all the vegetation.

They will be occupied in these activities, at that time Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) will supplicate with his companions, with the blessing of this prayer, Allah Almighty will create a kind of worms in their necks that at once they cause them all to die. Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) will supplicate again, then Allah Almighty will send a kind of bird that will throw their bodies wherever Allah wills.

It is stated in Tafsīr Rūh ul bayān:

يأجوج ومأجوج……..من أولاد يافث بن نوح ….. مفسدون في الأرض….. بالقتل والتخريب وإتلاف الزروع وكانوا يخرجون أيام الربيع فلا يتركون أخضر إلا أكلوه ولا يابسا إلا احتملوه وربما أكلوا الناس إذا لم يجدوا شيأ من الأنعام ونحوها وكان لا يموت أحد منهم حتى ينظر ألف ذكر من صلبه كلهم قد حمل السلاح…. ويأكلون الحشرات والحيات والعقارب.

(Tafsir Ruh al-Bayan, vol.5, p.298, published by Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

It is stated in Bahār e Shariat: After the Muslims go to the mountain of Tur, Gog and Magog will appear…. When they get a break from the riots and killings in the world, they will say that we have killed the people of the earth, come now to the sky and kill those in the sky.

They will be occupied in their own activities and there on the mountain, Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) will pray with his companions, Allah Almighty will create a kind of worms in their necks that at once will die, after their death Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) will come down from the mountain, he will see that the whole earth is full of their corpses and their stench, not even one hand span of earth will be left empty.

At that time, Prophet Isa (علیہ السلام) will pray again with his companions, Allah Almighty will send a kind of birds that will throw their bodies wherever Allah wants.

(Bahār e Shariat، Vol 1, Page 126,127)

Answered by: Tabaruk Madani (Askmufti Scholar)

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated by: Usman Bashir Attari