Articles by Max Shimba

Utatu Mtakatifu

The Holy Trinity

Why Does The Qur’An Call Mary “The Sister Of Aaron”?

Muslims Do Not Worship The God Of Abraham

The Myth Of Seven Earths:

The Samaritan Of The Quran: An Anachronism In The Days Of Moses?

Celestial Bodies, Orbits, And Cosmological Errors In The Quran

Historical Errors in the Quran: A Critical Debate

Historical Errors in the Qur'an: A Scholarly Debate

Mary as Part of the Trinity: A Misunderstanding in the Quran

Further Examination of the Error: Mary as Part of the Trinity

Mary as Miriam: A Historical and Theological Mistake in the Quran

Further Examination of the Historical and Theological Error: Mary as Miriam

Ezra as the Son of God? A Historical and Theological Error in the Quran

Further Examination of the Ezra as the Son of God Error: Historical and Theological Evidence

The Afterlife in the Torah: A Different Perspective from the Quran

The Iron Wall of Dhul-Qarnayn: A Historical and Theological Examination

The Iron Wall of Dhul-Qarnayn: A Deeper Examination with Biblical Expositor Commentary and Strong’s Concordance The Quranic story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Surah 18:83-101) describes a massive wall of iron built between two mountains to contain the tribes of Gog and Magog (Ya’juj and Ma’juj) until the Day of Judgment. However, no historical, archaeological, or biblical evidence supports this claim. Additionally, a comparison with biblical sources, Strong’s Concordance, and theological expositors reveals that the Quranic narrative is inconsistent with earlier scriptures. The Core Issues to Examine: Historical Examination: Was There Ever a Massive Iron Wall? Biblical Accounts of Gog and Magog vs. The Quranic Version Theological Implications and Biblical Expositor Commentary Strong’s Concordance Word Study: Key Terms in the Hebrew Bible The Quran’s Dependence on Legendary Material The Absence of Evidence: What This Means for the Quran’s Reliability 1. Historical Examination: The Missing Iron Wall Despite the Quran’s claim that this wall exists until the Last Day, no evidence of such a structure has been found. A. No Historical Records of an Iron Wall No Greek, Roman, or Persian historian mentions a colossal iron wall sealing off an entire nation. Flavius Josephus (37–100 AD), a Jewish historian who wrote extensively about ancient events, makes no reference to such a wall in his descriptions of Gog and Magog. Herodotus (5th century BCE), known as the Father of History, never mentions a giant iron barrier built by Alexander the Great or any ruler. B. No Archaeological or Satellite Evidence Satellite imagery from NASA and advanced geological surveys have mapped nearly every mountain range on earth, yet no such iron wall has been discovered. Ancient barriers, such as Hadrian’s Wall (UK) and the Great Wall of China, were made of stone, bricks, and earth—not molten iron. C. Why This Matters: If the Quran describes this wall as a real, physical structure that still exists today, why has no evidence ever been found? The absence of proof raises serious questions about the historical credibility of this claim. 2. Biblical Accounts of Gog and Magog vs. The Quranic Version The figures of Gog and Magog appear in the Old Testament and the New Testament, but the biblical narrative does not mention a physical wall built to contain them. A. Gog and Magog in the Old Testament The first major reference appears in Ezekiel 38-39, where Gog is depicted as the leader of Magog, a powerful enemy that will attack Israel in the last days. Ezekiel 38:2-3 – "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal!'" B. Strong’s Concordance Word Study: "Magog" and "Gog" Magog (מָגוֹג - H4031) in Strong’s Concordance refers to a geographical region rather than a specific group of people sealed behind a wall. Gog (גּוֹג - H1463) represents a leader of an invading force, not an entire trapped nation. No Hebrew word in the Old Testament connects Gog and Magog to a literal iron barrier or an apocalyptic prison. C. Gog and Magog in the New Testament In Revelation 20:7-9, Gog and Magog represent symbolic nations of evil that will rise against God in the final battle. "When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle." Major Differences Between the Bible and Quran: Biblical Account (Ezekiel & Revelation) Quranic Account (Surah 18:83-101) Gog and Magog are powerful invading forces. Gog and Magog are trapped behind a physical iron wall. They come from the four corners of the earth. They are locked between two mountains. They attack Israel in the end times. They remain sealed until the Last Day. No mention of Alexander the Great. The story is tied to Dhul-Qarnayn, who resembles Alexander. The Quran’s version contradicts both the Old and New Testament, suggesting the story was not based on divine revelation but later legendary material. 3. Theological Implications and Biblical Expositor Commentary Leading biblical scholars and commentators have never identified Gog and Magog as being contained by an iron wall. A. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Ezekiel 38-39 Henry identifies Gog and Magog as symbolic figures representing future nations that will war against God’s people. He rejects the idea of a literal barrier or prison, stating that the prophecy refers to spiritual rebellion and conflict, not physical confinement. B. John Gill’s Commentary on Revelation 20:7-9 Gill argues that Gog and Magog symbolize the forces of evil gathering against Christ in the end times. He states that no physical evidence supports the idea of an iron wall sealing these nations away. These theological experts confirm that the biblical Gog and Magog are not a trapped nation behind an iron wall—this idea is unique to the Quran and has no foundation in earlier scripture. 4. The Quran’s Dependence on Legendary Material A. The Alexander Romance and the Quranic Narrative The Syrian Alexander Romance (6th century CE) contains a myth about Alexander the Great building a metal wall to block savage tribes. This story was popular in the Middle East during Muhammad’s time and likely influenced the Quranic version. There is no pre-Islamic Jewish or Christian scripture that supports the idea of an iron wall for Gog and Magog. B. No Islamic Consensus on the Identity of Dhul-Qarnayn Some Islamic scholars claim Dhul-Qarnayn is Alexander the Great. Others argue he was Cyrus the Great, but there is no evidence that Cyrus built an iron wall either. 5. Conclusion: A Major Historical and Theological Inconsistency The Quran’s claim about Dhul-Qarnayn’s iron wall presents a serious historical and theological problem: No historical evidence exists for an iron wall sealing off Gog and Magog. The biblical accounts of Gog and Magog contradict the Quranic version. Biblical expositors confirm that Gog and Magog were never physically imprisoned. Strong’s Concordance shows that the biblical words for "Magog" and "Gog" never imply an iron barrier. The Quran’s story resembles the legendary Syrian Alexander Romance, not historical events. Final Thought: Is the Quran’s Account Reliable? If the Quran claims this iron wall still exists, but modern exploration and historical analysis find no evidence of it, then the claim lacks credibility. Furthermore, if earlier Jewish and Christian scriptures never mention this wall, it suggests that the Quran’s version is not based on divine revelation but later myths. This raises serious doubts about the Quran’s historical accuracy and its claim to be the final, unchanged word of God.

