PeterWestern Bietenholzscholars arguesand Muslim commentators generally agree that Alexander the Great is featured in the [[Quran]] as [[Dhul-Qarnayn]] ([[Arabic language|Arabic]] ذو القرنين), literally ''"The Two-Horned One"'', ([[Quran 18]]:83–94).{{sfn|Stoneman|2003|p=3}}{{sfn|EI2|p=127}} The story of Dhul-Qarnayn has its origins in legends of [[Alexander the Great]] current in the Middle East in the early years of the Christian era.{{sfn|Bietenholz|1994|p=122-123}} According to these the [[Scythians]], the descendants of [[Gog and Magog]], once defeated one of Alexander's generals, upon which Alexander built a wall in the [[Caucasus mountains]] to keep them out of civilizedcivilised lands (the basic elements are found in [[Flavius Josephus]]).{{sfn|Bietenholz|1994|p=122-123}} According to Bietenholz, theThe legend went through much further elaboration in subsequent centuries before eventually finding its way into the Quran through a Syrian version.{{sfn|Bietenholz|1994|p=122-123}}▼
The story of [[Dhul-Qarnayn]] (in [[Arabic language|Arabic]] ذو القرنين, literally ''"The Two-Horned One"'', also [[transliterated]] as Zul-Qarnain or Zulqarnain), mentioned in the [[Quran]], may be a reference to Alexander III of Macedon (356–323 BC), popularly known as [[Alexander the Great]].<ref>[[Alexander the Great in the Quran#Esposito|Esposito]]</ref> Western and traditional Muslim scholars generally identify Alexander the Great as [[Dhul-Qarnayn]] ([[Quran 18]]:83–94),{{sfn|Stoneman|2003|p=3}}{{sfn|EI2|p=127}} however, some early Muslim scholars believed it to be a reference to a pre-Islamic monarch from [[Persia]] or [[south Arabia]],<ref name="EQ">{{Cite encyclopedia|edition=1st|publisher=Brill Academic Publishers|volume=1|pages=61–62|last=Renard|first=John|title=Alexander|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of the Quran]]|year=2001|isbn=9004114653|date=|url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran/alexander-EQSIM_00016}}</ref> with modern Muslim scholarship also leaning in favour of identifying him with [[Cyrus the Great in the Quran|Cyrus the Great]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.englishtafsir.com/Quran/18/index.html#sdfootnote62sym|title=Tafhim al-Qur'an|last=Maududi|first=Syed Abul Ala|quote=The identification ... has been a controversial matter from the earliest times. In general the commentators have been of the opinion that he was Alexander the Great but the characteristics of Zul-Qarnain described in the Qur'an are not applicable to him. However, now the commentators are inclined to believe that Zul-Qarnain was Cyrus ... We are also of the opinion that probably Zul-Qarnain was Cyrus...|author-link=Abul A'la Maududi}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite book|url=http://www.islamicstudies.info/quran/maarif/maarif.php?sura=18&verse=83|title=Ma'ariful Qur'an|last=Shafi|first=Muhammad|pages=651-652|author-link=Muhammad Shafi Deobandi}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite book|url=http://tafseerenamoona.net/topicResult/2341|title=Tafseer-e-Namoona|last=Shirazi|first=Naser Makarem|author-link=Naser Makarem Shirazi}}</ref>
▲Peter Bietenholz argues that the story of Dhul-Qarnayn has its origins in legends of Alexander the Great current in the Middle East in the early years of the Christian era.{{sfn|Bietenholz|1994|p=122-123}} According to these the [[Scythians]], the descendants of [[Gog and Magog]], once defeated one of Alexander's generals, upon which Alexander built a wall in the [[Caucasus mountains]] to keep them out of civilized lands (the basic elements are found in [[Flavius Josephus]]).{{sfn|Bietenholz|1994|p=122-123}} According to Bietenholz, the legend went through much further elaboration in subsequent centuries before eventually finding its way into the Quran through a Syrian version.{{sfn|Bietenholz|1994|p=122-123}}
