How should Muslims understand Gog and Magog [Yajuj and Majuj] in light of current world events?
A lady from Sweden asked Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V (aa), about the Quranic prophecies concerning Gog and Magog [Yajuj and Majuj]. She stated that Allah the Exalted had described them as powers that would spread disorder in the earth and that Dhul-Qarnain was a rightly guided reformer who erected a spiritual wall against this disorder. In view of current international political developments, particularly Denmark’s and America’s strategies concerning Greenland, she asked how Ahmadis should understand these Quranic prophecies in light of the teachings of the Promised Messiah (as).
In his letter dated 15 March 2026, Huzoor-e-Anwar (aa) provided the following guidance:
“Remember that Dajjal and Gog and Magog are different manifestations of the same tribulation. Dajjal denotes its religious aspect, meaning that this group will corrupt people’s religious beliefs and ideas in the Latter Days. The group that would destroy the peace of the world at that time, particularly the peace and security of the Muslim world, has been called Gog and Magog. Both designations refer to the worldly power and religious aspect of the Western Christian nations.
“Thus, this is not a matter of the affairs of Greenland, Denmark or America. These nations themselves have no sympathy for Islam; rather, they oppose it and have a hand in the disorder and strife prevailing in the world. These conflicts therefore have no connection with those verses. They are conflicts among these nations themselves.
“As for Gog and Magog and the tribulation of Dajjal, it should be understood that Allah the Exalted informed us through His beloved Prophet (sa) that when these tribulations arose and Islam had become weak, He would raise the Promised Messiah to safeguard Islam. At that time, Muslims would lack material power, but the Jamaat of the Promised Messiah would continue to propagate the faith through prayers, arguments and proofs. It may also be an effect of these very prayers that the nations representing Dajjal are fighting among themselves. However, since they are all united in their opposition to Islam, Allah the Exalted will Himself destroy these tribulations. The Promised Messiah (as) states in this regard:
“‘Here, it is also necessary to resolve the matter of the noble and important task for which the Messiah was to come. To suppose that he was to come to kill Dajjal is an exceedingly weak and untenable notion, for killing a single disbeliever is hardly so great a task as to require a Prophet, especially when it has been said that even if the Messiah were not to kill him, Dajjal would nevertheless melt away and perish of his own accord. The truth, rather, is that God Almighty has ordained the Messiah’s advent so that he may conclusively establish the truth of Islam before all nations, leaving every nation of the world without an excuse before God Almighty. This is what is meant by the statement that disbelievers will die through the Messiah’s breath: they will perish through clear arguments and decisive proofs.’
(Izalah-e-Auham, Part I, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, pp. 131-132)
“He further states:
“‘Among these is the sign recorded concerning the Messiah that the disbeliever will die through his breath. This means that his opponents and deniers will be unable to contend with him in any matter, for they will fall dead before his consummate arguments. Thus, people will soon see that his opponents have indeed died in the face of conclusive reasoning and clear proof.’
(Izalah-e-Auham, Part II, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 477)
“He also states:
“‘Nowhere is it written that the Promised Messiah will take up the sword, nor is it written that he will wage war. Rather, it is written that disbelievers will die through the Messiah’s breath, meaning that he will accomplish all his work through prayer. […] God Almighty has invested prayer with great powers. Through revelation, God has repeatedly told me that whatever comes to pass will come to pass through prayer alone. Prayer is our only weapon and I possess no other weapon besides it.’
(Malfuzat, Vol. 8, UK, 2022, p. 267)
“Therefore, in these circumstances, Ahmadis should strive earnestly to obtain Allah the Exalted’s support and succour through prayer. Drawing upon the arguments and proofs that the Promised Messiah (as) has expounded so clearly and thoroughly in his writings and pronouncements, they should endeavour to convey the message of Ahmadiyyat, that is, the true Islam, to the entire world. These are our weapons and this is our jihad.
“Thus, if Ahmadis are to play a part in the affairs of today’s world, they should do so by improving their spiritual condition, devoting their full attention to prayer and becoming true worshippers of Allah the Exalted. In this way, may we witness the establishment of Islam’s glory and grandeur and the Oneness of Allah the Exalted, see the flag of the Holy Prophet (sa) flying throughout the world and behold the destruction and ruin of Gog and Magog and the forces of Dajjal. May Allah the Exalted enable us to do so.”
