So he followed a certain road
He therefore pursued a purpose.
and he followed a way
and so he chose the right means [in whatever he did].
Then he followed a way.
So he followed a way.
He pursued a certain course.
He set out (westwards) on an expedition,
So he followed a way.
And he followed a road
So he directed a means.
He journeyed on a way
So he followed a way
With these he traveled
So he followed a course.
FaatbaAAa sabab<u>a</u><b>n</b>
He travelled on a certain road;
One (such) way he followed,
فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
So he took the means and paths leading to his objective that I had granted him, and then headed West.
So he took the means and paths leading to his objective that I had granted him, and then headed West.
<p>Verse 85:	 فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا So he followed a way) means that - though, the material means related to everything, even those that would facilitate his access to every region of the world - however, the first thing he did was to use his means to travel in the direction of the West.</p>
Verse 85:	 فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا So he followed a way) means that - though, the material means related to everything, even those that would facilitate his access to every region of the world - however, the first thing he did was to use his means to travel in the direction of the West.
<h2 class="title">His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West)</h2><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً </div><p>(So he followed a way.) Ibn `Abbas said that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً </div><p>(So he followed a way.) Mujahid said that he followed different routes, east and west. According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">سَبَباً</div><p>(a way) means, "A route through the land." Qatadah said, "It means he followed the routes and landmarks of the earth."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ</div><p>(Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun,) means, he followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth. As for the idea of his reaching the place in the sky where the sun sets, this is something impossible, and the tales told by storytellers that he traveled so far to the west that the sun set behind him are not true at all. Most of these stories come from the myths of the People of the Book and the fabrications and lies of their heretics.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ</div><p>(he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah) meaning, he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see: it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed. Hami'ah is, according to one of the two views, derived from the word Hama'ah, which means mud. This is like the Ayah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّى خَـلِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ</div><p>("I am going to create a man (Adam) from dried clay of altered Hama'h (mud)) 15:28, which means smooth mud, as we have discussed above.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْماً</div><p>(And he found near it a people.) meaning a nation. They mentioned that they were a great nation from among the sons of Adam.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْنَا يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْناً</div><p>(We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness") means, Allah gave him power over them and gave him the choice: if he wanted to, he could kill the men and take the women and children captive, or if he wanted to, he could set them free, with or without a ransom. His justice and faith became apparent in the ruling he pronounced:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ</div><p>(As for him who does wrong,) meaning who persists in his Kufr and in associating others in worship with his Lord,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ</div><p>(we shall punish him,) Qatadah said, i.e., by killing him.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَاباً نُّكْراً</div><p>(and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment.) meaning a severe, far-reaching and painful punishment. This implies a confirmation of the Hereafter and the reward and punishment.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ</div><p>(But as for him who believes), meaning `who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate,'</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَهُ جَزَآءً الْحُسْنَى</div><p>(he shall have the best reward,) meaning in the Hereafter, with Allah.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْراً</div><p>(and we (Dhul-Qarnayn) shall speak unto him mild words.) Mujahid said, `(words of) kindness.'</p>
His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West)فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (So he followed a way.) Ibn `Abbas said that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted.فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (So he followed a way.) Mujahid said that he followed different routes, east and west. According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said:سَبَباً(a way) means, "A route through the land." Qatadah said, "It means he followed the routes and landmarks of the earth."حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ(Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun,) means, he followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth. As for the idea of his reaching the place in the sky where the sun sets, this is something impossible, and the tales told by storytellers that he traveled so far to the west that the sun set behind him are not true at all. Most of these stories come from the myths of the People of the Book and the fabrications and lies of their heretics.وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ(he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah) meaning, he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see: it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed. Hami'ah is, according to one of the two views, derived from the word Hama'ah, which means mud. This is like the Ayah:إِنِّى خَـلِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ("I am going to create a man (Adam) from dried clay of altered Hama'h (mud)) 15:28, which means smooth mud, as we have discussed above.وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْماً(And he found near it a people.) meaning a nation. They mentioned that they were a great nation from among the sons of Adam.قُلْنَا يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْناً(We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness") means, Allah gave him power over them and gave him the choice: if he wanted to, he could kill the men and take the women and children captive, or if he wanted to, he could set them free, with or without a ransom. His justice and faith became apparent in the ruling he pronounced:أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ(As for him who does wrong,) meaning who persists in his Kufr and in associating others in worship with his Lord,فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ(we shall punish him,) Qatadah said, i.e., by killing him.ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَاباً نُّكْراً(and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment.) meaning a severe, far-reaching and painful punishment. This implies a confirmation of the Hereafter and the reward and punishment.وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ(But as for him who believes), meaning `who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate,'فَلَهُ جَزَآءً الْحُسْنَى(he shall have the best reward,) meaning in the Hereafter, with Allah.وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْراً(and we (Dhul-Qarnayn) shall speak unto him mild words.) Mujahid said, `(words of) kindness.'