The Story of Al-Khadir and

Musa
The Story of Khadir and Musa

By Al-Amir As-Sanan’I

‫ﺑﺴﻢ اﻟﻠﻪ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬

Who was Al-Khadir ?

The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said he was called Al-Khadir because he sat on

a Barren ground and it turned green beneath him. (Al-
bukhari3402)

Al-Mujahid said: He was called Al-Khadir because wherever he

prayed the field around him turned green.

An-Nawawi said: There is a consensus among the scholars that

his kunya is , “ Abul Abbass”.

Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr said: There is a difference of opinion as

to why he was called Al-Khadir, if he was a Prophet, and if he
still lives.

Was Al-Khadir a Prophet or a Messenger?

Ibn Atiyah and Al-Baghawi both mentioned that most scholars
have determined that Al-Khadir was a prophet, but they differ
if he was a messenger, while some Sufis say he was a righteous
devout servant.

There are some evidences that establish Prophet hood of Al-

Khadir.

1. Imam Al-Qurtubi said according to the majority of the

scholars Al-Khadir was a Prophet. This is based on the
verse, “ Musa said to him, “May I follow you so that you
teach me something of that knowledge which you have been
taught (by Allah)? [Al-Kahf-66]

This infers that Prophet doesn’t take knowledge from someone

lesser than him, and that things related to the unseen are
only manifest to Prophets.[ Al-Fath6/434]

Allah said: “And whom We have taught knowledge from us.”

[Al-Kahf -65]. The meaning for knowledge in this verse
represents Prophet hood. This is further supported by
two verses in the Quran; Al-Qasas ; 86 and Az-Zukhruf
:32

Allah said : “ Musa said to him, “May I follow you so

that you teach me something of that knowledge which you
have been taught (by Allah)? [Al-Kahf-66]

A Prophet only and learns and follows other Prophets.

 “ And I did it not from my own accord.” [Al-Kahf-82]
Al-Asam said : The means that Al-Khadir did those
actions based on Divine Revelation, which further proves
he was a Prophet.

Allah said: “And whom We have taught knowledge from Us.”

[Al-Kahf-65].

This implies that Allah taught Al-Khadir directly and everyone

who learns from Allah without a human between them is
considered a Prophet, so the things learnt are considered
revelation.

Al-Amir As-Sanan’I said: Therefore the strongest of opinions

is Al-Khadir was a Prophet and not a saint; as the Sufis
claim. This debunks the claim that saints know more than
Prophets. The Sufis use the story of Al-Khadir and Musa as
proof that saints have real knowledge and know the true
essence of things.

Is Al-Khadir alive or dead?

Ibn Hajr mentioned in Fath that Ibn As-Salah said: There is a

majority among the scholars that Al-Khadir is still alive, and
only a few scholars among the people of Hadith differ in this
view, and Imam An-Nawawi agreed with him. [1]

After mentioning the weak and fabricated narrations Ibn Harj

concluded that Al-Khadir is dead. Ibn Taymiyyah said: The
correct position in the issue of Al-Khadir is that he is dead
and didn’t live to see Islam .
Al-Amir As-Sanan’I said: The correct positon regarding Al-
Khadir is he is dead and he didn’t live to the era of Muhammad
(‫)ﷺ‬. This is based on strong evidence from the Quran and the
Sunnah.

Allah said: “And we granted not to any human being immortality

before you.” [Al-Anbiya-34]

Bani’ Israel asked Musa who was the most knowledge on Earth
and he replied, “I am”, and he didn’t say Allah knows best.
Therefore he was tested by though words with a man more
knowledgeable than him. [2]

The story of Musa and Al-Khadir is one which many scholars

have used to highlight the manners and etiquettes of a student
with his teacher. However, this story isn’t only restricted to
those mannerisms, but also cover many Fiqh principles and
maxims. Some those benefits are;

Whenever a person intends to travel then he should

choose close companion whom he trusts to accompany him.

A person should place some importance in seeking

knowledge.

A person should place some importance in travelling to

attain knowledge, and prepare him along the way for the
difficulties that come with it.

Al-Khadir placed a hole in the ship and built a wall in

order choose between the lesser of the two evils

Allah decreed that the young boy be killed at the hands

of Al-Khadir similarly to how the Angel of death takes
souls. The purpose of this was for Musa to see the
wisdom of Allah, and at the same time this was a mercy
for the boy and his parents.

The scholar’s role is to advise those who wish to

companion him and learn from him.

This story also shows us that the scholar doesn’t have

to reply right away to those who refute him.

When a prophet seeks knowledge this doesn’t lower his

status, even if he were to learn from other than a
prophet or messenger.

This story shows that every legislation given to the

prophets protected 5 things; the soul, the wealth, the
religion, the lineage, and the intellect. The two
mentioned in this story are the protection of one’s
property and the religion. When Al-Khadir scuttled the
sink Musa thought that he wasted wealth and took a life,
however Al-Khadir informed him that he did that to
preserve one’s wealth. When Al-Khadir killed the boy,
then Musa thought that he wasted a life unjustly,
however, Al-Khadir told Musa that he killed him to
protect the religion. Therefore based on that Musa
learned which of these 5 things that Sharia protects is
given precedence. i.e Protecting the religion takes
precedence over protecting life.

The story highlights some the pretext of Allah’s

actions.

It is allowed for a person to say, “I forgot”, The young

man accompanying Musa said, “ I indeed forgot the fish…”
[Al-Khaf63] and Musa said to Al-Khadir, “ Don’t call me
to account for what I forgot.” [Al-Khaf:73]. In regards
to avoding this word, then it probably only applies to
the Quran. i.e don’t say I forgot that verse. These are
some of the manners for dealing with the Quran.

It appears to me that the reason this story is in Al-

Khaf is because the Jews used taunt the Messenger of
Allah (‫ )ﷺ‬with questions he couldn’t answer right away.
For example they asked him about the soul, the people of
the cave, and Thul Qarnayn, only to try and show he was
unable to answer their questions ans was ignorant. He
didn’t answer them right away as he had to wait for
revelation to ascend and to came down a little slower
than normal, so much so the Polytheists said , “ Your
lord has left you.”
The enemies of Muhammad took advantage of that delay, and then
Allah sent him the answers to their questions and added the
story of Musa to show that Musa was unaware of three things as
well, and this didn’t diminish his rank as a prophet. [3]

Translated and complied by Abu Aaliyah Abduallah ibn Dwight

Battle

Doha, Qatar, 1441 H(C)

[1] Fathul Bari 6/435

[2] ‫ اﻟﻤﺪﻫﺶ‬/ pg 97 , by Ibn Al-Jawzi

[3] A Research into the Story of Musa and Al-Khadir, by Al-

Amir As-Sanan’I vol 3 pg 219.