If the Promised Messiah (as) has come, why does Dajjal still exist?
A lady from Norway asked Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V (aa), about a hadith in Sahih Muslim concerning Dajjal, Gog and Magog and Isa ibn Maryam (as). She explained that the narration described a sequence: first Dajjal, then his being killed by Isa ibn Maryam (as), followed by the emergence of Gog and Magog. Furthermore, it described the signs of Dajjal and those of Gog and Magog differently. She asked whether the continued presence of the signs of Dajjal in the world meant that Gog and Magog had not yet emerged.
She added that, according to Ahmadi belief, Dajjal and Gog and Magog were two aspects of the same tribulation. Non-Ahmadis, however, objected that, [according to Ahmadis,] the Imam Mahdi and Promised Messiah had already appeared and passed away, yet Dajjal still existed and Gog and Magog had supposedly not yet emerged, given the sequence described in the hadith. She explained that this had left her confused and asked how this objection should be addressed.
In his letter dated 5 April 2026, Huzoor-e-Anwar (aa) provided the following guidance:
“In considering your queries, the first point to bear in mind is that Dajjal is not mentioned anywhere in the Holy Quran; he is mentioned only in the ahadith. Gog and Magog, on the other hand, are mentioned in both the Holy Quran and the ahadith. If Dajjal and Gog and Magog are two separate entities, why has the Holy Quran omitted any mention of Dajjal altogether, when the Holy Prophet (sa) described him as the greatest tribulation and stated that every Prophet had warned his followers against him and that he too warned us against him? (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-jihadi wa s-siyar, Bab kaifa yu‘radu l-islamu ‘ala s-sabiyy)
“He also stated that whoever memorises and recites the first 10 and last 10 verses of Surah al-Kahf will be safeguarded against the tribulation of Dajjal. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-malahim, Bab khuruji d-dajjal)
“When we reflect upon the opening and concluding verses of Surah al-Kahf, we find that they expound the Oneness of Allah the Exalted. They command that those who say that Allah the Exalted has taken a son should be warned. They also mention the People of the Cave and the Inscription, refer to the boundless words of Allah the Exalted that can never be exhausted and admonish us that our God is only One God.
“All these signs and indications relate to Christians. The People of the Cave and the Inscription were a group of Christians. It was Christians who invented the doctrine of God Almighty having a son and misled the world by advancing the doctrine of the Trinity in opposition to the Oneness of Allah the Exalted. Explaining this hadith, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:
“‘These signs mention the emergence of Dajjal and Gog and Magog. Upon reflection, it becomes apparent that these two tribulations are closely related and are, in fact, different branches of the same tribulation. This is why the Holy Quran mentions Gog and Magog but does not mention Dajjal, even though the Holy Prophet (sa) placed greater emphasis on the latter. The words of the hadith are:
ذَكَرَ الدَّجَّالَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي لَأُنْذِرُكُمُوهُ وَمَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا أَنْذَرَ قَوْمَهُ لَقَدْ أَنْذَرَ نُوحٌ قَوْمَهُ
“‘That is, mentioning Dajjal, he said, “There has been no Prophet who did not warn his people against Dajjal. Noah (as) also warned his people against him and I too inform you of him and urge my people to remain vigilant.” (Kanz al-‘Ummal, Vol. 7, p. 195, citing Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi)
“‘Thus, the absence of any mention of so great a tribulation in the Holy Quran, alongside its mention of Gog and Magog, indicates that Gog and Magog and Dajjal are, in reality, two names for the same phenomenon or two branches of the same tribulation. This is further confirmed by the fact that Dajjal and Gog and Magog belong to the same period. We also learn that both will gain ascendancy over the entire world. These points show that the tribulations of Dajjal and Gog and Magog are neither different kinds of tribulation nor tribulations belonging to different periods. Rather, they are different manifestations of the same tribulation.
