سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 74
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَـٰمًا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةًۢ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًٔا نُّكْرًا ﴿74﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, and he (Khidr) killed him. Mûsâ (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)!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَٱنطَلَقَا
fa-inṭalaqā
Then they both set out
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَا
idhā
when
لَقِيَا
laqiyā
they met
غُلَـٰمًۭا
ghulāman
a boy
فَقَتَلَهُۥ
faqatalahu
then he killed him
قَالَ
qāla
He said
أَقَتَلْتَ
aqatalta
Have you killed
نَفْسًۭا
nafsan
a soul
زَكِيَّةًۢ
zakiyyatan
pure
بِغَيْرِ
bighayri
for other than
نَفْسٍۢ
nafsin
a soul
لَّقَدْ
laqad
Certainly
جِئْتَ
ji'ta
you have done
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
a thing
نُّكْرًۭا
nuk'ran
evil
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 74) ➊ { حَتّٰۤى اِذَا لَقِيَا غُلٰمًا فَقَتَلَهٗ:} From this verse, it is understood that the boy was a youth, even though he was playing with boys like himself. Because in the previous hadith it is mentioned that he was a disbeliever while his parents were believers; if he had been a child, he would not have been called a disbeliever, because the children of believers are not called disbelievers in childhood. Musa (peace be upon him) also called him innocent because he had not killed anyone, not because he was a child. Therefore, Khidr (peace be upon him) killing a disbeliever by Allah’s command is not objectionable. The word "ghulam" is used not only for a child but also for a youth and a middle-aged person, as in the hadith of Mi'raj, Musa (peace be upon him) called our Prophet (peace be upon him) {’’هٰذَا الْغُلَامُ‘‘}. [ بخاری : ۳۲۰۷ ]
➋ Some scholars, in response to the question of how it was permissible for Khidr (peace be upon him) to kill the boy, have considered Khidr (peace be upon him) to be among the angels who carry out divine commands by Allah’s order, but this is not correct, because the agents of fate and decree neither eat nor ask for food as hospitality. The incident of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) presenting a roasted calf is evidence of this.
➋ Some scholars, in response to the question of how it was permissible for Khidr (peace be upon him) to kill the boy, have considered Khidr (peace be upon him) to be among the angels who carry out divine commands by Allah’s order, but this is not correct, because the agents of fate and decree neither eat nor ask for food as hospitality. The incident of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) presenting a roasted calf is evidence of this.
