The Qur’an mentions an interesting story about Moses in chapter al-Kahf. In this story, Moses met a person named Khidr[ 1 ], whom Allah had given “special knowledge”, at a place where “two rivers meet”[ 2 ]. Moses asked him for permission to accompany him in his travel. Khidr replied, “You will surely not be able to bear with me. For how can you patiently bear with something you cannot encompass in your knowledge?” After Moses insisted that he would be patient, Khidr allowed him to come with him on condition that he must not question him about anything unless he himself explains it to him. They came to a place and found a boat. Khidr damaged the boat by making a hole in it. Moses 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 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 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 pleaded again, saying that if he ever questioned him again about anything, then he would be fully justified in discarding him. Moving further on, 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 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. That final comment made Khidr discard Moses. “This brings me and you to parting of ways”, he said. “Now I shall explain to you the true meaning of things about which you could not remain patient.” About the boat, he explained, 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. Lastly, 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.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 18:48:00 +0000