7/2/2014 Lessons From the Encounter Between Musa (alaihissalam) and Al-Khidr | Tafsir of the Quran

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Tafsir of the Quran
Lessons From the Encounter Between Musa
(alaihissalam) and Al-Khidr
17 Sunday Jun 2012
POSTED BY UMM MUAWIYAH IN 018) AL-KAHF, ARTICLES AND BOOKS, AS-SAADI, CHARACTER AND PIETY,
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Assalamu Alaikum.
[Note: I've updated this post. I've added the Quranic text and the translation from Surah Al-Kahf, the
Arabic text of the hadeeth as well as an additional article at the end.]
The story of Musa (alaihissalam) and Al-Khidr is mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf.

And (remember) when Musa said to his boy-servant: I will not give up (travelling) until I
reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travelling.

But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish, and it took its
way through the sea as in a tunnel.

So when they had passed further on (beyond that fixed place), Musa said to his boy-servant:
Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey.

He said:Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed forgot the fish,
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He said:Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed forgot the fish,
none but Shaitan (Satan) made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a
strange (way)!

[Musa] said: That is what we have been seeking. So they went back retracing their
footsteps.

Then they found one of Our slaves, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and
whom We had taught knowledge from Us.

Musa said to him (Khidr) May I follow you so that you teach me something of that
knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have been taught (by Allah)?

He (Khidr) said: Verily! You will not be able to have patience with me!

And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not?

Musa said: If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.

He (Khidr) said: Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I myself mention it
to you.

So they both proceeded, till, when they embarked the ship, he (Khidr) scuttled it. Musa
said: Have you scuttled it in order to drown its people? Verily, you have committed a thing
Imra (a Munkar evil, bad, dreadful thing).

He (Khidr) said: Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me?

[Musa] said: Call me not to account for what I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my
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[Musa] said: Call me not to account for what I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my
affair (with you).

Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Musa said: Have you
killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have committed a thing
Nukra (a great Munkar prohibited, evil, dreadful thing)!

(Khidr) said: Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?

[Musa] said: If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have
received an excuse from me.

Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them
for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to
collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight. [Musa] said: If you had wished, surely, you could
have taken wages for it!

(Khidr) said: This is the parting between me and you, I will tell you the interpretation of
(those) things over which you were unable to hold patience.

As for the ship, it belonged to Masaakeen (poor people) working in the sea. So I wished to
make a defective damage in it, as there was a king after them who seized every ship by
force.

And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress them
by rebellion and disbelief.

So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in
righteousness and near to mercy.

