Part 2: The Mystery of the Nusantara in the Quran

Is the location of the Nusantara mentioned in the Quran? Not directly. But if we look deeper, verse by verse, term by term, and the context of revelation from the lens of geography, direction, and natural order, a great mystery that has long been veiled will begin to unfold.

A mystery that not only touches on the origins of civilisation but also the future of end-times revival.

East: The Chosen Direction

We begin by discussing direction. In the Quran, Allah says:

وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا۟ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ

“And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.”

(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:115)

The directions of east (المشرق) and west (المغرب) are often mentioned in the Quran, not merely to indicate geography — but as symbols of the flow of light and darkness, and signals for the rise and fall of civilisations in human history.

رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْنِ

“Lord of the two easts and Lord of the two wests.”

(Surah Ar-Rahman 55:17)

What does this mean? Classical scholars interpreted this as the rising and setting points in different seasons. But what if — in the context of the end times — it also points to two major civilisational poles? The declining West and the rising East?

The People of Musa and the Inheritance of the East

In Surah Al-A'raf, Allah mentions that the people of Prophet Musa AS inherited a blessed land:

وَأَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُوا۟ يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَـٰرِقَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَغَـٰرِبَهَا ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ ۖ وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُۥ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْرِشُونَ

“And We made the oppressed people (Bani Israel) inherit the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed. And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of their patience. And We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.”

(Surah Al-A’raf 7:137)

Take note of the terms:

• مشارق الأرض (Masyariq al-ardh) → The easts of the earth

• مغاربها (Magharib al-ardh) → The wests of the earth

This begs a bigger question: during the time of Pharaoh in Egypt, there were already civilisations in the east and west. If the people of Musa inherited these, and if we (the ummah of the end times) are part of the same believing legacy — where is the most blessed "East of the Earth" today?

Are we already standing on it? The Nusantara — strategically placed, rich, fertile, hidden, and preserved from global destruction — could this be the final masyarikal-ardh?

Subtle Signs: A Hidden Location

In Surah Al-Kahf — which we often recite as protection from the trials of the end times — Allah tells of a believing people who hid in a cave and were protected from the tribulations of their time:

فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ فِى ٱلْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًۭا

“So We cast (a cover of sleep) over their ears within the cave for a number of years.”

(Surah Al-Kahf 18:11)

What is the connection between this verse and the Nusantara? Look at the verses that follow:

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِنَعْلَمَ أَىُّ ٱلْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓا۟ أَمَدًۭا

“Then We raised them up that We might test which of the two parties was best at calculating the time that they had tarried.”

(Surah Al-Kahf 18:12)

Allah awakened them again — and they became a symbol of revived faith after a long slumber.

Does this not resemble the natural disposition of the Nusantara? After being long submerged from the world stage, it will rise again in the mission of the end times — as a people chosen to carry the banner of truth.

Dhul-Qarnayn and the Journey to the East

A clearer indication of the East is found in Surah Al-Kahf, verses 89 to 97. Allah recorded the journey of Dhul-Qarnayn across three different locations — all in the East. At each site, he encountered different and distinct groups of people.

First Location – The Eastern Sunrise (Verses 89–90)

ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًۭا

“Then he followed a way.

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۢ لَّمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتْرًۭا

Until, when he reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter against it.”

(Surah Al-Kahf 18:89–90)

This was the first group Dhul-Qarnayn met in the East. They lived in a very primitive state — without shelter or civilisation. Dhul-Qarnayn observed them without interference.

Second Location – Between Two Mountains (Verses 92–94)

ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًۭا

"Then he followed another path.

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًۭا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًۭا

Until, when he reached (a pass) between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand a word.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًۭا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّۭا

They said, 'O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we pay you a tribute that you might make between us and them a barrier?'"

(Surah Al-Kahf 18:92–93)

This was the second group — helpless, unable to defend themselves. They requested Dhul-Qarnayn’s help to protect them from the third and far more corrupt people.

Third Location – Gog and Magog (Verses 94–97)

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًۭا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّۭا

"They said, 'O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are corrupters in the land. So may we give you a tribute that you might make a barrier between us and them?'

قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّى فِيهِ رَبِّى خَيْرٌۭ فَأَعِينُونِى بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًۭا

He said, 'That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], so help me with strength; I will make between you and them a barrier.'

ءَاتُونِى زُبَرَ ٱلْحَدِيدِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ ٱلصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ ٱنفُخُوا۟ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُۥ نَارًۭا قَالَ ءَاتُونِىٓ أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًۭا

'Bring me sheets of iron'—until, when he had levelled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, 'Blow [with bellows],' until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, 'Bring me molten copper to pour over it.'

فَمَا ٱسْطَـٰعُوٓا۟ أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ لَهُۥ نَقْبًۭا

So they [Gog and Magog] were unable to scale it, nor were they able to pierce it."

(Surah Al-Kahf 18:94–97)

This was the third group — Gog and Magog, a race of humans causing widespread corruption. Dhul-Qarnayn built a fortified iron wall to contain them, a wall that would remain until Allah's decree to release them.

Three Locations, One Direction: The East

The entirety of verses 89 to 97 shows that Dhul-Qarnayn remained in the eastern region, exploring different locations within it. From primitive peoples, to helpless communities, to the most corrupt — all were found in the East.

This further strengthens the indication that the East is the stage for the final confrontation of the end times. And in our context today, it begs the question: Are we, in the lands of the East, dwelling in a region once traversed by Dhul-Qarnayn?

A Sign from Surah At-Takwir

In Surah At-Takwir, Allah describes cataclysmic events that shake the natural order. These verses are often read poetically, metaphorically. But when viewed through the lens of earth science and modern phenomena, they become clear signs unfolding before our eyes.

وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

“And when the pregnant she-camels are neglected;”

وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

“And when the wild beasts are gathered;”

وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

“And when the seas are set on fire (or boiled over);”

(Surah At-Takwir 81:4–6)

Let’s break them down in relation to the Nusantara:

1. وَإِذَا ٱلْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ – “When the pregnant she-camels are neglected…”
In ancient times, a pregnant camel symbolised wealth and the future. Its neglect means people have stopped caring about worldly assets — a sign of economic collapse or the devaluation of physical wealth. Today, wealth has shifted to fiat and digital currency. Society has lost its compass.

2. وَإِذَا ٱلْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ – “When wild beasts are gathered…”
Old interpretations speak of animals gathered for divine judgment. But we see a physical fulfilment too: wildlife moving into cities, gathered into zoos, or displaced by deforestation and rising temperatures. Even deep-sea creatures — sharks, jellyfish, and whales — have been surfacing on Nusantara coasts in alarming frequency.

3. وَإِذَا ٱلْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ – “When the seas are set aflame…”
This is the most evident. Oceans are heating up. Sea surface temperatures in the Nusantara are rising dramatically. Undersea volcanoes are becoming active. The underwater mountain chains of Indonesia and the Philippines are among the most volatile on Earth.

As the seas heat, methane is released, tectonic pressures shift, and a domino effect unfolds:

• Tsunamis

• Earthquakes

• Island collapses

• Subsea eruptions

• Polar ice melting, raising global sea levels

Nusantara at the Epicentre of At-Takwir

Rising seas, dead zones, rare marine species appearing, forests burning, tectonic cracks — the greatest frequency of these disasters is not in Europe or America, but right here, in the Nusantara.

Is this merely a climate anomaly?

Or is this a divine signal — that this land is destined to be the epicentre of end-times upheaval, just as the people of Saba’ once suffered a flood and saw their land fractured into islands?

The Paradise That Was Destroyed and Will Rise Again

We return now to Surah Saba’. After the death of Prophet Sulaiman AS, Allah immediately tells of a nation that lived in immense prosperity — not only with rich resources, but with a harmonious and perfected way of life:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍۢ فِى مَسْكَنِهِمْ ءَايَةٌۭ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍۢ وَشِمَالٍۢ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۚ بَلْدَةٌۭ طَيِّبَةٌۭ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌۭ

"Indeed, there was for the people of Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two gardens on the right and on the left. (They were told), 'Eat from the provision of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land and a Forgiving Lord.'"

(Surah Saba’ 34:15)

BTWG – Baldatun Tayyibatun wa Rabbun Ghafur (A Good Land and a Forgiving Lord).

Notice the arrangement: right and left — suggesting a river in the middle. A lush valley, perhaps. Much like the cradles of civilisation: the Nile in Egypt, the Euphrates and Tigris in Mesopotamia, the Indus in South Asia... Could there have been one here too?

Then came their downfall:

فَأَعْرَضُوا۟ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ ٱلْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَـٰهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَىْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍۢ وَأَثْلٍۢ وَشَىْءٍۢ مِّن سِدْرٍۢ قَلِيلٍۢ

"But they turned away, so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two gardens with gardens producing bitter fruit, tamarisks, and a few sparse lote trees."

(Surah Saba’ 34:16)

Allah didn’t destroy them with fire or lightning or quakes, but with water — a flood from above (possibly a dam collapse, a river tsunami), and possibly from below (oceanic waves, sea-level rise). A double water disaster that reshaped their world.

Land fragmentation. Continental drift. The creation of archipelagos.

Then, Allah makes it clear: this punishment wasn’t for all — only for those who disbelieved:

ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَفَرُوا۟ ۖ وَهَلْ نُجَـٰزِىٓ إِلَّا ٱلْكَفُورَ

"That is how We repaid them for their ingratitude. And We only repay the ungrateful in such a way."

(Surah Saba’ 34:17)

Those who believed — they were saved.

But where did they go?

Let us imagine — they were not destroyed. They were separated. The terrain changed. Rivers became seas. Land turned to islands. Roads disappeared. One people became many nations. One civilisation became fragments.

And that is what we now know as the Nusantara.

When we see conifer trees growing in place of lush tropical flora, it's not merely a change in vegetation — it’s a shift in altitude and climate. High ground no longer grows lowland plants. This is geology. This is Earth science. This is Qadarullah — the divine decree upon a civilisation that turned away after being granted paradise on Earth.

But the story doesn’t end there.

The believers — the remnants of the Hanif — were not lost. They became the carriers of trust. They lived in silence, perhaps without titles, perhaps without recorded history. But they were there. Waiting. Waiting for the moment of revival.

And if they are truly us — then the duty has returned to us. To rebuild the garden that was lost, not in physical form, but through creed, civilisation, and khilafah.

Nusantara: The Chosen Land

None of this is coincidence. Allah has placed numerous signs about the East, about revival, and about the remnants of believing nations in hidden lands — places far from the collapse zones of the world’s empires.

وَءَاخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا۟ بِهِمْ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

"And (He has also sent him to) others among them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise."

(Surah Al-Jumu’ah 62:3)

A people who had not yet met the Prophet at that time, but who would one day receive the message and continue the mission.

Does this not reflect the story of the end-time struggle of the people of the Nusantara?

Conclusion: It Will Begin Here

The Nusantara is a land that was spared from the great collapses of history. But it is not a land that will remain untouched.

It is the land of revival. The land where the Black Banners will rise. The land where the final warriors will awaken.

But before that, we must know who we are.

We will be struck down first by the As-Sa'ah — the divine hour — before we are resurrected.

Arise. We are not an ordinary people.
We are the keepers of the final secret of human history.