Regarding the Designation of Al-qa'imحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبَانٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أُورَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ الْأَرْجَنِيِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنِ الْأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ: قَامَ ابْنُ الْكَوَّاءِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع وَ هُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ أَ نَبِيٌّ كَانَ أَوْ مَلِكٌ وَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَرْنَيْهِ أَ ذَهَبٌ كَانَ أَوْ فِضَّةٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ ع لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيّاً وَ لَا مَلِكاً وَ لَا كَانَ قَرْنَاهُ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَ لَا فِضَّةٍ وَ لَكِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْداً أَحَبَّ اللَّهَ فَأَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ وَ نَصَحَ لِلَّهِ فَنَصَحَهُ اللَّهُ وَ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ لِأَنَّهُ دَعَا قَوْمَهُ فَضَرَبُوهُ عَلَى قَرْنِهِ فَغَابَ عَنْهُمْ حِيناً ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَضَرَبَ عَلَى قَرْنِهِ الْآخَرِ وَ فِيكُمْ مِثْلُهُ.
Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar (r.a.): Narrated to us my father from Husain bin Hasan bin Aban from Muhammad bin Urmiya: Narrated to me Qasim bin Urwah from Yazid Arhabi from Saad bin Tareef from Asbagh bin Nubatah that he said:
“Ibne Kawwa stood up and asked Amirul Momineen when he was on the pulpit: O Amirul Momineen , tell me about Dhulqarnain, whether he was a Prophet or a king, and whether his horns were of gold or silver. Ali said, “Dhulqarnain was a king and not a Prophet. His horns were neither of gold nor silver. He was a righteous servant of Allah. He loved the Lord and was loved by Him.
He performed many tasks for the Almighty and the Lord helped him in return. He was named Dhulqarnain because he invited the people towards Allah. The people slashed one side of his head and martyred him. But Allah made him alive and sent him for a community. He again called them towards the Lord. These people hit him on the right side of his head. And there is one like him among you.”
