The Story of Musa and Al-Khidr
The reason for Musa's conversation with the boy-servant, Yusha` bin Nun, was that he had been told about one of the servants of Allah at the junction of the two seas, who had knowledge which Musa had not been granted, so he wanted to travel to meet him. So he said to that boy-servant of his:
لا أَبْرَحُ
(I will not give up) meaning, I will keep on traveling,
حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ
(until I reach the junction of the two seas) meaning, the place where the two seas met.
أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُباً
(or a Huqub passes.) meaning, even if I have to travel for a very long time. Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Some of the scholars of the Arabic language said that Huqub means a year in the dialect of the tribe of Qays," then he narrated that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "Huqub means eighty years." Mujahid said, "Seventy years." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that it means a lifetime. Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said likewise.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا
(But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish,) He had been commanded to carry a salted fish with him, and it had been said to him, when you lose the fish, that will be a sign that you have reached the right place. So they set out and traveled until they reached the junction of the two seas, where there was a spring called `Ayn Al-Hayat (the Spring of Life). They went to sleep there, and the fish felt the drops of that water, so it came back to life. It was in a vessel with Yusha`, upon him be peace, and it jumped out of the vessel towards the sea. Yusha` woke up and the fish fell into the water and started to swim through the water, leaving a track or channel behind it. Allah said:
فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ سَرَباً
(and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel.) meaning, like going through a tunnel on land. Ibn Jurayj said, "Ibn `Abbas said, `It left a trace as if it were a rock.'"
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا
(So when they had passed further on,) means, past the place where they had forgotten the fish. Forgetfulness is attributed to them both even though it was actually Yusha` who forgot. This is like the Ayah:
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا الُّلؤْلُؤُ وَالمَرْجَانُ
(Out of them both come out pearl and coral.) 55:22, although they come from the salt water, according to one of the two opinions. When they had passed one stage beyond the place where they had forgotten the fish,
قَالَ لِفَتَـهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـذَا
(Musa said to his boy-servant: "Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered in this, our journey) meaning, their journey beyond the place where they should have stopped.
نَصَباً
(Nasaban) means, exhaustion.
قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ
(He said: "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish; none but Shaytan made me forget to remember it...") Then he said,
وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ
(It took its course), meaning its path,
فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًاقَالَ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ
("...into the sea in a strange (way)!" Musa said: "That is what we have been seeking.") meaning, this is what we have been looking for.
فَارْتَدَّا
(So they went back )
عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا
(their footsteps.)
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
(Then they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.) This was Al-Khidr, peace be upon him, as is indicated by the authentic Hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Al-Bukhari recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "I said to Ibn `Abbas: `Nawf Al-Bikali claims that Musa, the companion of Al-Khidr was not the Musa of the Children of Israel.' Ibn `Abbas said, `The enemy of Allah has told a lie.' Ubayy bin Ka`b narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,
«إِنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ: أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا، فَعَتَبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَوْحَى اللهُ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ لِي عَبْدًا بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ. قَالَ مُوسَى: يَا رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ؟ قَالَ: تَأْخُذُ مَعَكَ حُوتًا فَتَجْعَلَهُ بِمِكْتَلٍ، فَحَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ، فَأَخَذَ حُوتًا فَجَعَلَهُ بِمِكْتَلٍ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ وَضَعَا رُءُوْسَهُمَا فَنَامَا، وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا، وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ، فَصَارَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ، نَسِيَ صَاحِبُهُ أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ بِالْحُوتِ، فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتَهُمَا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ:
ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـذَا نَصَباً
(Musa got up to deliver a speech before the Children of Israel and he was asked, "Who is the most learned person among the people" Musa replied, "I am." Allah rebuked him because he did not refer the knowledge to Allah. So Allah revealed to him: "At the junction of the two seas there is a servant of Ours who is more learned than you." Musa asked, "O my Lord, how can I meet him" Allah said, "Take a fish and put it in a vessel and then set out, and where you lose the fish, you will find him." So Musa took a fish, put it in a vessel and set out, along with his boy-servant Yusha` bin Nun, peace be upon him, till they reached a rock (on which) they both lay down their heads and slept. The fish moved vigorously in the vessel and got out of it and fell into the sea and there it took its way through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water on both sides of the way created by the fish, and so that way was like a tunnel. When Musa got up, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, and so they carried on their journey during the rest of the day and the whole night. The next morning Musa said to his boy-servant, ("Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey.") وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أَمَرَهُ اللهُ بِهِ، قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ:
أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا
قاَل: فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا، وَلِمُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا، فَقَالَ:
ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا
قَالَ: فَرَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ أَثَرَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ موسَى فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ: وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلَامُ.فَقَالَ: أَنَا مُوسَى. فَقَالَ: مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ علْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُ أَنْتَ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عَلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللهُ لَا أَعْلَمُهُ. Musa did not get tired till he had passed the place that Allah had ordered him to look for. His boy-servant then said to him, ("Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish; none but Shaytan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a strange way.") There was a tunnel for the fish and Musa and his boy-servant were amazed. Musa said, ("That is what we have been seeking." So they went back retracing their footsteps.") So they went back retracing their steps until they reached the rock. There they found a man covered with a garment. Musa greeted him. Al-Khidr said, "Is there such a greeting in your land" Musa said, "I am Musa." He said, "Are you the Musa of the Children of Israel" Musa said, "Yes," and added, "I have come to you so that you may teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught." Al-Khidr said, ("You will not be able to have patience with me.) O Musa! I have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon me but you do not know it; and you too, have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon you, but I do not know it." فَقَالَ مُوسَى:
سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِى لَكَ أمْراً
قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ:
فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِى فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنى عَن شَىءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً
فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ سَفِيَنةٌ، فَكَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ، فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمْ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ لَمْ يَفْجَأْ إِلَّا وَالْخَضِرُ قَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ بِالْقَدُّومِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى: قَدْ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَعَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا؟ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا
قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً - قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِى مِنْ أَمْرِى عُسْراً
Musa said, ("If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.") Al-Khidr said to him, ("Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I myself mention it to you.") So they set out walking along the shore, until a boat passed by and they asked the crew to let them go on board. The crew recognized Al-Khidr and allowed them to go on board free of charge. When they went on board, suddenly Musa saw that Al-Khidr had pulled out one of the planks of the ship with an adz. Musa said to him, "These people gave us a free ride, yet you have broken their boat so that its people will drown! Verily, you have done a terrible thing! ("Al-Khidr said, "Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me") (Musa said, "Call me not to account for what I forgot and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you). ")) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, فَكَانَتِ الْأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا، قَالَ: وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ، فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً أَوْ نَقْرَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ: مَا عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ فِي عِلْمِ اللهِ إِلَّا مِثْلُ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذْ أَبْصَرَ الْخَضِرُ غُلَامًا يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ، فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ رَأْسَهُ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى:
فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلاَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئاً نُّكْراً - قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(In the first instance, Musa asked Al-Khidr because he had forgotten his promise. Then a bird came and sat on the edge of the boat, dipping its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khidr said to Musa, "My knowledge and your knowledge, in comparison to Allah's knowledge, is like what this bird has taken out of the sea." Then they both disembarked from the boat, and while they were walking on the shore, Al-Khidr saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khidr took hold of the boy's head and pulled it off with his hands, killing him. Musa said to him, ("Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none! Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!" He said, "Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me") قَالَ: وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْأُولَى/
قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْراً فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ
أَيْ مَائِلًا،فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ
فَأَقَامَهُ
فَقَالَ مُوسَى: قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا
فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً - قَالَ هَـذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً
The narrator said, "The second blame was stronger than the first one". (Musa said, "If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company; you have received an excuse from me." Then they both proceeded until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for food but they refused to entertain them. (Then) they found there a wall on the point of falling down.) (Al-Khidr) set it up straight with his own hands. Musa said, "We came to these people, but they neither fed us nor received us as guests. (If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for it!" (Al-Khidr) said: "This is the parting between you and I. I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to be patient.") The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَقُصَّ اللهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا»
(We wish that Musa was patient so that Allah would have told us more about both of them.) Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "Ibn `Abbas used to recite Ayah no. 79 (وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَاْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالَحَةٍ غَضْبًا) (There was a king before them who seized every good-conditioned ship by force) and Ayah no 80 (وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ) (As for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers.) Then (in another narration) Al-Bukhari recorded a similar account which says: فَخَرَجَ مُوسَى وَمَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ وَمَعَهُمَا الْحُوتُ، حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَنَزَلَا عِنْدَهَا، قَالَ: فَوَضَعَ مُوسَى رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ، قَالَ: وَفِي أَصْلِ الصَّخْرَةِ عَيْنٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْحَيَاةُ لَا يُصِيبُ مِنْ مَائِهَا شَيْءٌ إِلَّا حَيِيَ فَأَصَابَ الْحُوتَ مِنْ مَاءِ تِلْكَ الْعَيْنِ، فَتَحَرَّكَ وَانْسَلَّ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَدَخَلَ الْبَحْرَ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ:
ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا
(...then Musa set out and with him was his boy-servant Yusha` bin Nun, and they had the fish with them. When they reached the rock, they camped there, and Musa lay down his head and slept. At the base of the rock there was a spring called Al-Hayat; its water never touched a thing but it brought it to life. Some of its water touched the fish, so it began to move and jumped out of the vessel and into the sea. When he woke up, Musa said to his boy-servant: (Bring us our morning meal.)) Then he quoted the rest of the Hadith. Then a bird came and perched on the edge of the ship, and dipped its beak in the sea, and Al-Khidr said to Musa, "My knowledge and your knowledge and the knowledge of all of creation, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, is like what this bird has taken from the sea." Then he mentioned the rest of the report.
قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْداً - قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً - وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْراً
And mention when Moses son of Amram ‘Imrān said to his lad Joshua son of Nun Yūsha‘ bin Nūn who used to follow him around serve him and acquire knowledge from him ‘I will not give up I will not stop journeying until I have reached the juncture of the two seas — the point where the Byzantine sea and the Persian sea meet beyond the east — though I march on for ages’ for a very long time before reaching it if it be far.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, �I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.�Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, �So I fled from you when I was afraid of you� [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, �He was called from the right bank of the watercourse� [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: �When Moses came to Our appointed time� [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: �We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours� [18:62].His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: �So Moses struck him and gave him the decree� [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, �Moses struck him and My decree reached him.� Then He said, �Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].� In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, �Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them� [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work.The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
واذكر حين قال موسى لخادمه يوشع بن نون: لا أزال أتابع السير حتى أصل إلى ملتقى البحرين، أو أسير زمنًا طويلا حتى أصل إلى العبد الصالح؛ لأتعلم منه ما ليس عندي من العلم.
سبب قول موسى لفتاه وهو يشوع بن نون هذا الكلام أنه ذكر له أن عبدًا من عباد الله بمجمع البحرين عنده من العلم ما لم يحط به موسى فأحب الرحيل إليه وقال لفتاه ذلك " لا أبرح " أي لا أزال سائرًا " حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين " أي هذا المكان الذي فيه مجمع البحرين قال الفرزدق: فما برحوا حتى تهادت نساؤهم ببطحاء ذي قار عياب اللطائم قال قتادة وغير واحد: هما بحر فارس مما يلي المشرق وبحر الروم مما يلي المغرب.وقال محمد بن كعب القرظي مجمع البحرين عند طنجة يعنى في أقصى بلاد المغرب فالله أعلم وقوله " أو أمضي حقبا " أي ولو أني أسير حقبًا من الزمان.قال ابن جرير رحمه الله: ذكر بعض أهل العلم بكلام العرب أن الحقب في لغة قيس سنة ثم قد رُوي عن عبد الله بن عمرو أنه قال الحقب ثمانون سنة وقال مجاهد سبعون خريفًا وقال علي ابن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس قوله " أو أمضي حقبا " قال دهرًا وقال قتادة وابن زيد مثل ذلك.
