Khidr and Moses Reference

 

This event took place during Prophet Moses' journey to Sudan, and by the confluence of the rivers is meant the site of the present city of Khartum where the Blue Nile and the White Nile meet together.  Prophet Moses and his attendant, Joshua, the son of Nun, took a journey at Allah's behest to meet His Servant.  Prophet Moses had been told that he would meet the Servant (Hadrat Khidr, a jinn) at the place where the fish would disappear.

 

And it so happened that when they reached the confluence, they became neglectful of the fish and it burrowed its way to the river as a through a tunnel. When they had passed on further, Moses said to the attendant, “Let us have our breakfast, for we are dead tired because of today’s journey”. The attendant said, “Did you notice what a strange thing happened when we were taking rest by the side of that rock?  I totally forgot about the fish and Satan made me so neglectful of it that I could not mention it to you: the fish slipped into the river in a marvelous manner.”  Moses replied, “That is exactly what we are seeking”.  That is "The same way the sign of the place of our destination".  Accordingly, they both went back, retracting their footsteps, and there they found one of Allah's servants whom Allah had blessed with special favor and had given him a special knowledge from Him.  The name of the Servant has been stated to be "Khidr" in all the authentic books of traditions.

 

Moses meets Khidr:

 

Moses said to him, “May I accompany you, so that you may teach me also that Wisdom, which has been taught to you?” He answered, “You cannot bear with me and you cannot have the patience with regard to that matter of which you have no knowledge”. Moses said, “If Allah wills, you will find me patient and I will not disobey you in any matter.” He said, “Well, if you want to accompany me, you should ask me no questions about anything until I myself mention it to you.”

 

Bores a Hole in the Boat:

 

They proceeded on until they boarded a boat, and that person bored a hole in the boat.  Moses cried out, "What! Have you bored a hole in it so that all the passengers may be drowned? This is a grievous thing that you have done." He answered, "Didn't I tell you that you would not be able to bear with me patiently"? Moses replied, "Please do not rebuke me for my forgetfulness, and do not take me to task in regard to my conduct".

 

Kills a Boy:

 

Then they journeyed on until they met a boy and that person slew him.  Moses cried out, "have you killed an innocent person, though he had killed no body? Surely this is a horrible deed that you have committed". He answered, "Didn't I tell you that you would not be able to bear with me patiently"? Moses said, "If after this, I ask anything of you, you may not let me accompany you.  Well, now I have afforded you with an excuse from my-self".

 

Sets up a Falling Wall:

 

Then they traveled on until they reached a certain habitation and requested its inhabitants to give them some food but they declined to entertain them.  There they saw a wall which was about to fall down.  That person set it up again.  Moses said, "Had you wanted, you could have demanded for your labor". The other said, "That will do: we must now part company. 

 

Wisdom behind those Incidents:

 

Now Khidr explained those things about which Prophet Moses could not keep patience.

(1)     As regards the boat, it belonged to a few poor persons who toiled on the river.  Khidr intended to damage it because further on there was the territory of a king who forcibly seized every boat.

(2)     As for the boy, his parents were true believers and we feared lest he should trouble them with his rebellion and unbelief. Therefore we wished that in his stead their Lord may grant them another child who may be more righteous and filial.

(3)     As regards the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys, who resided in that city.  A treasure for them lied under that wall.  As their father was a righteous man, Allah willed that when those children attain their maturity, they should dig out their treasure. 

 

All that had been done as a mercy from Allah.  He had not done any thing of his own authority.  That was the interpretation of those things about which Moses could not keep patience.

 

References Kahf 18:60-82

(Now relate to them the event regarding Moses,) when Moses said to his attendant, “I will not bring my journey to an end until I reach the confluence of the two rivers: otherwise I will continue my journey for years.”EN18:57 18:60

 

EN18:57 Though this story was told in answer to the question of the disbeliever, it has been used to impress a very important truth on the minds of both the disbelievers and the believers.  It is this: those people who draw their conclusions only from the seeming aspects of events, make a very serious error in their deductions, for they only see what is apparent and do not go deep into the Divine Wisdom that underlies them.  When they daily see the prosperity of the tyrants and the afflictions of the innocent people, the affluence of the disobedient people and the indigence of the obedient people, the enjoyments of the wicked people and the adversity of the virtuous people, they get involved in mental conflicts, nay, they become victims of misunderstandings because they do not comprehend the wisdom behind them.  The disbelievers and the tyrants conclude from this that the world is functioning without any moral laws and has no sovereign, and, if there is one, he must be senseless and unjust: therefore one may do whatever one desires for there is none to whom one shall be accountable.  On the other hand, when the believers see those things, they become so frustrated and disheartened that sometimes their faiths are put to a very hard trial.  It was to unravel the wisdom behind this mystery that Allah slightly lifted the curtain from the Reality governing His factory, so that Moses might see the wisdom behind the events that are happening day and night and how their seeming aspect is quite different from the Reality.

 

This event relates to the period, when the persecution of the Israelites by Pharaoh was at its height and , like the chiefs of the Quraish, Pharaoh and his courtiers were deluded by delay in the scourge that there was no power above them to take them to task, and like the persecuted Muslims of Makkah, the persecuted Muslims of Egypt were crying in their agony, as if to say, "Our Lord! how long will the prosperity of these tyrants and our adversity continue?".  If this conjecture is correct, then it may be concluded that probably this event took place during Prophet Moses' journey to Sudan, and by the confluence of the rivers is meant the site of the present city of Khartum where the Blue Nile and the White Nile meet together.