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And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under it a
treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord intended
that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from
your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things)
over which you could not hold patience.
[Surah Al-Kahf (18): 60-82]
There are also some ahadeeth which add to the information:
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Narrated Ubai ibn Kab (radiallahu anhu): The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, Once the
Prophet Musa stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked, Who is the most learned man
amongst the people. He said, I am the most learned. Allah admonished Musa as he did not
attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah).
So Allah inspired to him: At the junction of the two seas there is a slave amongst my slaves who is
more learned than you. Musa said, O my Lord! How can I meet him? Allah said: Take a fish in a
large basket (and proceed) and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish. So Musa
set out along with his (servant) boy, Yusha bin Nun and carried a fish in a large basket till they
reached a rock, where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish came out of the basket
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and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing thing for both Musa and his
(servant) boy. They proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. When the day broke,
Moses said to his (servant) boy: Bring us our early meal. No doubt, we have suffered much fatigue
in this journey.
Musa did not get tired till he passed the place about which he was told. There the (servant) boy told
Musa: Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish. Musa
remarked, That is what we have been seeking. So they went back retracing their foot-steps, till they
reached the rock. There they saw a man covered with a garment (or covering himself with his own
garment). Musa greeted him. Al-Khidr replied saying, How do people greet each other in your
land? Musa said, I am Musa. He asked, The Musa of Bani Israel? Moses replied in the
affirmative and added, May I follow you so that you teach me of that knowledge which you have
been taught.
Al-Khidr replied, Verily! You will not be able to remain patient with me, O Musa! I have some of the
knowledge of Allah which He has taught me and which you do not know, while you have some
knowledge which Allah has taught you which I do not know. Musa said, Allah willing, you will
find me patient and I will not disobey you in aught. So both of them set out walking along the sea-
shore, as they did not have a boat. In the meantime a boat passed by them and they requested the
crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khidr and took them on board
without fare. Then a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or
twice in the sea. Al-Khidr said: O Musa! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased
Allahs knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.
Al-Khidr went to one of the planks of the boat and plucked it out. Musa said, These people gave us a
free lift but you have broken their boat and scuttled it so as to drown its people. Al-Khidr replied,
Didnt I tell you that you will not be able to remain patient with me. Musa said, Call me not to
account for what I forgot. The first (excuse) of Musa was that he had forgotten.
Then they proceeded further and found a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khidr took hold of the
boys head from the top and plucked it out with his hands (i.e. killed him). Musa said, Have you
killed an innocent soul who has killed none. Al-Khidr replied, Did I not tell you that you cannot
remain patient with me?
Then they both proceeded till when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but
they refused to entertain them. Then they found there a wall on the point of collapsing. Al-Khidr
repaired it with his own hands. Musa said, If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages
for it. Al-Khidr replied, This is the parting between you and me. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi
wassalam) added, May Allah be Merciful to Musa! Would that he could have been more patient to
learn more about his story with Al-Khidr. [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume No. 1, Hadeeth No.124]
[For those of you who have kiddies, a brother has created a nice powerpoint presentation of this story
which you can download from his site. Good stuff.]
This story is full of lessons (and by full, I mean FULL) but of course, we just need someone to tell us
what they are.
Here are the lessons derived by Imam As-Saadi (rahimahullah) from this story: Lessons From the
7/2/2014 Lessons From the Encounter Between Musa (alaihissalam) and Al-Khidr | Tafsir of the Quran
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Here are the lessons derived by Imam As-Saadi (rahimahullah) from this story: Lessons From the
Encounter Between Moosa (alaihissalaam) and Al-Khidr.
Also, for those who are interested in knowing more about Al-Khidr, please check the following
resources:
[Please note that there is a dispute as to whether Al-Khidr is a Prophet or not.]
____________________________________________________________
From QSEP:
Who is Al-Khidr?
_____________________________________________________________
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/21793
Was al-Khidr a Prophet?
Was al-Khidr an angel, a Messenger, a Prophet or a wali (saint)?
Praise be to Allaah.
The from the general meaning of the Quraanic verses it appears that he was a Prophet.
Shaykh al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning)
Then they found one of Our slaves, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had
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Then they found one of Our slaves, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had
taught knowledge from Us
[al-Kahf 18:65]
But it may be understood from some aayahs that the mercy mentioned here was the mercy of
Prophethood, and that this knowledge which came from Allaah was the knowledge of revelation
(wahy) It is known that mercy and the bestowal of knowledge from Allaah is more general and
comes in more ways than via Prophethood. The fact that something general exists does not
necessarily imply that something more specific exists, as is well known. One of the indications that
