إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الاَْرْضِ
Verily, We established him in the earth,
means, `We have given him great power, so that he had all that kings could have of might, armies, war equipment and siege machinery.' So he had dominion over the east and the west, all countries and their kings submitted to him, and all the nations, Arab and non-Arab, served him.
Some of them said he was called Dhul-Qarnayn (the one with two horns) because he reached the two "Horns" of the sun, east and west, where it rises and where it sets.
وَاتَيْنَاهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا
and We gave him the means of everything.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others said,
"This means knowledge."
Qatadah also said,
وَاتَيْنَاهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا
(and We gave him the means of everything).
"The different parts and features of the earth."
Concerning Bilqis, Allah said,
وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
she has been given all things. (27;23),
meaning all things that monarchs like her are given.
Thus too was Dhul-Qarnayn;
Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means and power to conquer all areas, regions and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the earth and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need.
And Allah knows best