THE STORY ABOUT THE PROPHETS
MUSA AND AL-KHIDR
THE JOURNEY OF THE PROPHET
MUSA AND HIS YOUNG SERVANT TO THE “PLACE WHERE THE SEAS
MEET”
"Behold, Musa said to
his young servant: I will not cease until I reach the place
where the two rivers meet or (until) my journey stretches
for years to come." (Surat al-Kahf, 60)
The word “young” used in this verse
might be meant to teach us to ask for the help of young people
when we take up a task and to act together with them. We should
encourage young people to use their energy, dynamism, power
and enthusiasm to perform good deeds so as to win God’s
favor. A number of verses focus on this subject, and it is
stated that only a group of young people in the Prophet Musa’s
tribe believed in him.
“In the end there was
no one but a group of young people in Musa’ tribe who
believed in Musa, because they were all afraid of being punished
by the Pharaoh and his followers. Pharaoh was an overly proud
tyrant who went too far.” (Surah Yunus, 83)
Another point stressed in verse 60 of the Surat
al-Kahf was the Prophet Musa’s meeting place. The Prophet
Musa wanted to meet someone in one of his journeys and he
set the meeting place as “the point where two seas meet.”
There are a number of locales in the world that fit Musa’s
description.
THE FISH BECAME A SIGN OF THE EXACT MEETING
PLACE
"So when they had reached
the junction of the two (seas) they forgot their fish, and
it took its way into the sea, being free. But when they had
gone farther, he said to his servant: Bring to us our morning
meal, certainly we have grown fatigued from our journey. He
said: Did you see when we took refuge on the rock then I forgot
the fish, and nothing made me forget to speak of it but Satan,
and it found its way into the river; what a wonder! He said:
This is what we have been seeking; so they returned through
retracing their footsteps." (Surat al-Kahf, 61-64)
 The
verses also tell us that the Prophet Musa and his young servant
brought fish to eat. But before the mealtime, God made both
of them forget about this fish and the fish swam its way in
the current away from them. But this forgetfulness carried
many blessings. God made both Musa and his young servant forget
about their food. The Prophet Musa came to the area where
the two seas met in order to meet a blessed person. The Prophet
Musa and his young servant had to travel for a long period
of time in order to reach this spot ordained by fate. But
they needed more detail in order to reach the exact meeting
place, because the area where two seas met was a large area
indeed. Without knowing exactly where in this large area they
should go, finding the person they were going to meet would
be quite difficult. At this stage, we see the blessing of
the fish’s escape. This escape was a clear sign, because
the fish was given the task of supplying the details of this
meeting place. The spot where the fish escaped to due to the
forgetfulness of Musa and his servant alike was actually the
exact meeting place. God had ordained this and He used the
fish’s escape solely as a means.
THE MEETING OF THE PROPHET MUSA WITH THE
BLESSED AND MERCIFUL PROPHET AL-KHIDR
"Then they found one
from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us
and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves" (Surat al-Kahf,
65)
God has endless mercy towards his people, he
is all compassionate and all merciful. The Prophet Al-Khidr,
who was going to meet the Prophet Musa, had been blessed with
God’s mercy. God’s compassion and mercy manifested
itself in the Prophet Al-Khidr. God blessed Al-Khidr and made
him into an extraordinary man.
THE PROPHET MUSA ASKED FOR THE PROPHET AL-KHIDR’S
PERMISSION TO BECOME HIS DISCIPLE
“Musa said to him: Shall
I follow you on condition that you teach me the right knowledge
of what you have been taught?” (Surat al-Kahf, 66)
These verses tell us that detailed knowledge
had been revealed to the Prophet Musa about this blessed person
that he was to meet. There is a great deal of evidence showing
this. For instance, the Prophet Musa made an effort to go
to this spot, although it was quite far from where he had
started from, all because he was completely sure that he was
going to benefit greatly from this person he would meet. Therefore
he decided to suffer through all the difficulties of this
long journey.
Moreover, the moment they met each other, the Prophet
Musa recognized the Prophet Al-Khidr, and Musa sensed the
other man’s greater morals and knowledge and so asked
to join him as a disciple. This shows that God had revealed
to him beforehand that the Prophet Al-Khidr was a blessed
person. (God knows what is best.)
