Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance: Difference between revisions

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→‎Spread of the Syriac Legend to Arabia: I have added in a link to the full book which can be read for free on the internet (internetarchive.org) into the reference for viewers to read if they choose.
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(→‎Historical Claims in the Hadith: I've added in small section on the caliph ordering a journey to this barrier, which I believe is important as it helps confirm early Muslim understanding (inc. the caliph, the highest Islamic authority) of the wall to still be around at the time. I've also found the full (scholarly) book which is referenced several times on this page can be read online for free on internetarchive.org, so I've left a link to that in the citation.)
m (→‎Spread of the Syriac Legend to Arabia: I have added in a link to the full book which can be read for free on the internet (internetarchive.org) into the reference for viewers to read if they choose.)
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===Spread of the Syriac Legend to Arabia===
===Spread of the Syriac Legend to Arabia===


The popularity of the Syriac legend of Alexander is evidenced by its inclusion in other works soon after its composition: The Syriac "Song of Alexander" (also known as the metrical homily or poem about Alexander), composed a few years later but before the Arab conquest of Syria sometime between 630 CE and 636 CE; The Syriac Apocalpyse of Pseudo-Ephrem composed between 640 CE and 683 CE and the "Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius" composed around 692 CE.<ref name="VanBladel" /><ref>{{cite book |date=2010 |last1=van Donzel |first1=Emeri |last2=Schmidt |first2=Andrea  |title=Gog and Magog in Early Eastern Christian and Islamic Sources: Sallam's Quest for Alexander's Wall  |publisher=Leiden: Brill |pages=25–31 |isbn=9789004174160}}</ref> Since the work was composed as a piece of propaganda, its intentional dissemination makes sense of its rapid adoption and popularity in the region. This would have included Christian Arabs of the Ghassanid.  It is even possible that early Muslim followers heard the story of the Syrian legend during their raids on Mu'ta on the borders of Syria around September 629 CE.<ref name="VanBladel" />
The popularity of the Syriac legend of Alexander is evidenced by its inclusion in other works soon after its composition: The Syriac "Song of Alexander" (also known as the metrical homily or poem about Alexander), composed a few years later but before the Arab conquest of Syria sometime between 630 CE and 636 CE; The Syriac Apocalpyse of Pseudo-Ephrem composed between 640 CE and 683 CE and the "Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius" composed around 692 CE.<ref name="VanBladel" /><ref>{{cite book |date=2010 |last1=van Donzel |first1=Emeri |last2=Schmidt |first2=Andrea  |title=Gog and Magog in Early Eastern Christian and Islamic Sources: Sallam's Quest for Alexander's Wall  |publisher=Leiden: Brill |pages=25–31 |isbn=9789004174160}} The full book and their analysis of the journey taken by Sallam can be read on the ''[https://archive.org/details/gogandmagoginearlyeasternchristianandislamicsources/page/n43/mode/2up Internet Archive linked here.]''</ref> Since the work was composed as a piece of propaganda, its intentional dissemination makes sense of its rapid adoption and popularity in the region. This would have included Christian Arabs of the Ghassanid.  It is even possible that early Muslim followers heard the story of the Syrian legend during their raids on Mu'ta on the borders of Syria around September 629 CE.<ref name="VanBladel" />


===Views of Modern Scholars===
===Views of Modern Scholars===
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