قال الإِمام الرازى ما ملخصه : اعلم أن هذا ابتداء قصة ثالثة ذكرها الله - تعالى - فى هذه السورة ، وهى أن موسى - عليه السلام - ذهب إلى الخضر ليتعلم منه ، وهذا وإن كان كلاما مستقلا فى نفسه إلا أنه يعين على ما هو المقصود فى القصتين السابقتين : أما نفع هذه القصة فى الرد على الكفار الذين افتخروا على فقراء المسلمين ، فهو أن موسى مع كثرة علمه وعمله . . ذهب إلى الخضر لطلب العلم وتواضع له .وأما نفع هذه القصة فى قصة أصحاب الكهف ، فهو أن اليهود قالوا لكفار مكة : " إن أخبركم محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم عن هذه القصة فهو نبى وإلا فلا؛ وهذا ليس بشىء . لأنه لا يلزم من كونه نبيا أن يكون عالما بجميع القصص كما أن كون موسى نبيا لم يمنعه من الذهاب ليتعلم منه " .وموسى - عليه السلام - هو ابن عمران ، وهو أحد أولى العزم من الرسل ، وينتهى نسبه إلى يعقوب - عليه السلام - .وفتاه : هو يوشع بن نون ، وسمى بذلك لأنه كان ملازما لموسى - عليه السلام - ويأخذ عنه العلم .وقوله : ( لا أبرح ) أى : لا أزال سائرا . ومنه قوله - تعالى - ( لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفِينَ ) من برح الناقص .قال الجمل : " واسمها مستتر وجوبا ، وخبرها محذوف ، تقديره : لا أبرح سائرا ، وقوله ( حتى أبلغ ) . . غاية لهذا المقدر . ويحتمل أنها تامة فلا تستدعى خبرا ، بمعنى : لا أزول عما أنا عليه من السير والطلب ولا أفارقه حتى أبلغ . . " .و ( مجمع البحرين ) : المكان الذى فيه يلتقى البحر الأحمر بالبحر الأبيض المتوسط .قال الآلوسى : " والمجمع : الملتقى ، وهو اسم مكان . . والبحران : بحر فارس والروم ، كما روى عن مجاهد وقتادة وغيرهما وملتقاهما : مما يلى المشرق ولعل المراد مكان يقرب فيه التقاؤهما . . وقيل البحران : بحر الأردن وبحر القلزم . . " .وقال بعض العلماء : " والأرجح - والله أعلم - أن مجمع البحرين : بحر الروم وبحر القلزم .أى : البحر الأبيض والبحر الأحمر . ومجمعهما مكان التقائهما فى منطقة البحيرات المرة وبحيرة التمساح . أو أنه مجمع خليجى العقبة والسويس فى البحر الأحمر . فهذه المنطقة كانت مسرح تاريخ بنى إسرائيل بعد خروجهم من مصر ، وعلى أية حال فقد تركها القرآن مجملة فنكتفى بهذه الإِشارة " .والمعنى : واذكر - أيها الرسول الكريم - لقومك لكى يعتبروا ويتعظوا وقت أن قال أخوك موسى - عليه السلام - لفتاه يوشع بن نون ، اصحبنى فى رحلتى هذه فإنى لا أزال سائرا حتى أصل إلى مكان التقاء البحرين ، فأجد فيه بغيتى ومقصدى ، ( أو أمضى ) فى سيرى ( حقبا ) أى : زمنا طويلا ، إن لم أجد ما أبتغيه هناك .والحقب - بضم الحاء والقاف - جمعه أحقاب ، وفى معناه : الحقبة - بكسر الحاء - وجمعها حقب - كسدرة وسدر - والحقبة - بضم الحاء - وجمعها : حقب كغرفة وغرف - قيل : مدتها ثمانون عاما . وقيل سبعون . وقيل : زمان من الدهر مبهم غير محدد .والآية الكريمة تدل بأسلوبها البليغ ، على أن موسى - عليه السلام - كان مصمما على بلوغ مجمع البحرين مهما تكن المشقة فى سبيل ذلك ، ومهما يكن الزمن الذى يقطعه فى سبيل الوصول إلى غايته وهو يعبر عن هذا التصميم بما حكاه عنه القرآن بقوله : ( أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُباً ) .