Gog and Magog: The First and Second Waves, and Their Assimilation with Humanity

Introduction

Surah Al-Kahf 18:99 describes a great event that will unfold near the end of human civilization.
For centuries, the barrier built by Dhul-Qarnain has served as a shield between mankind and Gog and Magog. However, when this barrier finally collapses, there will no longer be a separation between the two groups, exposing those who were once safe to an unprecedented threat.

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says:

وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَّمُوْجُ فِيْ بَعْضٍ وَّنُفِخَ فِى الصُّوْرِ فَجَمَعْنٰهُمْ جَمْعًا

"And We will leave some of them that Day surging over one another, and then the Trumpet will be blown, and We will gather them all together."
(Al-Kahf 18:99)

This verse continues the story of Dhul-Qarnain and Gog and Magog, where Allah emphasizes that the barrier built by Dhul-Qarnain will eventually crumble when its time arrives (Al-Kahf 18:98).

📌 The discussion regarding the collapse of the barrier has been explained in this post:
🔗 Click here

Events That Occur When the Barrier Collapses

When the barrier collapses, three major events will take place:

1️⃣ Gog and Magog will emerge in massive numbers.
2️⃣ They will emerge in waves, not all at once.
3️⃣ They will intermingle with humans.

However, Gog and Magog will not emerge all at once. Instead, they will come in phases.

Gog and Magog Are Divided Into Two Waves

In this verse, Allah uses the word بَعْضَهُمْ (ba‘ḍahum) which means "some of them".
If they were to emerge as a single group, the more appropriate Arabic word would be كُلُّهُمْ (kulluhum) which means "all of them".

📌 This means that Gog and Magog actually consist of two major groups:

1️⃣ The first wave – emerges immediately after the barrier collapses, moves in large numbers, causes destruction, and is eventually wiped out during the time of Prophet Isa (Jesus) a.s.
2️⃣ The second wave – remains within their own group, also emerges gradually, assimilates with humans, and survives until the Day of Judgment.

The First Wave: Gog and Magog That Perish in the Time of Prophet Isa a.s.

The word يَمُوْجُ (yamūju) is derived from مَوْج (mawj), meaning waves, depicting how Gog and Magog emerge in enormous numbers, like relentless surging waves.

📌 Sahih Muslim Hadith 2937a states that in the time of Prophet Isa a.s., Gog and Magog will emerge in vast numbers, wreaking widespread destruction, forcing humans to seek refuge in high places.

However, Allah will ultimately destroy them through a disease that will spread among them, causing their mass extinction.

📌 From Al-Kahf 18:99 and Sahih Muslim Hadith 2937a, we can confirm three things:

1️⃣ They emerge in overwhelming numbers.
2️⃣ They cause catastrophic destruction.
3️⃣ They perish due to a divine plague.

The Second Wave: Gog and Magog That Live Among Humans Until the Day of Judgment

Although the first wave of Gog and Magog perished in the time of Prophet Isa a.s., there still remains another portion of Gog and Magog yet to emerge.

📌 Primary evidence that Gog and Magog still exist after the time of Prophet Isa:

1️⃣ Al-Kahf 18:99 states that they will intermingle with humans and survive until the Day of Judgment.
2️⃣ Allah does not state that Gog and Magog emerge only once, but rather in waves.
3️⃣ The phrase يَمُوْجُ فِي بَعْضٍ (yamūju fī ba‘ḍin) means they emerge gradually and intermingle with humanity, not just bring destruction.

📌 Key implications:
1️⃣ The first wave – emerges as a massive surge, wreaks havoc, and is ultimately wiped out by divine decree.
2️⃣ The second wave – does not perish but instead assimilates into human society and persists until the end of time.

How Do the Waves and Intermingling Occur?

📌 Wave-like emergence (يَمُوْجُ - yamūju):

• They emerge gradually, similar to waves that come and go.
• They do not appear all at once but in successive waves over a prolonged period.

📌 Intermingling (فِي بَعْضٍ - fī ba‘ḍin):

• Some Gog and Magog will mix with humans and live among them.
• This means that not all of them emerge for destruction and warfare.

📌 Sahih Muslim Hadith 2937a also mentions that they will drink the waters of the Sea of Galilee until it runs dry, demonstrating their vast numbers and immense movement.

Connection with the Blowing of the Trumpet and the Day of Judgment

Allah continues this verse by linking it to the Blowing of the Trumpet:

وَّنُفِخَ فِى الصُّوْرِ فَجَمَعْنٰهُمْ جَمْعًا
"And when the Trumpet is blown, We will gather them all together as one."

📌 Key points:
1️⃣ If Gog and Magog were completely annihilated in the time of Prophet Isa a.s., why are they still mentioned in the context of the Day of Judgment?
2️⃣ This proves that some Gog and Magog survive until the final resurrection.

📌 Conclusion:

• Gog and Magog are not just a destructive force that perished in the time of Prophet Isa but also a group that continues to live among humans until the Day of Judgment.
• The first wave perishes before the end of time, but the second wave remains intermingled with humanity until they are gathered on Judgment Day.

Conclusion

After understanding the two waves of Gog and Magog, one question remains:

📌 How can humanity prepare for this inevitable event?

📌 Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. has warned that in the end times, only three cities will remain safe: Makkah, Madinah, and Jerusalem.

📌 Does this mean that the entire world will become uninhabitable due to the rise of Gog and Magog?

When we see how the first wave of Gog and Magog caused destruction, we can imagine a world in complete chaos before the final hour.

They will come like unrelenting waves, sweeping away everything in their path. No earthly power will be able to stop them, until Allah Himself intervenes.

However, what is even more terrifying is the second wave that does not perish but instead blends into human society.

📌 This means that Gog and Magog are not just a physical threat but an existential one, as they become a part of humanity itself.

Perhaps, without realizing it, we are already living among them…