the mercy and knowledge with which Allaah blessed His slave al-Khidr came by way of
Prophethood and revelation is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
And I did them not of my own accord[al-Kahf 18:82]
i.e., rather I did them by the command of Allaah, and the command of Allaah is only conveyed via
wahy (revelation), because there is no way for the commands and prohibitions of Allaah to be known
except through revelation from Allaah, especially with regard to the killing of an apparently innocent
soul and damaging a ship by making a hole in it, because committing acts of aggression against
peoples lives and wealth can only be validated via revelation from Allaah. Allaah has restricted the
method of warning to revelation as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
Say (O Muhammad): I warn you only by the Revelation
[al-Anbiya 21:45]
the word innama (translated here as only) implies limitation or restriction.
Adwaa al-Bayaan, 4/172, 173
And he said:
From all of this we know that al-Khidrs killing the boy and making a hole in the ship, and his
saying,
And I did them not of my own accord
[al-Kahf 18:82 interpretation of the meaning]]
clearly indicate that he was a Prophet. Al-Fakhr al-Raazi, in his tafseer, attributed the view that he
was a Prophet to many scholars. Another factor that may indicate that he was a Prophet is the fact
that Moosa (peace be upon him) humbled himself before him and said (interpretation of the
meaning):
May I follow you so that you teach me something of that knowledge (guidance and true path)
which you have been taught (by Allaah)?[al-Kahf 18:66]
If Allaah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught[al-Kahf 18:69]
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even though al-Khidr said to him (interpretation of the meaning):
And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not? [al-Kahf 18:68]
Adwaa al-Bayaan, 3/326.
_____________________________________________________________
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/20505
Is al-Khidr living on the face of the earth?
Is al-Khidr still living on the face of the earth until the present day? And will he remain alive until the
Day of Resurrection?
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Shanqeeti said:
The stories of al-Khidr told by the righteous are innumerable. They claim that he and Ilyaas perform
Hajj each year and they narrated duaas from them, and these stories are well known and
widespread, but the basis of what they say is very weak, because most of them are stories narrated
from some of those whom they think are righteous, or dreams and ahaadeeth that are attributed to
Anas or others, but all of them are daeef (weak) and cannot be used to prove anything.
What seems to me to be more likely, based on the evidence concerning this matter, is that al-Khidr is
not alive, rather he died. This is for a number of reasons:
1 The apparent meaning of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning)
And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muhammad); then if you die,
would they live forever?
[al-Anbiya 21:34]
2 The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: O Allaah, if you allow this
group of Muslims to be destroyed, You will not be worshipped on earth. (Narrated by Muslim)
3 The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that one hundred years
after the night on which he was speaking, none of the people who were on the face of the earth then
would still be alive. If al-Khidr had been alive at that point he would not have remained after the
hundred years mentioned. Muslim ibn al-Hajjaaj said that Abd-Allaah ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Umar
said: The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led us in praying
Isha one night towards the end of his life, then he stood up and said: Do you see this night of yours?
One hundred years from now not one of those who are on the face of the earth now will remain. Ibn
Umar said: The people did not understand these words of the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and they said that this meant that the Day of Resurrection
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would come after one hundred years. The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, not one of those who are on the face of the earth now will remain meaning that that
generation would pass away.
4 If al-Khidr had lived until the time of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), he would have followed him, supported him and fought alongside him, because he was sent to
the two races of jinn and mankind.
___________________________________________________________
http://www.subulassalaam.com/articles/article.cfm?article_id=145
The First Person to Travel to Seek Knowledge
Reference: Ar Rihlah fee Talab al Hadeeth P. 106
Author: Al Khateeb al Baghdaadee
Topic: Do you know
Musa believed or said that there was nobody more knowledgeable than him, so he was then ordered
to travel to al Khadir . Some of the people of knowledge stated that the fatigue that Musa
went through by traveling, and the patience he had for the humility and subjection that he
demonstrated to al Khadir after his wearisome journey, keeping in mind Musas status with Allaah,
his dignity and the nobility of his prophet-hood, that this is evidence of the lofty status of knowledge
as well as the lofty status of the people of knowledge. It is also evidence of the humility that one
should have towards the person knowledge is sought and taken from.
If there were anyone who would be too great to humble himself due to his lofty status, it would have
been Musa [at that time]. So when he exhibited his eagerness and seriousness for benefit, and left his
land while acknowledging the need to learn some knowledge that is unknown to him, it
demonstrates that there is nothing in creation that is higher than this state, nothing is greater than it.
And more than one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah traveled to
distant lands to hear just one Hadeeth, as well as a number of Taabieen after them. We will mention
the stories that reached us with the aid of and will of Allaah
[1]There is more than one way to pronounce the name (), in the books of Hadeeth, some of the
narrators bare this name and its pronounced Khidir. However, with the companion of Musa the
one mentioned in this article the correct pronunciation is al Khadir, with a fat-ha on the Kha and a
Kasra on the Daad.
[1]
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