The Barrier of Gog and Magog

سد يأجوج ومأجوج

The barrier built by Dhu'l-Qarnayn in the Qur'an: an iron wall between mountains to hold back Gog and Magog. It is opened in the last days, when they pour out onto the earth — one of the signs before the Hour, and the reports place their emergence after the descent of Jesus.

Depth

At a glance

Region
Global / Diaspora

Afterlife and eschatology

Summary

The barrier is mentioned in Surat al-Kahf: Dhu'l-Qarnayn builds a wall of iron and نحاس between two mountains to hold back Gog and Magog, and it is opened in the last days when they pour out. The scholars say they are a people of the earth whom God restrained behind the barrier, and their emergence in the last days is among the signs before the Hour; reports place their coming after the descent of Jesus, when people flee to fortresses and places of worship.

People and things also explored

The Gates of Paradise· The terrors of the Day· Islamic eschatology· The display and standing before God· Al-barzakh· The Beast of the Earth· The Smoke· The Greatest Terror

Sources

  • Tanzil Project, Qur'an text v1.1
  • Sahih Muslim
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The Barrier of Gog and Magog”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/al-sadd/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-11-11.

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Wing

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Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words.
Related

The Gates of Paradise

Paradise has eight gates, as the Sahih reports, each with its people of deed: a gate of prayer for the people of prayer, a gate of jihad, a gate of al-Rayyan reserved for the fasting, and a gate of charity. The Prophet said: «Whoever spends a pair in the way of God is called at the gates of Paradise: O servant of God, this is good — whoever was of the people of prayer is called from the gate of prayer».