Salam,
The advent of Gog and Magog is mentioned in the Quran as a sign of nearness of the end of the world. Though Quran mentions about Gog and Magog at couple of places, it does not provide more details regarding Gog and Magog. I would like to share some of my thoughts regarding the possibility of Gog and Magog may be referring to some sort of a dreadful disease like Swine Flu. I do not want to claim this as a finding or as an infallible truth. May be I am right, may be I am wrong. I am willing to accept any other opinioin if anyone can come forward with more logical explanation.
Gog and Mgog are mentioned in the Quran twice, in connection with end of days. First let us read those verses. I will use Yousuf Ali’s translation, but please refer to others translations as well. Yousuf Ali is mentioning Gog and Magog as “people”, but I will present a different understanding.
“Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill” Then will the true promise draw nigh (of fulfillment): then behold! the eyes of the Unbelievers will fixedly stare in horror: "Ah! Woe to us! We were indeed heedless of this; nay, we truly did wrong!"(21.96-97)
原帖地å€: TMZ Islamic Forum
http://www.themuslimzone.com/general...html#post30431
“when he (Zulqarnain) reached (a tract) between two mountains, he found, beneath them, a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: "O Zulqarnain! the Gog and Magog (people) do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them? He said: "(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than tribute). Help me therefore with strength (and labor): I will erect a strong barrier between you and them: "Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it. He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it into dust; and the promise of my Lord is true." On that day We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another: the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together.”(18:93-98)
In the above verse, please think whether it is possible that the people were experiencing some sort of a dreadful disease which was spreading very fast and they are unable to prevent. These people are offering tribute to Zulqarnain if he can help them to overcome this. If Gog and Magog were just some tribes attacking these people, a help for them will be normally some sort of material assistance to fight and defeat Gog and Magog. But here Zulqarnain is building a strong barrier between two steep mountain-sides, which I believe is to avoid spreading the disease and to segregate the people who are affected by this disease with those who are not affected. This strong barrier was made powerless for this disease “to scale it or to dig through it”.
It is interesting to note that in both the verses where Quran mentions Gog and Magog reappearing towards the end of the world, it says; “they will swiftly swarm from every hill”, “On that day We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another”. It may mean that no effective barrier or prevention could be possible when Gog and Magog appear towards the end of the world. It will spread quickly from every hill means it will spread to every part of the world quickly. See also, how Allah is connecting emergence of Gog and Magog with "the fulfillment of God's promise draws nigh" (21:97), and therefore the emergence of Gog and Magog towards the end of the world may be understood as trial from Allah and a sign of nearness of the Day of Judgment. Swine Flu has every properties of an appearance of Gog and Magog. Allahu Ahlam!
Wassalam