The life of Dhul-Qarnayn is an example in valour and hard work

Several figures have been put on Earth by Allah to help people and teach them to follow a path of righteousness.

While the Quran frequently describes the work of the prophets, Friday’s sermon will begin by telling worshippers about the life of Dhul-Qarnayn, “the possessor of two horns”.

Dhul-Qarnayn was a king who, in Surat Al Kahf, is described as being blessed with wisdom, knowledge and the means to practically achieve any goal he pursued.

The sermon will say Dhul-Qarnayn used these gifts for the betterment of humanity. Worshippers will hear of how he helped a community evade the destruction of an invading force – known as Gog and Magog – during his travels to what is now understood to be the Caucasus Mountains between Georgia and Russia.

“He reached [a pass] between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand [his] speech. They said ‘Oh Dhul-Qarnaryn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?’” [Quran 18:92-94].

Armed with his knowledge and strength, Dhul-Qarnayn gathered the people together to help him build a defensive wall using their combined efforts and taught them new skills along the way.

The lesson to worshippers will be that success in any endeavour requires hard work and devotion as well as harnessing the means and resources at your disposal.

A similar lesson can be learnt from the story of Prophet Noah, who was tasked by Allah to build an massive ship to carry pairs of each of the world’s animals that he would voyage on waves the size of mountains to save them from floods.

“So we saved him and those with him in the laden ship.” [Quran 26:119].

The Quran narrates these examples to teach Muslims the importance of spreading knowledge and harnessing talent. They demonstrate the value of work and production to progress society and ensure its prosperity, the sermon will say.