Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 60

(Ayah 60) ➊ { وَ اِذْ قَالَ مُوْسٰى لِفَتٰىهُ …:} From here, the third story begins: that Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, went to Khidr to seek knowledge. Although this is an independent story in itself, it also supports what was mentioned in the previous two stories. It was mentioned above that the disbelievers remain proud of their wealth and status and, considering the Muslims to be humiliated, would say to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that if you do not keep these people with you, we will sit with you. Upon this, the story of the two brothers was narrated, then the example of the world was given, and it was explained that Iblis was destroyed due to arrogance. Now, the incident of Khidr and Musa, peace be upon them, is narrated: see, a great and resolute prophet like Musa, peace be upon him, despite having so much knowledge and action, went to Khidr, peace be upon him, to seek knowledge and, adopting humility before him, accepted every condition of his. (Razi and Mowdih)

➋ The meaning of {’’ لِفَتٰىهُ ‘‘ ’’فَتًي‘‘} is "youth"; a servant is also called { ’’فَتًي‘‘ }, because the best service can be done by the young. This was Yusha bin Nun, who loved Musa, peace be upon him, very much and used to stay with him to serve him. After Musa, peace be upon him, he became his successor, and through him, Bayt al-Maqdis was conquered. From this, it is understood that if a person serves willingly, service can be taken from him.

➌ The word { مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ : ’’بَحْرٌ‘‘} in the Arabic language is used for a salty sea as well as for a river with sweet water. (Qamus) In Persian, too, the word "darya" is used for both. Allah Almighty did not mention those two seas, because the purpose is not storytelling, but admonition, and that is fulfilled even without specifying those two rivers. Some commentators have taken them to mean the Persian Gulf and the Roman Sea, but these do not meet. Some have taken them to mean the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Some have taken two rivers of Africa, and some have taken two rivers of Andalusia. Some have taken the Tigris and Euphrates, but if Egypt is kept in view, then it could mean any place where several rivers coming from Sudan join the Nile in Egypt, which Allah Almighty specified with the sign of the fish being lost there. Now, it is not possible to determine any one place among these rivers where two rivers meet, and there is no benefit in doing so. {’’ حُقُبًا ‘‘ ’’حَقْبَةٌ‘‘} is the plural; a long period is called {’’ حَقْبَةٌ ‘‘}. The details of this incident have been narrated by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, himself. Readers should read this entire hadith carefully, as it will be mentioned repeatedly in the coming benefits.

➍ Ubayy bin Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say that Musa, peace be upon him, was standing among the Children of Israel giving a sermon when he was asked: "Who is the most knowledgeable among the people?" He replied: "I am." So Allah Almighty expressed displeasure with him because he did not refer the matter to Allah (that Allah knows best). So Allah revealed to him that "My servant is at the junction of the two seas; he is more knowledgeable than you." Musa, peace be upon him, said: "O my Lord! Then how can I meet him?" He said: "Take a fish with you and place it in a basket (made of soft palm leaves); wherever you lose the fish, he will be there." So he took a fish, placed it in a basket, and set out, taking with him his young servant Yusha bin Nun. When they reached a particular kind of rock, both of them lay down and slept. The fish moved and fell into the river, and it made its way in the river like a tunnel, and Allah Almighty stopped the flow of water for the fish, so it became like an arch over it. When (Musa, peace be upon him) woke up, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, so both of them continued walking for the rest of the day and the whole night. The next day, Musa, peace be upon him, said to his young companion: "Bring our food; we have certainly suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours." (The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:) "Musa, peace be upon him, did not feel any fatigue until he had passed the place which Allah had commanded him about." So his young companion said to him: "Did you see when we rested at the rock? I forgot the fish, and it was only Satan who made me forget to mention it, and it made a strange way into the sea." So a tunnel was made for the fish, and Musa, peace be upon him, and his young companion were amazed. Musa, peace be upon him, said: "That is what we were seeking." So they both retraced their steps, following their footprints, until they reached that rock, and at that time (there) was a man lying covered with a cloth. Musa, peace be upon him, greeted him with salam, so Khidr said: "And how is salam in your land?" He said: "I am Musa." He said: "Musa of the Children of Israel?" He said: "Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me some of the good that you have been taught." He said: "You will never be able to have patience with me, O Musa! I am upon a knowledge from Allah which you do not know, and you are upon a knowledge from Allah which I do not know." So Musa, peace be upon him, said: "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in any matter." So Khidr said to him: "Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything until I mention it to you." So they both set out, walking along the bank of the river, when a boat passed by. They spoke to the people to carry them. The people recognized Khidr, so they took them on board without any payment. When they both boarded the boat, suddenly Khidr removed one of the planks of the boat with an adze. Musa, peace be upon him, said to him: "These people carried us without payment, and you have made a hole in their boat to drown its people? Surely you have done a grave thing." He said: "Did I not say that you would not be able to have patience with me?" He said: "Do not blame me for what I forgot, and do not make my affair difficult for me." (Ubayy bin Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:) "This was the first time Musa, peace be upon him, forgot." He said: "And a bird came and sat on the edge of the boat and pecked at the river, so Khidr said to him: 'My knowledge and your knowledge, compared to Allah's knowledge, is only as much as this bird has reduced from this river.'" Then they both left the boat, and while they were walking along the shore, Khidr saw a boy playing with other boys, so Khidr caught him by the head and tore off his head with his hand and killed him. Musa said to him: "Have you killed an innocent soul without (its having killed) a soul? Surely you have done a terrible thing." He said: "Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me?" The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "And this was a sterner (reprimand) than the first." He said: "If I ask you about anything after this, do not keep me with you; you have received an excuse from me." Then they both set out until they came to the people of a town. They asked its people for food, but they refused to host them. Then they found in it a wall that was about to collapse. He said, it was leaning to one side. So Khidr stood up and repaired it with his own hands. Musa, peace be upon him, said: "These people, to whom we came, neither fed us nor hosted us; if you wished, you could have taken payment for it." (Khidr) said: "This is the parting between me and you." After this, the whole incident is narrated, which is from verse (78) to the end of verse (82). Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to recite: {’’ وَ أَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ ‘‘} meaning that the boy was a disbeliever and his parents were believers. [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «و إذ قال موسٰی لفتاہ لا أبرح…» : ۴۷۲۵ ]

