Overview (Verses 89 - 91)

These are the outlines of just and good government. A true believer should receive from rulers every sort of kindly treatment and generous reward, while transgressors who are unjust to their fellow human beings should be punished severely. When those who do well in the community, pursuing a fair line of action in all their pursuits, receive a good reward for their actions, and when the unjust and oppressors receive a fair punishment and humiliation, then the whole community is motivated to follow the line of goodness. But when matters go wrong, and the unjust, oppressor and corrupt people are the ones who enjoy favour with the ruler, while those who are good and fair are persecuted, then the ruler’s power becomes no more than a tool of corruption and misery for the whole community. Nothing remains fair. The whole society sinks into chaos.
 
After Dhu’l-Qarnayn’s return from his westward journey he took his way eastward. Again we realize that his authority was well established, and that all means were made available to him: Then he followed another way and [marched eastwards] till, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it. So he did; and We had All knowledge of all the means available to him. (Verses 89-91) What we said about the setting of the sun is also true of its rising place. What is meant here is the point where it rises in the east as we look up beyond the horizon. Again the Qur’ān does not define the place. It simply describes it and the situation of the people Dhu’l-Qarnayn found there: “When he came to the rising of the sun, he found that it was rising on a people for whom We had provided no coverings against it.” (Verse 90) This suggests that the land was open, unscreened from the sun by any hills or trees. Thus when the sun rose, the people were directly exposed to it. This description applies to deserts and vast plateaus. It does not specify a particular location. All that we say is that it is likely that this place was in the far east, where the sun rose over its open, flat land. It might have also been on the east coast of Africa.
 
Another probability is that the description, ‘for whom We had provided no covering against it,’ means that those people were always in the nude and did not employ clothing. Hence, they were not screened from the sun.

Since Dhu’l-Qarnayn had announced his policy of government, the sūrah does not repeat it here. Nor is any further action mentioned because God is fully aware of his intention and behaviour.
 
It is important, however, to reflect very briefly here on an artistic touch in the image provided. The scene portrayed for us is open and clear: a blazing sun which is in no way screened from the people.
 
Similarly, Dhu’l-Qarnayn’s conscience and intentions are open, known ‘ fully to God Almighty. This provides harmony between the natural scene and man’s conscience in the inimitable style of the Qur’ān.