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…The term zombie is just a reference to indicate some of the abnormalities which are difficult to attribute to normal human beings.

The idea of Zombie with regards to Ya’juj/Ma’juj was first teased by Dr. Yasir Qadhi in one of his lecture regarding the ten major signs of the Judgment Day. Although the sheikh reiterated several times that the idea did not originate from him, rather from one of his friend who’s name he did not mention; nonetheless, he did endorse the concept at some level. He also shared other explanations given by the classical scholars, some of which are as bizarre as this zombie assertion.

Since then, I have been researching on this topic, scratching my head, wanting to understand why these kinds of ideas were entertained among the past and the present scholars of Islam regarding Ya’juj and Ma’juj. What is so difficult about them that requires these types of seemingly radical thinking?

It turns out, indeed, there are some interesting texts found in Qur’an and authentic Hadiths describing their nature and characteristics. It is quite hard to make any concrete conclusion out of these ideas, but at the same time it is also difficult to ignore them.

However, I am personally not committed to the view which was suggested as possibility that – after nuclear war, massive people will be mutated from the nuclear radiation therefore act like zombies. That requires many other discussions.

Instead, this article is a very simple study to help us recognize some of the difficult issues regarding Ya’juj and Ma’juj. The term zombie is just a reference to indicate these abnormalities, atypical characteristics which are difficult to attribute to normal human beings.

Zombie factors of Ya’juj and Ma’juj

The concept of “Zombie” goes way back – all the way to Mesopotamia. The basic definition revolves around the idea of “living dead”. However the term branched into hundreds of different ideas in the last few centuries. Depending on what books, movies or stories you are familiar with, your impression of zombie may vary.

I was surprised to know that the term “zombie” is also recognized in the medical field, describing few conditions and situations dealing with drugs as well as mutations. The medical researchers also explored and published multiple papers on “zombie epidemic” and other possibilities. I included some of these references at the end of the article. Basically few of the characteristics that they associate with the term “zombie” are: continual state of decay, lack of any metabolic processes and very basic brainstem.

I am not totally convinced that all of the these definitions and characteristics apply to Ya’juj and Ma’juj. However, there are plenty of zombie-like descriptions and behaviors that can be extracted from the Islamic texts. Ten (10) of these points are discussed below.

1. Sealed and cut off from the rest

Dhul Qarnain is described as a righteous and wise king. Allah had tested his justice and praised him in the Qur’an. Allah gave him means of everything – might, power, armies – to rule and provide justice in the lands.  “Indeed We established him upon the earth, and We gave him to everything a way ( إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا )” [Qur’an 18:84] Indicating him as a very powerful and capable king.

Allah also mentioned few incidents about his justices in the Qur’an, one in which he traveled to the far west and found wrong doers.  “He [Dhul Qarnain] said, “As for one who wrongs, we will punish him.  (قَالَ أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ )” [Qur’an 18:87].  So he clearly judged between the people and punished them for their wrong doings.

However, when he reached the area whereupon a local tribe complained about the mischief of Y’ajuj and Ma’juj, he neither wanted to communicate with them nor meet them in order to provide proper justice.

Instead, upon request, he built a strongest barrier possible to keep them away. In fact, when the tribe people asked him to make a barrier (سَدّ), he said he will make for them a dam (رَدْم) which is far superior and stronger![Qur’an, Surah Kahf]  He carefully chose to use iron with copper, which makes the metal more durable and resistant to shock and rust. Allah also described it in detail and praised its strength. “So they were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration. ( فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا )” [Qur’an 18:97]. Therefore it is clear that he made the barrier with full intention to lock them up for a very, very long time! He said “but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it level  ( فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ )” [Qur’an 18:98].  Most of the scholars refers the “promise” to indicate the Day of Judgement.  In that case, it seems he actually wanted to lock them until Day of Judgement!

That seems bit harsh and not proper justice to completely cut off an entire tribe of people from the rest of the world and leave them locked in one place until the end of time.  Unless, of course, he understood something very strange and evil about them.  That he does not want them to mix with other human being.

Fact	Dhul Qarnain built a strongest barrier, never wanted to meet them, rather lock them up for thousands of years until the day of Judgement.
Zombie score	80% 😮

2. Exceptional fear from the Prophet (ﷺ)

The prophet (ﷺ) showed some unusual fear and worry when mentioning Ya’juj and Ma’juj. In one incident he ﷺ “got up from his sleep with a flushed red face“[Bukhari]. In another narration he went to his wife “in a state of fear”[Bukhari] the word used is فَزِع which means frightened and said  “Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near ( وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ )”, and explained that Ya’juj and Ma’juj has opened a small hole in the barrier. The term وَيْلٌ (woe) is used for something serious matter.  If the matter is any ordinary evil he would have not expressed such emotion.