60. 1 By "the young man" is meant Hazrat Yusha bin Nun (عليه السلام), who became the successor of Musa (عليه السلام) after his death.

60. 2 The exact location of this place has not been determined by any definite source; however, it is conjectured that it refers to the southern route of the Sinai desert where the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez both meet and merge into the Red Sea. Other locations mentioned by the commentators do not at all fit the description of "Majma‘ al-Bahrayn" (the place where the two seas meet).

60. 3 "Huqb" has one meaning of seventy or eighty years, and another meaning of an indefinite period. Here, the latter meaning is intended, i.e., "I will keep walking and continue the journey until I reach Majma‘ al-Bahrayn (where the two seas meet), no matter how long it takes." Musa (عليه السلام) needed to undertake this journey because, on one occasion, in response to a questioner, he said that at that time there was no one more knowledgeable than him. Allah did not like this statement of his, and through revelation informed him that "We have a servant (Khidr) who is more knowledgeable than you." Musa (عليه السلام) asked, "O Allah, how can I meet him?" Allah said, "Where the two seas meet, there Our servant will be." He also said, "Take a fish with you; wherever the fish leaves your basket (zanbil) and disappears, know that this is the place." (Bukhari, Surah Kahf) Thus, according to this command, he took a fish and began the journey.

60. And (remember) when Musa said [58] to his servant: "I will not stop until I reach the junction of the two seas [59], or I will continue for a long period."

[58]
Sayyiduna Musa Declaring Himself the Most Knowledgeable:

From here begins the story of Musa (علیہ السلام) and Khidr, which was the second question of the Quraysh of Makkah. For its explanation, consider the following two hadiths from Sahih Bukhari.
1.
Allah’s Command to Seek Benefit from His Servant (Khidr):

Sayyiduna Sa‘id bin Jubayr (رضی اللہ عنہ) says that I said to Ibn ‘Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ): Nauf Bakali (the son of Ka‘b Ahbar) says that the Musa (علیہ السلام) who went to meet Khidr was not the Musa (علیہ السلام) of Bani Israel (rather, he was Musa bin Ephraim bin Yusuf). So Ibn ‘Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) said: That enemy of Allah is lying. I myself heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He (ﷺ) said that once Musa (علیہ السلام) stood and delivered a sermon. (Among the listeners) someone asked, “Who is the most knowledgeable among the people at this time?” Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “I am.” Allah Almighty reproached him because he should have referred this matter to Allah. So Allah revealed to him that at the junction of the two seas is My servant (Khidr) who is more knowledgeable than you. Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “How can I meet him?” Allah said, “Take a fish with you in your basket; wherever that fish is lost, there you will find that servant.” So Musa (علیہ السلام) placed a fish in his basket, and he himself and his servant Yusha‘ bin Nun set out on the journey until they reached a rock (on the way). There, they rested their heads on the rock and slept. At that time, the fish wriggled out of the basket and fell into the river, leaving a tunnel-like path behind, and Allah Almighty stopped the flow of water from that path, and that path remained in the river like an arch. When Musa (علیہ السلام) woke up, his servant (who had witnessed this) forgot to inform him of the incident, and they continued their journey. They traveled for the rest of the day and the night as well.