THE PROPHET AL-KHIDR’S RESPONSE TO
THE PROPHET MUSA
He (the Prophet Al-Khidr)
said: Surely you cannot have patience with me. And how can
you have patience with something about which you have only
incomplete knowledge? (Surat al-Kahf, 67-68)
The verses tell us that the Prophet Al-Khidr
also had detailed information about the Prophet Musa. From
their conversations, we can also tell that the Prophet Al-Khidr
also knew certain things about the future as they had been
revealed to him by God.
The Prophet Al-Khidr, immediately after hearing
the Prophet Musa’s request, told Musa that he was incapable
of having patience with himself, Al-Khidr. Although nothing
really had passed between them, it is curious that the Prophet
Al-Khidr made such a remark without knowing how the Prophet
Musa was going to act. This is because the Prophet Al-Khidr
knew of the future, an ability bestowed upon him by God. (God
knows what is best.)
WITH THE WORDS “GOD WILLING,”
THE PROPHET MUSA MADE A PROMISE
Musa said: "God willing,
you will find me patient and I shall not disobey you in any
matter." (Surat al-Kahf, 69)
We see from this verse that the Prophet Musa
acts like a true Muslim. Upon hearing the concerns of the
Prophet Al-Khidr, he says “Inshallah”, meaning
“God willing,” a true expression of the believers’
submission to God, indicating how we are actually helpless
and powerless without God’s aid.
THE PROPHET AL-KHIDR TOLD THE PROPHET MUSA
TO HOLD BACK FROM ASKING ANY QUESTIONS UNTIL HE RAISED THE
SUBJECT
He said: “If you would
follow me, then do not question me about anything until I
myself speak to you about it.” (Surat al-Kahf, 70)
The story about the Prophets Musa and Al-Khidr
underline the importance of obeying prophets and other messengers
of God.
If the beneficial aim of a certain deed or statement
is not immediately clear, then Muslims should respectfully
wait for their mentor to explain it. Muslims who adopt this
attitude will soon realize that the act was very fitting and
correct, and come to understand that actually it was their
initial reaction that was mistaken. The verses tell about
these blessed characters who act as exemplars, and these figures
later explain the deep meaning behind their acts, decisions
and statements. For instance, in one of the verses of the
Surat al-Kahf the Prophet Al-Khidr said to the Prophet Musa,
“until I speak to you about it,” thus implying
to Musa that he would later reveal the meaning of the initially
inexplicable events that Musa faced.
THE PROPHET AL-KHIDR MADE A HOLE IN THE
SHIP
"So they went (their
way) until when they embarked in the boat he made a hole in
it. (Musa) said: Have you made a hole in it to drown its inmates?
Certainly you have done a grievous thing." (Surat al-Kahf,
71)
This verse tells us that the Prophet Musa did
not take his young friend with him during his journey with
the Prophet Al-Khidr. This choice might signify great wisdom.
First of all, this points to the importance of paired education.
One of the incidents related in this verse is how
when the two prophets first met each other, the Prophet Al-Khidr
told the Prophet Musa that he would not have patience with
him. The Prophet Al-Khidr was revealed this information about
the future, and the Prophet Musa questioned him about it because
it was in his fate. This is called a prophet’s “zelle,”
meaning lapse or error. These are mistakes made by prophets
either as a result of forgetfulness or simple errors. Each
one of these “errors” carries within it deep meaning
and goodness. When and where these errors will occur is pre-ordained.
Through these verses, God tells us of the likelihood of such
errors.
THE PROPHET MUSA ASKED THE PROPHET AL-KHIDR
TO CONTINUE EDUCATING HIM
“He said: Did I not say
that you will not be able to have patience with me?
He said: Blame me not for what I forgot, and do not constrain
me to a difficult thing in my affair.” (Surat al-Kahf,
72-73)
The firmness of the Prophet
Al-Khidr’s words is stressed in these verses from the
Surat al-Kahf. The Prophet Al-Khidr adopts a very certain
tone when he speaks of future events. He states that “the
Prophet Musa will certainly not have enough patience”
with him and was not strong enough.
