Stories Of The Quran
Part | 05
By: Ibn Katheer
Translated by: Ali As-Sayed Al- Halawani
The Story of: Moses And Al-Khadir
”In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”
Allah, the Almighty says:
‘’And (remember) when Musa (Moses) 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 (Moses) 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,; none but Shaitan (Satan) made me forget to remember it, it took its course into the sea in a strange (way)!” [Musa (Moses)] said: “That is what we have been seeking;” So they went back retracing their footsteps; Then they found one of Our slaves, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us; Musa (Moses) said to him (Al-Khadir): “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 (Al-Khadir) 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 (Moses) said: “If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught;” He (Al-Khadir) said: “Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I myself mention of it to you;” So they both proceeded, till, when they embarked the ship, he (Al-Khadir) scuttled it; Musa (Moses) said: “Have you scuttled it in order to drown its people? Verily, you have committed a thing Imr (a Munkar -evil, bad, dreadful thing); “
He (Al-Khadir) said: “Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me?” [Musa (Moses)] said: “Call me not to account for what I forgot,4 and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you);” Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, and he (Al-Khadir) killed him; Musa (Moses) said: “Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr (a great Munkar prohibited, evil, dreadful thing)!”
Narrated Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Allah forgives my followers those (evil deeds) their own selves may whisper or suggest to them as long as they do not act (on it) or speak.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari) Narrated AbuHurairah (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “If somebody eats something forgetfully while he is fasting, then he should complete his fast, for Allah has made him eat and drink.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
(Al-Khadir) said: “Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?” [Musa (Moses)] 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 (Al-Khadir) set it up straight; (Musa (Moses)] said: If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for it!”
(Al-Khadir) 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 Masakin (poor people) working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king behind 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 nearer to mercy. 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 them not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things) over which you could not hold patience’’. [Al-Kahf, 60-82]
Some of the People of the Book said: the one who met Al-Khadir was Musa Ibn Misha Ibn Yusuf Ibn Ya` ub Ibn Ishaq Ibn Ibrahim, father of the Prophets. But, the most authentic view is that he was Musa Ibn `Imran, the Prophet sent by Allah to the Children of Israel.
Narrated Imam Al-Bukhari:
I was told by Al-Hamidi after Sufyan after `Amr Ibn Dinar after Sa`id Ibn Jubair as saying: I said to Ibn `Abbas: “Nauf AI-Bakali claims that Moses (the companion of AI-Khadir) was not the Moses of Banu Israel but he was another Moses.” Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) remarked that the enemy of Allah (Nauj) was a liar. Narrated Ubai bin Ka `b: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Once Prophet Moses stood up and addressed Banu Israel. He was asked: “Who is the most learned man amongst the people?” He said: “I am the most learned.” Allah admonished Moses 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 of mine who is more learned than you.” Moses said: “O my Lord! How can I meet him?” Allah Almighty 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 Moses 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 and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing thing for both Moses 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’’.
Moses did not get tired till he passed the place about which he was told. There the (servant) boy told Moses:
‘’Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish’’.