سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 71
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِى ٱلسَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَا ۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًٔا إِمْرًا ﴿71﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So they both proceeded, till, when they embarked the ship, he (Khidr) scuttled it. Mûsâ (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)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَٱنطَلَقَا
fa-inṭalaqā
So they both set out
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَا
idhā
when
رَكِبَا
rakibā
they had embarked
فِى
fī
on
ٱلسَّفِينَةِ
l-safīnati
the ship
خَرَقَهَا ۖ
kharaqahā
he made a hole in it
قَالَ
qāla
He said
أَخَرَقْتَهَا
akharaqtahā
Have you made a hole in it
لِتُغْرِقَ
litugh'riqa
to drown
أَهْلَهَا
ahlahā
its people
لَقَدْ
laqad
Certainly
جِئْتَ
ji'ta
you have done
شَيْـًٔا
shayan
a thing
إِمْرًۭا
im'ran
grave
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
71. So they both [62] set out, until when they boarded a boat, (Khidr) made a hole in it. Musa said, "Have you made a hole in it to drown its people? You have certainly done a grave thing." [63]
[62] When Sayyiduna Khidr and the two of them met and the initial conversation took place between Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) and Sayyiduna Khidr, after that there is no further mention of Sayyiduna Yusha‘ bin Nun. The next journey was undertaken only by Sayyiduna Musa and Sayyiduna Khidr. Perhaps Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) sent Sayyiduna Yusha‘ back.
[63]
Why Did Khidr Break the Plank of the Boat?
The boatmen recognized Sayyiduna Khidr and did not even take any fare from the two of them, and allowed them to board the boat. But when the boat neared its destination, Sayyiduna Khidr broke a plank from the side of the boat. This gap was not made in the bottom of the boat, so the boat, which was already about to reach its destination, was saved from sinking, but there was certainly a risk of it sinking. And Sayyiduna Musa’s (peace be upon him) objection was not only on the basis that the boatmen might drown, but also because the boatmen had done them a favor by not taking any fare, and in return for this favor, the boat itself was being damaged.
[62] When Sayyiduna Khidr and the two of them met and the initial conversation took place between Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) and Sayyiduna Khidr, after that there is no further mention of Sayyiduna Yusha‘ bin Nun. The next journey was undertaken only by Sayyiduna Musa and Sayyiduna Khidr. Perhaps Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) sent Sayyiduna Yusha‘ back.
[63]
Why Did Khidr Break the Plank of the Boat?
The boatmen recognized Sayyiduna Khidr and did not even take any fare from the two of them, and allowed them to board the boat. But when the boat neared its destination, Sayyiduna Khidr broke a plank from the side of the boat. This gap was not made in the bottom of the boat, so the boat, which was already about to reach its destination, was saved from sinking, but there was certainly a risk of it sinking. And Sayyiduna Musa’s (peace be upon him) objection was not only on the basis that the boatmen might drown, but also because the boatmen had done them a favor by not taking any fare, and in return for this favor, the boat itself was being damaged.