“‘In fact, Dajjal is the name given to its religious aspect. “Dajjal” means one who disguises falsehood with a veneer of truth, a deceiver. Thus, the tribulation of the Latter Days, against which the Prophets of the Children of Israel also warned, was to have two aspects. One concerned the corruption of religious beliefs and ideas, while the other concerned the disruption of political conditions and the destruction of political peace. The spirit instigating the tribulation relating to religious beliefs has been called “Dajjal”, meaning a deceitful and fraudulent entity. The entities instigating the tribulation relating to political affairs have been called “Yajuj” and “Majuj”.
“‘The words “Yajuj” and “Majuj” derive from “ajij”. The phrase اَجَّتِ النَّارُ اَجِیْجًا means تَلَھَّبَتْ, “The fire blazed up.” When one says اَجَّجْتَ النَّارَ, it means اَلْھَبْتَھَا فَالْتَھَبَتْ, “You kindled the fire and it blazed up.” (Aqrab) Thus, the word اَجَّ means to kindle a fire and the words “Yajuj” and “Majuj” denote entities possessing the power to gain ascendancy over the world through the use of firearms.’
(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 15, UK, 2023, pp. 357-358)
“As for the advent of the Promised Messiah and the destruction of Dajjal and Gog and Magog at his hands, this too is true. When Allah the Exalted raised Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian as the Promised Messiah and the awaited Mahdi to revive the faith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), Islam was in a parlous state. Prominent clerics were abandoning Islam and embracing Christianity. Islam faced a barrage of attacks from every direction and all manner of vile and deeply hurtful allegations were being levelled against the sacred person of the Holy Prophet (sa).
“At such a time, by the command of Allah the Exalted, the Promised Messiah (as) undertook the defence of Islam. Through a jihad of the pen on every front, he delivered a resounding rebuttal to the enemies of Islam, foremost among whom were Christian clergymen and members of the Arya Samaj. This jihad of the pen continued until the last breaths of his life.
“After his demise, in keeping with the established divine practice concerning Prophets, Allah the Exalted instituted the succession of Khilafat after him as the Second Manifestation of His Power [Qudrat-e-Thaniyah]. Through its blessings, his mission continues to this day, serving to defend Islam in every corner of the world. This is because the succession of Khilafat following a Prophet is, in essence, a continuation of that Prophet’s own era.
“Thus, while digging the trench on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench, the Holy Prophet (sa) witnessed a vision in which he was given the keys to the red and white palaces of Caesar, Chosroes and Yemen and the doors of those lands were opened to him. (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad al-Kufiyyin, Hadith al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, Hadith 17946, Part 38, p. 133) All these prophecies were fulfilled after his demise, during the blessed era of the Rightly Guided Khilafat that followed in his footsteps, in the Khilafat of Hazrat Umar (ra).
“Therefore, the promises Allah the Exalted has made through the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet (sa) concerning the era of his true servant, the Promised Messiah and awaited Mahdi (as), will most certainly be fulfilled at their appointed time, insha-Allah. These are the promises and glad tidings concerning the establishment of Islam’s grandeur, the spread of the Oneness of Allah the Exalted throughout the world and the flag of the Holy Prophet (sa) flying across the entire world.
“Remember, however, that the people to whom these divine promises have been made bear a great responsibility if they are to witness their fulfilment. They must obey God Almighty’s commandments, bow before Him and seek His help. Disobedience to divine teachings and defiance of God Almighty’s commands delay the fulfilment of these glad tidings. This is what happened to the Children of Israel in the time of Hazrat Moses (as). When they rejected the words of the Prophet of their time, Allah the Exalted deprived them for forty years of the blessings that had been destined for them. (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.21-27)
“It is therefore the fundamental responsibility of every member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat to improve their spiritual condition, devote their full attention to prayer and fulfil the role of a true Ahmadi by becoming a true worshipper of Allah the Exalted. In this way, may we witness the establishment of Islam’s glory and grandeur and the Oneness of Allah the Exalted, see the flag of the Holy Prophet (sa) flying throughout the world and behold the destruction and ruin of Gog and Magog and the forces of Dajjal. May Allah the Exalted enable us to do so.