Did David Invent Chainmail? A Historical and Theological Examination

Crucifixion in Ancient Egypt: A Historical and Theological Analysis

Crucifixion in Ancient Egypt: A Detailed Examination with Biblical Expositors' Commentary and Strong’s Concordance

The Anachronism of the Samaritans in the Quran: A Historical and Theological Examination

The Singular Pharaoh in the Quran: A Historical and Theological Examination

The Quran’s Use of "Pharaoh" as a Name Instead of a Title: A Historical and Linguistic Analysis

The Nabatean Rock Tombs at al-Hijr: A Historical and Theological Examination of the Quran’s Account

Archaeological and Historical Evidence Against the Quran’s Account of Thamud and al-Hijr

The Problem of Countable Currency in Ancient Egypt: A Historical and Linguistic Analysis

Further Historical and Theological Evidence Against the Quran’s Account of Countable Currency in Ancient Egypt

The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt: A Historical and Theological Analysis

The Exodus from a Biblical Perspective: Theological and Historical Analysis

Did the Israelites Inherit Egypt? A Historical and Theological Analysis

The Global Flood of Noah in the Quran: A Historical and Theological Analysis

The Flood Killed Only Unbelievers? A Theological and Logical Analysis of the Quran vs. the Bible

The Quran’s Description of the Flood Waters Boiling from an Oven: A Scientific and Historical Analysis

The Logistical Problem of Noah’s Ark Holding Every Species: A Scientific and Theological Analysis

The Strange Appearance of Arabian Idols in the Time of Noah: A Historical and Theological Analysis

The Original Name of John the Baptist: A Historical and Theological Analysis

Was John the Baptist a Muslim? A Critical Examination of the Quran’s Version of Yahya

Chronological Errors in the Quran: Kings of Israel Before Israel Existed

Did Every Nation Have a Muslim Prophet? Examining the Quran’s Claim

Solomon’s Missing Kingdom: A Historical and Archaeological Analysis

The Historical Jesus: A Critical Examination of the Quran’s Claims

Historical Errors in the Quran: A Critical Debate