Reflection: trials and tribulations Sometimes the external aspects of things are liable to draw false conclusions from their observations. This happens because man is not aware of the wisdom underlying the events that take place under God’s dispensation. The Qur’an mentions an interesting story about Moses (pbuh) in chapter al-Kahf. Moses (pbuh) met a person named Khidr, whom Allah had given “special knowledge”. Moses( pbuh) asked him for permission to accompany him, when They came to a place and found a boat. Khidr damaged the boat by making a hole in it. Moses (pbuh)immediately objected saying, “Have you made a hole in it so as to drown the people in the boat? You have certainly done an awful thing.” Khidr replied, “Did I not tell you that you will not be able to patiently bear with me?” Moses (pbuh) pleaded with him, saying that he forgot the promise. Moving on, they next came to a place where they met a boy, and Khidr killed him. Utterly shocked, Moses (pbuh) exclaimed, “What! Have you slain an innocent person without his having slain anyone? Surely you have done a horrible thing.” Khidr replied, “Did I not tell you that you will not be able to patiently bear with me?” Moses (pbuh) pleaded again, saying that if he ever questioned him again about anything, then he would be fully justified in discarding him. At the end of their journey, they came to a town where they found a wall that was broken and falling apart. Khidr repaired the wall to prevent it from disintegrating. Unable to hold his curiosity, Moses( pbuh) told Khidr that if he wished, he could have gotten a payment for it. Perhaps he was hoping that Khidr would explain the matter to him without him asking a question. Then Khidr said:“Now I shall explain to you the true meaning of things about which you could not remain patient.” About the boat, it belonged to some poor people who earned their livelihood from the river. Nearby, there was an oppressive king who was seizing all boats by force. He damaged the boat so that the king will ignore it. About the boy, his parents were righteous whereas this boy was growing up to be a violent man who would have oppressed them. It was hoped that Allah would now provide them with a righteous son. And About the wall, there was some buried treasure in there for two orphan boys left behind by their righteous father. By fixing the wall and preventing it from falling apart and thus exposing the treasure, he gained time for the boys to grow up and recover their property. Before leaving, Khidr made his final comment that none of these was done by his own wish, meaning that he was simply executing Allah’s commands. Allah (swt) privileged Moses to witness the wisdom behind these events so that he can develop an unshakable belief in the works of Allah and His wisdom and realize that what we see on the surface does not always represent the reality.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 19:11:15 +0000
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