God makes people forget and also remember. God
has total control over the mental activities of all people
who live. It was the Prophet Musa’s fate both to forget
and to ask a question that he shouldn’t have. No person
can help forgetting or stop himself from uttering a word if
this is part of his destiny. God makes the person of his choosing
forget any subject that he wishes. If he wishes, he can take
away all his memory or he can create in any mind knowledge
that was not there before. All these take place through God’s
wish.
By saying, “Do not
constrain me to a difficult thing in my affair,”
the Prophet Musa meant that he didn’t want to stop his
training with the Prophet Al-Khidr.
MUSA BECAME ANGRY WHEN AL-KHIDR SLEW A CHILD
“So they went on until,
when they met a boy, he slew him. (Musa) said: Have you slain
an innocent person for something other than manslaughter?
Certainly you have done an wicked thing.” (Surat al-Kahf,
74)
Despite his vows to the contrary, Musa cannot
change his fate and cannot help but ask questions. He became
angry with Al-Khidr for the prophet’s actions, although
he knew that Al-Khidr was a person acting under God’s
instructions and he, Al-Khidr’s disciple.
This is another prophet’s error. But we should
remember that it is God who gives life to all human beings
and God who takes it away. Unless God wishes it so, no person
can kill another. Al-Khidr is a righteous person who acts
under God’s instruction. All of his deeds and all of
his words are instructed by God. Also, nobody besides God
could actually know whether the slain child was “an
innocent person.” But Musa uttered these words because
God wished him to do so and it was in his destiny.
MUSA FOUND A SOLUTION TO CONTINUE HIS TRAINING
WITH AL-KHIDR
He said: Did I not say
to you that you will not be able to have patience with me?
He said: If I ask you about anything after this, keep me not
in your company; indeed you shall have (then) found an excuse
in my case. (Surat al-Kahf, 75-76)
God gives his people the strength of patience
and when he wishes, he takes it back. The Qur’an, in
many suras, highlights this important virtue of the believers
but it is God who gives them patience.
In verse 76, we understand that Al-Khidr was bothered
by what Musa did. Although in the beginning Al-Khidr said
that Musa would fail to be patient with him, Musa had protested
that this was not true, but after the two incidents he resolved
to find a solution. Musa convinced Al-Khidr not to stop training
him.
PEOPLE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE MUSA AND
AL-KHIDR IN THEIR TOWN
“So they went on until
when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for
food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they
found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he
put it into a right state. (Musa) said: If you had pleased,
you might certainly have taken a recompense for it. (you might
have been paid for it)” (Surat al-Kahf, 77)
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So they went on until they reached the inhabitants of
a town. They asked them for food but they refused them
hospitality. They found there a wall about to fall down
and he built it up. Musa said, 'If you had wanted, you
could have taken a wage for doing that.' (Surat al-Kahf,
77) |
Musa and Al-Khidr continued their travels. In
a certain town they passed through, they were not welcomed
with open arms. Thus they could see that they were about to
start a rough journey. The townspeople tried to avoid having
them in their town, and they failed to even offer them food.
In this verse, God points to the benefit of accepting
that one must bear all sorts of hardship in order to find
goodness and wisdom. Musa was ready to bear all manner of
difficulties in order to benefit from Al-Khidr’s wisdom
and advice. This actually is a piece of advice meant for all
believers. Muslims, when faced with a similar situation, should
be able to display the same determination and noble morality.
The verse also shows how Al-Khidr was an extremely dexterous
and skillful man. Al-Khidr’s making a hole in the ship
secretly without anyone being aware of it and his skillfulness
and speed when repairing the wall also prove this. In this
verse, God says, “he immediately built it,” stressing
his speed and experience. Al-Khidr also displayed great skill
in making a hole in the ship. He didn’t truly cripple
the ship but instead made the ship unattractive to the other
side through minor damage. This shows that Al-Khidr was very
familiar with the materials that both the wall and ship were
made of.
Later in the same verse, Musa asks his third question
of Al-Khidr, namely was why he didn’t take any payment
for repairing the wall. Al-Khidr knew very well whether he
should receive any pay or not, because God gave him that wisdom.