The Story of Musa (علیہ السلام) and Khidr (علیہ السلام): The Condition of Companionship:

The next morning, Musa (علیہ السلام) said to his servant, “Bring the food; we have become very tired from this journey.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Musa (علیہ السلام) began to feel tired from the moment he passed the place to which Allah had commanded him to go.” Yusha‘ replied to Musa (علیہ السلام): “Look, yesterday when we rested by the rock, the fish made a strange path and went into the river, and Satan made me forget to mention this incident to you.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The tunnel-like path made by the fish was a great wonder for both of them.” Musa (علیہ السلام) said to his servant: “That was the place we were seeking.” So both of them, following their footprints, returned to the same rock. There, they saw a man covered with a cloth. Musa (علیہ السلام) greeted him with salam. Sayyiduna Khidr said, “Where has salam come from in your land?” Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “I am Musa.” Sayyiduna Khidr said, “Musa of Bani Israel?” Musa (علیہ السلام) replied, “Yes, I have come to you because Allah has taught you some good things; teach me some of them.” Sayyiduna Khidr replied, “Musa, look! Allah Almighty has taught me a knowledge from His knowledge which you do not know, and He has taught you a knowledge which I do not know. Therefore, you will not be able to remain patient with me.” Musa (علیہ السلام) replied, “If Allah wills, I will be patient and will not oppose you in any matter.” Sayyiduna Khidr said, “If you are to accompany me, then do not ask me about anything until I myself explain its reality to you.”

Sayyiduna Khidr Damaging the Plank of the Boat and Sayyiduna Musa’s Objection:

(After this agreement was made) they walked along the bank of the river, and they passed by a boat. They said to the boatmen, “Let us board as well.” The boatmen recognized Sayyiduna Khidr and let them board without any fare. As soon as they boarded the boat, Sayyiduna Khidr took an adze and broke a plank of the boat, making it defective. Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “These people let us board the boat without any fare, and you broke their boat so that all the boatmen would drown? What a strange thing you have done!” Sayyiduna Khidr replied, “Did I not say that you would not be able to remain patient with me?” Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “I forgot; please forgive me, and do not make my task difficult for me.”

The Vastness of Allah’s Knowledge Compared to the Knowledge of Musa (علیہ السلام) and Khidr:

And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that, without doubt, the first objection Musa (علیہ السلام) made was out of forgetfulness. Also, he (ﷺ) said: Meanwhile, a bird came and sat on the edge of the boat and took some water from the river in its beak. Seeing this, Sayyiduna Khidr said to Musa (علیہ السلام): “In comparison to Allah’s knowledge, my knowledge and your knowledge together are only as much as the water this bird has taken from the river in its beak.”

Khidr Killing a Young Boy and Musa’s Second Objection:

Then both of them disembarked from the boat and walked along the shore. On the way, Sayyiduna Khidr saw a boy playing with other boys. Sayyiduna Khidr took the boy by the head and twisted it, killing him. Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “O brother, you have killed a pure soul without right; you have done a terrible thing.” Sayyiduna Khidr said, “Did I not say that you would not be able to remain patient with me?” The narrator commented, “And this act was even more severe than the previous one.” Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “If I object to you again after this, then do not keep me with you, for you will have a valid excuse against me.”

Khidr Repairing a Wall and Musa’s Third Objection:

Then both of them set out until they reached a town and asked its people for food, but they gave them nothing to eat. By chance, they saw a wall there that was about to collapse. Sayyiduna Khidr repaired the wall. Musa (علیہ السلام) said, “These people neither gave us food nor hospitality; if you wished, you could have taken wages from them for repairing the wall (with which we could have bought food).” Sayyiduna Khidr said, “Now the time of separation has come. Now I will inform you of the reality of those events over which you could not remain patient.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “We wished that Musa (علیہ السلام) had remained patient so that Allah would have told us even more about their circumstances.” [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير سوره الكهف]

The Interpretation of the Three Mentioned Incidents:

In the next hadith, the interpretation of these incidents is mentioned as follows: Sayyiduna Khidr said to Musa (علیہ السلام): My purpose in damaging the boat was that when this boat would pass by the tyrant king, he would consider it defective and leave it, and the boatmen would repair it and benefit from it. The interpretation of the second incident is that the boy’s parents were believers, and it was decreed for the boy to be a disbeliever, so we feared that he might lead his parents into disbelief and rebellion, meaning that out of love for the boy, the parents might also fall into disbelief. So we wished that Allah Almighty would grant them a better and purer child, and his parents would be even more merciful to him than to this boy. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير۔ ترمذي، ابواب التفسير]
[59]
At Which Junction of the Two Seas Did Sayyiduna Musa Arrive?

At what stage of Sayyiduna Musa’s (علیہ السلام) life did this incident occur, and which were the two rivers? The Book and Sunnah are silent regarding the answers to these questions. After Sayyiduna Musa (علیہ السلام) led Bani Israel out of Egypt, the possibility of such a journey and incident seems unlikely. Therefore, it is most probable that this incident occurred in Egypt itself, and in Egypt, there is only one junction of rivers, which is the present city of Khartoum, where the two branches of the Nile—the White Nile and the Blue Nile—meet. Since this junction area was not a specific spot but spread over miles, Sayyiduna Musa (علیہ السلام) was instructed by revelation to fry a fish and keep it in his provision bag; the place where this fish would come to life and jump into the river would be the very place where he would meet Our servant, Sayyiduna Khidr.