Where the story is told and why Musa travelled

The story is in Surah al-Kahf, verses 60 to 82. It begins with Musa telling his young servant that he would not stop travelling until he reached the meeting of the two seas, even if it took a long time.

The reason is explained in an authentic hadith narrated by Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari. Musa was asked among Banu Isra'il who was the most knowledgeable of people, and he answered that he was. Allah reproached him for not returning the knowledge to Allah, and told him that a servant of His at the meeting of the two seas was more knowledgeable than he. In the same narration Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) made clear that this is Musa of Banu Isra'il, the messenger of Allah.

The journey and the lost fish

Quran 18:60-64 tells that Musa and his young servant carried a fish with them. At the meeting of the two seas they forgot it, and it made its way into the sea. After they had walked on, Musa asked for their morning meal and said the journey had tired them. The servant said he had forgotten the fish at the rock, that only Satan made him forget to mention it, and that it had gone into the sea in an amazing way. Musa said, in the meaning of the verse, that this was what they were seeking, and they went back following their footprints.

The hadith adds that the young servant was Yusha' ibn Nun, that the fish was in a basket, and that Allah had told Musa the place where he lost it would be the place of the meeting. It also says the water stayed open like an arch where the fish passed.

Meeting the servant of Allah

At the rock they found a servant of Allah whom the Quran describes as given mercy from Allah and knowledge from Allah (18:65). It does not give his name. The name al-Khidr comes from the hadith: the Prophet ﷺ said he was called al-Khidr because he sat on a white farwa (dry ground or fur, as scholars explained) and it turned green behind him (Sahih al-Bukhari 3402).

Musa asked whether he could follow him to be taught some of the right guidance he had been taught (18:66). Al-Khidr said that Musa would not be able to be patient, because he would see things beyond his knowledge (18:67-68). In the hadith he added that each of them had knowledge from Allah that the other did not have. Musa replied that, if Allah willed, he would find him patient. The condition was that Musa should not ask about anything until al-Khidr spoke of it himself (18:69-70).

The three events

Three things happened, and each time Musa could not keep back his objection.

  • The boat: they boarded a ship and al-Khidr damaged it (in the hadith, he removed a plank, though its people had carried them without fare). Musa asked whether he had done this to drown its people (18:71-73).
  • The boy: they met a boy and al-Khidr killed him. Musa objected that he had killed an innocent soul. After the reminder, Musa said that if he asked again, al-Khidr need not keep him as a companion (18:74-76).
  • The wall: in a town whose people refused them hospitality, al-Khidr restored a wall about to fall. Musa said he could have asked for payment. Al-Khidr said that this was the parting between them, and he would now explain what Musa could not bear (18:77-78).

The explanations

Al-Khidr explained each event in Quran 18:79-82.

  • The boat belonged to poor people who worked at sea. A king was coming who took every good ship by force, so he made it defective.
  • The boy's parents were believers, and al-Khidr feared the boy would burden them with transgression and disbelief. The intention was that their Lord would give them in his place one better in purity and nearer to mercy.
  • The wall belonged to two orphan boys. Under it was a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So their Lord intended that they reach maturity and take out their treasure, as a mercy from Him.

Al-Khidr ended by saying that he did not do it of his own accord.

What the Quran does not tell us

The Quran does not give the name of the servant, the place of the meeting of the two seas, the town, the king, the boy or the owners of the boat. Scholars offered many opinions about the place, but the text does not establish any of them.

It also does not say whether he was a prophet. Many scholars understood from his words "I did not do it of my own accord" (18:82) that he acted by Allah's command and so was a prophet. Others said he was a righteous servant given special knowledge. The difference is an old one and the text does not settle it.

The Prophet ﷺ said he wished Musa had been patient, so that more of their story would have been told to us. The hadith also reports that when a sparrow took a drop from the sea with its beak, al-Khidr told Musa that his knowledge and Musa's, compared with Allah's knowledge, were only like what that bird took from the sea (Sahih al-Bukhari 3401).

Lessons from this story

  • Knowledge has limits. Even a messenger like Musa was shown that another servant of Allah may know what he does not, so every student and teacher should stay humble.
  • Return knowledge to Allah. Musa was reproached for not referring it back to Him, which teaches us to say that Allah knows best.
  • Seeking knowledge needs effort, courtesy and patience. Musa travelled far, asked politely to follow, and promised to be patient.
  • Do not judge only by the surface of events. A harm may hide a mercy, as with the boat, the parents and the orphans' treasure.
  • Trust Allah's wisdom when something seems unfair. Not seeing the reason now does not mean there is no reason.

General information for learning, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.

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