The Top 100 Leaders in History

“...When my soldiers in great numbers peacefully entered Babylon... I did not allow anyone to terrorize the people...
I kept in view the needs of people and all its sanctuaries to promote their well-being... Freed all the slaves
I put an end to jews misfortune and slavery.”
The famous clay cylinder of Cyrus the Great, written in 539 BC.

Lets see Greeks who were the enemies of Persians, say about him:

"Cyrus, finding the nations in Asia also independent in exactly the same way, started out with a little band of Persians and became the leader of the Medes by their full consent and of the Hyrcanians by theirs; he then conquered Syria, Assyria, Arabia, Cappadocia, both Phrygias, Lydia, Caria, Phoenicia, and Babylonia; he ruled also over Bactria, India, and Cilicia; and he was likewise king of the Sacians, Paphlagonians, Magadidae, and very many other nations, of which one could not even tell the names; he brought under his sway the Asiatic Greeks also; and, descending to the sea, he added both Cyprus and Egypt to his empire.
He ruled over these nations, even though they did not speak the same language as he, nor one nation the same as another; for all that, he was able to cover so vast a region with the fear which he inspired, that he struck all men with terror and no one tried to withstand him; and he was able to awaken in all so lively a desire to please him, that they always wished to be guided by his will. Moreover, the tribes that he brought into subjection to himself were so many that it is a difficult matter even to travel to them all, in whatever direction one begin one's journey from the palace, whether toward the east or the west, toward the north or the south.
Believing this man to be deserving of all admiration, we have therefore investigated who he was in his origin, what natural endowments he possessed, and what sort of education he had enjoyed, that he so greatly excelled in governing men. Accordingly, what we have found out or think we know concerning him we shall now endeavour to present.
Cyrus was most handsome in person, most generous of heart, most devoted to learning, and most ambitious, so that he endured all sorts of labour and faced all sorts of danger for the sake of praise.", Cyropaedia of Xenophon, Book 1 & 2

What's your religion?

Are you jew?

God calls King Cyrus the Great by name before he is even born to serve Him.
"This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it."
Cyrus the Great, as it is written in Ezra, c. I and Isaiah, c. 44-45, as well as in the last Chapter of Kings, has been given the titles of Shibban and Messiah by God, which even the prophets do not have.

Are you Christian?

God’s instrument came to power sometime around 550 B.C.: they called him "Cyrus the Great." Read about him in Isaiah 41:2-3,25; 44:28; 45:13; 46:2,11; 48:14-15.
1. Notice the titles God gave to Cyrus in Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; 41:2
My Shepherd
Anointed One
Righteous Man
2. These titles are unusual, most often being reserved for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
3. Look at the job description God gave Cyrus in Isaiah 44:28; 45:13; 48:14-15:
To free the captive Jews
To help rebuild Jerusalem
To cause the foundations of the temple to be laid
To punish Babylon
4. Why would God use a Gentile king to deliver Israel? Read Isaiah 45: 5-6:
"I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none other."
Again in verses 21 and 22 of that same chapter the Lord declares that He is the only God and refers to himself as righteous and a Savior. Only God can truly save. Yet we see that He uses a foreign king in order to show His sovereignty over all things.
5. What promises did God give to Cyrus? There are many outlined in Isaiah 45:1-3. He would hold Cyrus’ right hand, demonstrating His bestowal of power. He would subdue nations before opened gates, make crooked places straight, and break gates of bronze and iron. Cyrus overtook three of the four great empires of the world in his day. One of them was Media–which was absorbed into Persia and became Medo-Persia. God gave Cyrus the "treasures of darkness," probably referring to the riches of the Kingdom of Lydia, which Cyrus conquered prior to invading Babylon. The fables about King Midas may be rooted in the land of Lydia and her historical King Croesus.
A person who has a job usually has a job description so he knows what his responsibilities are. Cyrus’ job description was fourfold:
Cyrus freed the Jewish people to return to their homeland. Isaiah 45:13 tells us that he was appointed to this specific task, but not for a price or a reward. (See Chapter 6, How Did Five Persian Kings get in our Bible, for further details). History also accounts for a job well done. A sixth grade history book from Iran gives some of the details about Cyrus. It says: "By the order of Cyrus, the Jews who were captive became free and were able to return to their own holy city of Jerusalem."
Cyrus enabled the rebuilding of Jerusalem as predicted in Isaiah 44:28 and 45:13. With his blessing large numbers of Jews returned to the city of Jerusalem. Though their impetus was to rebuild the temple, they would eventually rebuild the city walls and fortify Jerusalem once more.
Cyrus helped to rebuild the temple foundation. We can see in II Chronicles 36:23 his acknowledgment that God had specifically appointed him for the task. However, remember from Isaiah 44:28 that only the temple foundation would be laid. The Book of Ezra tells the story of Israel’s enthusiasm in laying the foundation and the subsequent discouragement they received from the surrounding nations. The work would not be finished until 50 years later, under the leadership of Haggai.
Cyrus punished Babylon. In Isaiah 48:14-15 he is referred to as "the Lord’s chosen ally" who carried out His purpose against Babylon. Historical legends have arisen about his massive victory over the Babylonian Empire. One claims that Cyrus secretly diverted the Euphrates River, which runs through the middle of the Babylonian capital, so that his army could march through the riverbed by night and capture the city.

Quran, Surat 18. Al-Kahf

83.And they ask you about Cyrus the Great (Zulqarnain). Say: "I shall recite to you something of his story."

84.Verily, We established him in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything.

85.So he followed a way.

86.Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy water (Lydia). And he found near it a people. We (Allâh) said (by inspiration): "O Cyrus! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness."

87.He said: "As for him (a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allâh) who does wrong, we shall punish him; and then he will be brought back unto his Lord; Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell).

88."But as for him who believes (in Allâh's Oneness) and works righteousness, he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Cyrus) shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)."

89.Then he followed another way,

90.Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allâh) had provided no shelter against the sun.

91.So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Cyrus).

92.Then he followed (another) way,

93.Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word.

94.They said: "O Cyrus! Verily! Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog) are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?"

95.He said: "That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier.

96."Give me pieces (blocks) of iron," then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: "Blow," till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said: "Bring me molten copper to pour over it."

97.So they [Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog)] were made powerless to scale it or dig through it.

98.(Cyrus) said: "This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true."

99.And on that Day [i.e. the Day Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog) will come out], We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another, and the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together.

100.And on that Day We shall present Hell to the disbelievers, plain to view,

101.(To) Those whose eyes had been under a covering from My Reminder (this Qur'ân), and who could not bear to hear (it).

102.Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves [i.e. Cyrus the Great] as Auliyâ' (lords, gods, protectors, etc.) besides Me? Verily, We have prepared Hell as an entertainment for the disbelievers (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism)

We can discuss about it in another thread, as you know, Cyrus the Great was an unknown figure among muslims for centuries and they knew almost nothing about him before the translation of Greek books in the last centuries, anyway I think if we want to discuss about this subject then we should firstly answer these two question:

1.What was the importance of Zulqarnain for Jews who asked about him?

It should be mentioned that the Prophet Daniel calls Cyrus the Great, the savior of Jews, as a ram with two horns (Daniel 8:1-4) and Zulqarnain just means one with two horns in Arabic.

2.Which is the personality in history who fits the beliefs and characteristics of Zulqarnain and his different expeditions as mentioned in the Quran?