“As for the sequence of these events in the hadith, the first point to consider is that nowhere is it established that these events must necessarily unfold in the order in which they are mentioned. Secondly, prophecies necessarily contain an element of concealment and their true meaning becomes clear only upon their fulfilment. It is therefore incorrect to understand the matters described in the ahadith concerning Dajjal, Gog and Magog and the advent of the Promised Messiah solely in their outward, literal sense, particularly when the narrations themselves contain contradictory descriptions of Dajjal. Explaining this point, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (ra) states:
“‘There were formidable difficulties in the narrations concerning Dajjal and to this day no one has been able to resolve them. One reason is that scholars of Hadith and jurists devoted considerable attention to ahadith concerning religious practice. Just consider how many treatises and books exist investigating the ahadith about saying Amin aloud, raising the hands in prayer and so forth. Yet the narrations concerning prophecies have not been investigated in the same manner.
“‘Reflect upon these narrations concerning Dajjal. Look only at Mishkat and see how difficult these narrations are to understand. I shall present some examples. Consider how they can be reconciled on the basis of their outward meaning and explicit wording alone, without interpretation.’
“[Following this, Huzoor (ra) cited various narrations from Mishkat containing mutually contradictory descriptions.]
(Badr, Vol. 9, No. 49, 18 July 1907, pp. 9-10)
“Thus, wherever necessary, these matters will be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Holy Quran, the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (sa) and authentic ahadith. By the grace of Allah the Exalted, this is the established practice of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat.”
Could Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) know what was in people’s hearts?
A lady from India asked Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V (aa), whether it was true that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) possessed the ability to know what was in people’s hearts or to exert a spiritual influence upon others. She also asked whether magic and the evil eye actually existed and whether they could affect a person.
In his letter dated 11 August 2025, Huzoor-e-Anwar (aa) provided the following guidance:
“Allah the Exalted alone is the Knower of the unseen and He alone knows what is in people’s hearts. Thus, Allah the Exalted states in the Holy Quran, ‘He is Allah and there is no God beside Him, the Knower of the unseen and the seen.’ (Surah al-Hashr, Ch.59: V.23) He also states, ‘And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them but He.’ (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.60)
“No human being can ever be the Knower of the unseen. Accordingly, at various places in the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted instructed the Holy Prophet (sa) to declare that he did not claim to possess knowledge of the unseen. (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.51; Surah Hud, Ch.11: V.32)
“Nevertheless, it is also true that God Almighty’s chosen servants know matters of the unseen to the extent that Allah the Exalted informs them of them. As Allah the Exalted states in the Holy Quran, ‘[He is the] Knower of the unseen; and He reveals not His secrets to any one, except to him whom He chooses, namely a Messenger [of His].’ (Surah al-Jinn, Ch.72: V.27-28)
“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) was also a human being. As a human being, therefore, he certainly did not possess knowledge of what was in people’s hearts. However, as explained above, Allah the Exalted grants His beloved servants as much knowledge of the unseen as He pleases. Thus, if Allah the Exalted granted him some knowledge concerning someone and he conveyed it in accordance with that divinely bestowed knowledge, there is nothing objectionable in this.
“Furthermore, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Beware of the believer’s discernment, for he sees with the light of Allah.’ (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab tafsiri al-qur’an, Bab wa min surati l-hijr) In this respect too, Allah the Exalted had blessed Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) with extraordinary discernment. By virtue of this divine gift, he could gauge people’s inner states from their faces with extraordinary discernment. Explaining this saying of the Holy Prophet (sa), the Promised Messiah (as) states:
“‘A speaker’s words possess a certain grandeur and awe in proportion to his stature. Observe how, even when approaching worldly officials, one feels some unease and apprehension, conscious that they hold the pen of authority in their hands. Likewise, those who recognise that God is with a believer abandon their opposition to him. If they do not understand, they sit alone and reflect upon the matter, drawing comparisons.
“‘It is essential that others follow the one who knows the way and possesses light. This is the intent and meaning of the hadith اِتَّقُوا فِرَاسَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ, “Beware of the believer’s discernment.” That is, when a believer speaks, one should fear God Almighty, for whatever he says is from God Almighty.