Fact	Prophet ( ﷺ ) had red face with fear when describing them.
Zombie score	85% 😨

3. So many in numbers! Quite doesn’t add up!

One of the most complicated issue regarding the Ya’juj and Ma’juj is to conceptualize and rationalize their numbers. Prophet (P) said “Among you are two nations (Ya’juj and Ma’juj) who never come to anything but they overcome with their huge number” [Bukhari, Muslim].

There are many authentic hadith that explicitly describe their number to be 1 to 1000 ratio with the believers. For example a hadith in Bukhari narrates “Allah will say (to Adam), Bring out the people of the Fire.’ Adam will say, ‘What (how many) are the people of the Fire?’ Allah will say, ‘Out of every thousand (take out) nine hundred and ninety-nine (persons).” [Bukhari]. In the same hadith Prophet (P) clarified that “one-thousand will be from Gog and Magog, and the one (to be saved will be) from you ( فَإِنَّ مِنْ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ أَلْفٌ وَمِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ )” [Bukhari].  In another words, for every one believer, there would one thousand of Ya’juj and Ma’juj people. 

Based on a research, there are roughly 7.2 Billion of Muslims born since the first year of Hijri calendar (622 CE). With that, let’s do a simple math:

 7.2 billion * 1,000 (ratio) = 7.2 trillion (USA trillion, not UK) 

So, there should be at least 7 trillions (7,000,000 billions) of Ya’juj and Ma’juj born by now! That’s, without a stretch, a mind bending huge number.

Fact	They are trillions in number in total. Currently population is only 7 Billion.
Zombie score	100% 😱

5. Exponential fertility rate

According to an estimate by PRB total modern homo-sepien (humans) ever born since 50,000 years is roughly about 100,000 Billion. That includes all nation, all faith.

From the previous section we learned that there are 7 trillions of Ya’juj and Ma’juj born so far. There are difference of opinions about when Ya’juj and Ma’juj tribe were first started. Earliest estimate is 4,000 years ago.

To put things in prospective, rest of the world produced 100 billion in 50,000 years, while Ya’juj and Ma’juj tribes would have produce 7,000,000 billion since 4,000 thousand years until the Day of Judgement. It is an astonishing difference in the ration.

Fact	Reproduces at 1000 times more then normal human society
Zombie score	110% 🙀

6. Waving and swarming

There are two places where Allah mentioned Ya’juj and Ma’juj, both in which Allah used interesting terms such as waving or surging ” And We will leave them that day surging (like waves) over each other ( وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ ) [Qur’an 18:99] and also in another chapter ” Until when [the dam of] Gog and Magog has been opened and they, from every elevation, descend ( حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ )” [Qur’an 21:97], as if they are surging like wave from every direction.  Similar expression was used in Hadith [Muslim, Ibn Majah].

Fact	They will be moving like swarm, surging from every direction.
Zombie score	100% 😱

7. Killer instinct

At the end of time when they will be released, they will be coming from all directions [Quran 21:96] and killing everyone they find [Muslim]. Only people who would have strong hiding place, would be safe from them.  Then they will say “We have killed those who are upon the earth ( فَيَقُولُونَ لَقَدْ قَتَلْنَا مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ )[Muslim]. However, that won’t satisfy them! They will say “Let us now kill those who are In the sky ( فَلْنَقْتُلْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ )” and start throwing their arrows in the sky. This isn’t a normal human paranoia.

Interestingly, Allah will cause those arrows to come down red with blood stains on them – “the arrows would return to them besmeared with blood” [Muslim] As if, just to content their killer instinct and calm them down.

One might argue why didn’t Ya’juj and Ma’juj killed the tribe that they interacted before they were trapped behind the barrier.  One explanation is that the tribe was relative to Ya’juj and Ma’juj as explained by Ibn Kathir in Bidaya wa Nihaya.  So they recognize their own people therefore they don’t kill them.

Fact	They kill who ever they find. No mercy, no remorse.
Zombie score	100% 😱

8. The process of elimination

No one will be able to fight the people of Ya’juj and Ma’juj.  Allah said “I have sent such creation (Gog and Magog) that none would dare fight against them ( إِنِّي قَدْ أَخْرَجْتُ عِبَادًا لِي لاَ يَدَانِ لأَحَدٍ بِقِتَالِهِمْ فَحَرِّزْ )” [Muslim].  Therefore at the time of their release, Muslims – Isa (Jesus) (عليه السلام) and his followers – will be commanded to take refuge in the mountain and never to encounter them. Allah will annihilate/destroy them. Interesting to note that the word used is يَهْلِكُونَ  which indicates for destroying or annihilating something, instead of using the word “killing”.