 

And it so happened that when they reached the confluence, they became neglectful of the fish and it burrowed its way to the river as a through a tunnel.  18:61

When they had passed on further, Moses said to the attendant, “Let us have our breakfast, for we are dead tired because of today’s journey”.  18:62

The attendant said, “Did you notice what a strange thing happened when we were taking rest by the side of that rock?  I totally forgot about the fish and Satan made me so neglectful of it that I could not mention it to you: the fish slipped into the river in a marvelous manner.”  18:63

Moses replied, “That is exactly what we are seeking”.EN18:58

 

EN18:58 That is, "The same way the sign of the place of our destination".  This shows that Prophet Moses had taken this journey at Allah's behest to meet His Servant.  He had been told that he would meet the Servant at the place where the fish would disappear.

 

Accordingly, they both went back, retracting their footsteps, 18:64

and there they found one of our servants whom We had blessed with special favor and had given him a special knowledge from Ourselves.”EN18:59 18:65

 

EN18:59 The name of the Servant has been stated to be "Khidr" in all the authentic books of traditions.  Though the Quran does not mention the name of the attendant of Prophet Moses, according to some traditions he was Joshua, the son of Nun, who succeeded him.

 

Moses said to him, “May I accompany you, so that you may teach me also that Wisdom, which has been taught to you?” 18:66

He answered, “You cannot bear with me 18:67

and you cannot have the patience with regard to that matter of which you have no knowledge”. 18:68

Moses said, “If Allah wills, you will find me patient and I will not disobey you in any matter.” 18:69

He said, “Well, if you want to accompany me, you should ask me no questions about anything until I myself mention it to you.” 18:70 

So they proceeded on until they boarded a boat, and that person bored a hole in the boat.  Moses cried out, "What! Have you bored a hole in it so that all the passengers may be drowned? This is a grievous thing that you have done. 18:71 

He answered, "Didn't I tell you that you would not be able to bear with me patiently"? 18:72

Moses replied, "Please do not rebuke me for my forgetfulness, and do not take me to task in regard to my conduct". 18:73. 

 

Then they journeyed on until they met a boy and that person slew him.  Moses cried out, "have you killed an innocent person, though he had killed no body? Surely this is a horrible deed that you have committed". 18:74 

He answered, "Didn't I tell you that you would not be able to bear with me patiently"? 18:75

Moses said, "If after this, I ask anything of you, you may not let me accompany you.  Well, now I have afforded you with an excuse from my-self". 18:76

 

Then they traveled on until they reached a certain habitation and requested its inhabitants to give them some food but they declined to entertain them.  There they saw a wall which was about to fall down.  That person set it up again.  Moses said, "Had you wanted, you could have demanded for your labor". 18:77

The other said, "That will do: we must now part company.  Now I explain those things about which you could not keep patience. 18:78 

As regards the boat, it belonged to a few poor persons who toiled on the river.  I intended to damage it because further on there was the territory of a king who forcibly seized every boat. 18:79

As for the boy, his parents were true believers and we feared lest he should trouble them with his rebellion and unbelief. 18:80

Therefore we wished that in his stead their Lord may grant them another child who may be more righteous and filial. 18:81

As regards the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys, who reside in this city.  A treasure for them lies under this wall.  As their father was a righteous man, your Lord willed that when these children attain their maturity, they should dig out their treasure.  All this has been done as a mercy from your Lord:  I have not done any thing of my own authority.  This is the interpretation of those things about which you could not keep patience."EN18:60 18:82

 

EN18:60 In connection with story, a very hard problem arises to which answer must be found: Two of the three things done by Khidr are obviously against those commandments of the Law which have always been in force since the creation of the man.  No law allows anyone the right to damage the property of another and kill an innocent person.  So much so that if a man were to know by inspiration that some usurper would illegally seize a certain boat, and that a certain boy would be involved in a rebellion and unbelief, even then no law, sent down by Allah, makes it lawful that one should bore a hole in the boat and kill the innocent boy by virtue of one's inspiration.  If in answer to this, one were to say that Khidr committed these two acts by the Command of Allah, this does not solve the problem, for the question is not this, "By whose Command did Khidr commit these acts"?  but it is this: "What was the nature of these commands"?  This is important because Khidr did these acts in accordance with Divine Command, for he himself says that these acts of his were not done by his own authority, but were moved by the mercy of Allah, and Allah Himself has testified this by saying: "We gave him a special knowledge from Ourselves".  Thus it is beyond any doubt that these acts were done by the Command of Allah, but the question about the nature of the command remains there, for it is obvious that these commands were not legal because it is not allowed by any Divine Law, and the fundamental principles of the Quran also do not allow that a person should kill another person without any proof of his guilt.  Therefore we shall have to admit that these commands belonged to one of those decrees of Allah in accordance with which one sick person recovers, while another dies: one becomes prosperous and the other is ruined.  If the Commands given to Khidr were of this nature, then one must come to the conclusion that Khidr was an angel (or some other kind of Allah's creation) who is not bound by the Divine Law prescribed for human beings, for such commands as have no legal aspect, can be addressed to angels only.  This is because the question of the lawful or the unlawful cannot arise about them: they obey the Commands of Allah without having any personal power.  In contrast to them, a man shall be guilty of a sin whether he does any such thing inadvertently by intuition or by some inspiration, if his act goes against some Divine Commandment.  This is because a man is bound to abide by Divine Commandments as a man, and there is no room whatsoever in the Divine Law that an act may become lawful for a man merely because he had received an instruction by inspiration and had been informed in a secret way of the wisdom of that unlawful act.