“‘The point is that when a believer loves God, divine light encompasses him. Although that light enfolds him within itself and consumes his human nature to a certain degree, just as iron becomes like fire when placed in it, his servitude to God and his humanity do not cease to exist. This is the secret embedded in قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ, “Say, ‘I am only a man like yourselves.’” (Surah al-Kahf, Ch.18: V.111)
“‘His humanity remains, but it is concealed beneath the divine hue. All his faculties and limbs, devoted to God’s cause, become so imbued with God Almighty’s purposes that they reflect His wishes. This is the distinction that makes him responsible for the spiritual nurturing of tens of millions of people and makes him a manifestation of perfect divine providence. Were this not so, a Prophet could never guide and lead so vast a multitude.’”
(Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 1, UK, p. 104)
What is the reality of magic and the evil eye in Islam?
“As for your query about magic, magic is, in reality, another name for deception and trickery and the notion of it has existed in the world since ancient times. The Holy Quran also mentions it, but never presents it favourably. Rather, for our guidance, it lays down the principle that a magician can never succeed against God Almighty, whichever direction he may approach from. (Surah Ta Ha, Ch.20: V.70)
“As for what you have written concerning the evil eye, it is indeed a reality. This means that the person casting the gaze expresses an intentional or unintentional wish, to which God Almighty gives effect. Thus, it is recorded in a hadith that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘The evil eye is real.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab at-tibb, Bab al-‘ainu haqq)
“This is not simply a matter of whether the gaze is one’s own or another’s, or whether the intention is good or bad. At times, one’s own gaze can have this effect. A mother’s gaze can also affect her child, particularly when she thinks, ‘I have nursed this child’ or ‘I have raised this child’, while overlooking God Almighty’s part in the matter. Such thoughts have a harmful effect on the child.
“Therefore, one should depend upon God Almighty alone in every undertaking. Every task should begin with prayer. One should say insha-Allah concerning anything to be done in the future and masha-Allah upon seeing something good that someone possesses. One should also recite the supplication taught by the Holy Prophet (sa), لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ, ‘There is no power nor strength except through Allah.’ If affected by the evil eye, one should pray by reciting Surah al-Fatihah, Surah al-Falaq, Surah an-Nas and so forth.
“In fact, Allah the Exalted has endowed the human organs with various powers. These are weaker in some people and stronger in others. Among them is the power of the eye and the gaze. When a person sees something and finds it pleasing, envy arises in some people’s hearts. Those whose eyes possess this power to a greater degree affect the object when they look at it with thoughts full of envy. This is commonly called being affected by the evil eye. It is also referred to as hypnotism and mesmerism and is a form of parapsychology.
“This is why the remedy described in the hadith is that a person affected by the evil eye should bathe. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab as-salam, Bab at-tibbi wa l-maradi wa r-ruqa) When water falls upon their body as they bathe and stimulates their nervous system, the effect of another person’s gaze upon them will dissipate.
“A gentleman once asked Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) whether the common belief that children could be affected by the evil eye was correct and, if so, what the remedy was. Huzoor (ra) dictated the following response:
“‘Yes, they can be affected. The reason is that human beings have been endowed with a power through which one person’s thoughts can affect another. When a person regards something with great affection, feelings of love arise in their heart, but alongside them a hidden apprehension also develops. These thoughts are then conveyed to the other person, whether a child or an adult, giving rise to a sense of weakness or despondency that results in illness.
“‘This is a natural phenomenon and can also be inferred from certain sayings of the Holy Prophet (sa). The Sharia has not declared it irrational. People whose hearts have little capacity to bear things become intensely preoccupied with even small matters. Such thoughts affect the hearts of others and this is what is called the evil eye.
“‘Thus, if someone becomes ill in such circumstances, Surah al-Fatihah or قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ and بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ, seeking refuge in the Lord of the dawn and the Lord of mankind, should be recited and one should blow over the child. If it is an animal or the like rather than a child, one should pass a hand over it. This serves both as a prayer and as an act of repentance.’ ”
(Al Fazl, Qadian, Vol. 11, No. 69, 4 March 1924, p. 5)
(Submitted by Ehsan Ahmad, Murabbi-e-Silsilah, Private Secretariat, Islamabad and translated by Al Hakam)