MUSA’S LAST QUESTION WAS A SIGN THAT
IT WAS TIME FOR THEM TO PART
“He said: This shall
be separation between me and you; now I will inform you of
the significance of that with which you could not have patience”
(Surat al-Kahf, 78)
In this verse, Al-Khidr tells Musa that he couldn’t
have patience because the reasons were not explained to him.
Saying this, Al-Khidr implies that Musa would have had patience
if he had explained. That means that Musa would have had patience
with Al-Khidr, if Al-Khidr had explained the reason behind
his acts. Here, we should understand that we should look for
some goodness in anything that a prophet or a blessed person
refrains from explaining.
AL-KHIDR’S REASON FOR MAKING A HOLE
IN THE SHIP
“As for the boat, it
belonged to (some) poor men who worked on the river and I
wished that I should damage it, and there was behind them
a king who seized every boat by force.” (Surat al-Kahf,
79)
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Children left to starvation
in Stalin's era. |
After announcing their separation,
Al-Khidr starts explaining, one-by-one, the reasons why he acted
in a particular way. The first such explanation is for his action
making a hole in the ship. He had a few good reasons for doing
that. God’s prophets have compassion for his believers.
Al-Khidr, one of the enlightened people of God, was also compassionate
and sympathetic to the people. He made a hole in a ship belonging
to poor people, people in need, so that their ship would look
unappealing to certain cruel people who would otherwise have
seized possession of the ship. In making
a hole in the ship, Al-Khidr acted with wisdom and foresight,
since the damage he wrought was easily repairable. However,
it was enough to deter the people who saw the ship from taking
it by force. And then when this threat had passed, the ship
could easily be repaired.
GOD USED AL-KHIDR TO TAKE THE LIFE OF THE
CHILD
And as for the boy, his parents
were believers and we feared lest he should make disobedience
and ingratitude to come upon them. So we desired that their
Lord might give them in his place one better than him in purity
and nearer to having compassion. (Surat al-Kahf, 80-81)
The verse indicates that the parents of the child
were believers. The death of the child was a decision made
by God. God, when deciding about the child’s fate, determined
the time and place of his death. The verse, “It
is He who created you from earth and then decides the hour
of your death” (Surat al-Anaam, 2) reminds people
of this fact. As the Qur’an states, angels take the
life of every person. God tells of this in the Surat al-Anfal
as follows:
“You should see
the faces of those who deny God when angels hit on their faces
and backs and tell them to experience the ‘suffering
caused by fire’.” (Surat al-Anfal, 50)
Angels take people’s lives, but God is
actually the mover behind these acts. God decided that that
child was going to be killed by Al-Khidr. Some other person
could also have brought about his death. He could have died
after his heart stopped, or he could have hit his head somewhere
and died of a fatal wound. God made the angels the invisible
cause of the child’s death, while Al-Khidr looked like
the child’s murderer. In fact Al-Khidr was acting under
revelation from God, and he would never do anything besides
what God instructed him. It was impossible for him to do something
with his free will unless God wished it so. God used him to
take this child’s life.
Al-Khidr killed the child because he knew with
certainty that the child, when he grew up, was going to deny
God. He wanted to prevent the child’s parents from suffering
this pain and also didn’t want the child to become a
sinner. What he did was take preventative action.
THE REASON WHY AL-KHIDR BUILT A WALL FOR
THE ORPHANS
“And as for the
wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there
was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father
was a righteous man; so your Lord desired that they should
attain their maturity and take out their treasure, a mercy
from your Lord, and I did not do it of my own accord. This
is the significance of that with which you could not have
patience.” (Surat al-Kahf, 82)
l-Khidr was thinking of the future of these orphan
children and making a great investment for them. If he hadn’t
repaired the wall, the wall would have collapsed and the treasure
belonging to the children’s father would have been seen
by others, and the treasure would have been plundered by cruel
people. This is why Al-Khidr built a safe place for the treasure
so that the treasure would be protected until the children
reach the cusp of adulthood. In this way he made an important
contribution to the children’s lives.
Al-Khidr says, “I
did not do it of my own accord.” This is a statement
that shows that God makes everything and that everything is
pre-ordained by fate. This way he expressed that none of his
acts was a result of his own decision.
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