Firstly, Allah will send a special worms which will attach and penetrate their necks –  “( فَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَغَفًا فِي أَقْفَائِهِمْ فَيَهْلِكُونَ ) Then Allah sends Naghaf upon them, attaching to the nape of their necks, destroying them” [Muslim, Tirmidhi].  

Secondly, everyone of them (perhaps millions or billions of them at the time) would be perished just like one single person. “…they would perish like one single person ( فَيُصْبِحُونَ فَرْسَى كَمَوْتِ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ )” [Muslim, Ibn Majah] 

Thirdly, Allah will “send birds whose necks would be like those of Bactrian camels and they would carry them and throw them where God would will. ( فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ طَيْرًا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْبُخْتِ فَتَحْمِلُهُمْ فَتَطْرَحُهُمْ حَيْثُ شَاءَ اللَّهُ )” [Muslim]. The hadith is clear that the birds will throw them somewhere in the Earth. It is mentioned in Tafsir Ibn Kathir that ‘Ata bin Zaid said that they will be thrown in Al Mahbal, which is located in the East where sun rise.

It is undeniable the amount of detail provided in regarding the process in which they will be destroyed and removed. A lot can be speculated from these details.

It is also interesting to note that, there has been a research published which concluded that the best place to hide if zombies or any infectious spread – is on the top of the mountains. That’s precisely where Muslims were told to hide!

Fact	No one can kill them. Allah will annihilate them with some type of bug in their necks. Everyone will die instantly like a single person
Zombie score	110% 🙀

9. Decomposition and earth fertilization

After every one of Ya’juj and Ma’juj were killed instantly, their crops would be all over the place. Then the Muslims would come out from the mountain and they will have their flocks out to graze. However the animals will have nothing to eat other than “the flesh of these people (Ya’juj and Ma’juj)”. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said “it will fill them better than any vegetation they have ever eaten before.”[Ahmad].  Interesting to point out that domestic animals are herbivores, meaning they don’t eat meat!  Prophet (ﷺ) also sworn by Allah and said: “the beasts of the earth will grow fat on their flesh”[Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]. 

It is also narrated that after the birds remove their bodies, Allah will send down rain that will completely wipe clean the earth and “there would grow (such a big) pomegranate that a group of people would be able to eat that”[Muslim].

Fact	Animals would eat their corps and grow fat. Sprout of vegetation will come forth.
Zombie score	🤢

10. Everyone is in the hellfire

Every one of Ya’juj and Ma’juj people will enter the Hellfire. This view is also stated in tafsir Ibn Khathir and also considered standard understanding of the scholars.  One of the evidence that they use is the same Hadith that I stated earlier – Allah asked Adam (عليه السلام): “…Bring out the people of the Fire… Out of every thousand (1000) (take out) nine hundred and ninety-nine (999) (persons)… one person will be from you and one-thousand will be from Gog and Magog…” [Bukhari].  

Fact	Everyone of them will be in hellfire.
Zombie score	💀

Only a theory

There is certainly something very strange about Ya’juj and Ma’juj. However, I am not too sure that they are in fact Zombies, because, as I mentioned earlier, the term itself is very vague and can mean many different things. Instead what is perhaps intended by the idea, is to gesture some strange elements about them that seemingly need unconventional interpretation. Therefore there are some scholars who provided alternate views – some have explained using Geo-political analysis, and others in bio-mutation epidemic!

I do not think that layman Muslims would be misguided from these views. Rather majority of them will take the mainstream opinion – that Ya’juj/Ma’juj are just a barbaric tribe that has been trapped behind barrier ever since and will be released at the end of time. They will simply reject every other ideas. On the other hand, someone who has been exposed to more detail texts on the topic would look for alternate explanations and adopt the one that makes more sense to them.

Combining the Cave theory (which I discussed previously) and the this concept of abnormalities – whether we call zombies or something else – seems to be inline with standard interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith, while addressing some of the intriguing issues.

I am personally not decisive about their actual nature, yet. I do think that the concept of Ya’juj and Ma’juj could be much broader and may have some importance with our modern time. Allah knows best.

Some References

• http://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2018/10/30/definition-of-death-among-the-walking-dead-considerations-for-a-zombie-apocalypse/
• https://www.prb.org/howmanypeoplehaveeverlivedonearth/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325693424_How_many_Muslims_have_ever_lived_on_Earth_-_Reflections_from_demographic_data_of_the_world_Muslim_population
• https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1610300?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-actually-a-safest-hideout-in-a-zombie-apocalypse-according-to-statistics
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yajuj-and-Majuj