وقد أشار الآلوسى - رحمه الله - إلى سبب تصميم موسى على هذه الرحلة فقال : وكأن منشأ عزيمة موسى - عليه السلام - على ما ذكره ما رواه الشيخان وغيرهما من حديث ابن عباس عن أبى بن كعب ، أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : " إن موسى - عليه السلام - قام خطيبا فى بنى إسرائيل فسئل : أى الناس أعلم؟ فقال : أنا . فعاتبه الله - تعالى - عليه ، إذ لم يرد العلم إليه - سبحانه - فأوحى الله - تعالى - إليه : إن لى عبدا بمجمع البحرين هو أعلم منك " .وفى رواية أخرى عنه عن أبى - أيضا - عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " أن موسى - عليه السلام - سأل ربه فقال : أى رب إن كان فى عبادك أحد هو أعلم منى فدلنى عليه فقال له : " نعم فى عبادى من هو أعلم منك ، ثم نعت له مكانه وأذن له فى لقائه " " .
القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ لا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا (60)يقول عز ذكره لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم: واذكر يا محمد إذ قال موسى بن عمران لفتاه يوشع: ( لا أَبْرَحُ ) يقول: لا أزال أسير ( حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ) .كما حدثني يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله: ( لا أَبْرَحُ ) قال: لا أنتهي ، وقيل: عنى بقوله: ( مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ) اجتماع بحر فارس والروم، والمجمع: مصدر من قولهم: جمع يجمع.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: ( حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ) والبحران: بحر فارس وبحر الروم، وبحر الروم مما يلي المغرب، وبحر فارس مما يلي المشرق.حدثنا الحسن بن يحيى، قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق، قال: أخبرنا معمر، عن قتادة، قوله: ( مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ) قال: بحر فارس، وبحر الروم.حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، عن مجاهد ( مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ) قال: بحر الروم، وبحر فارس، أحدهما قِبَل المشرق، والآخر قِبَل المغرب.حدثني محمد بن سعد، قال : ثني أبي، قال: ثني عمي، قال: ثني أبي، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس، قال: ( مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ). (4)حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا يحيى بن الضريس، قال: ثنا أبو معشر، عن محمد بن كعب، في قوله: ( لا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ) قال: طنجة.وقوله: ( أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ) يقول: أو أسير زمانا ودهرا، وهو واحد، ويجمع كثيره وقليله: أحقاب وقد تقول العرب: كنت عنده حقبة من الدهر: ويجمعونها حُقبا. وكان بعض أهل العربية يوجه تأويل قوله ( لا أَبْرَحُ ) : أي لا أزول، ويستشهد لقوله ذلك ببيت الفرزدق:فَمـا بَرِحُـوا حـتى تَهـادَتْ نِساؤُهُمْببطْحَــاءِ ذِي قـارٍ عِيـابَ اللَّطـائِمِ (5)يقول: ما زالوا.وذكر بعض أهل العلم بكلام العرب، أن الحقب في لغة قيس: سنة ، فأما أهل التأويل فإنهم يقولون في ذلك ما أنا ذاكره، وهو أنهم اختلفوا فيه، فقال بعضهم: هو ثمانون سنة.* ذكر من قال ذلك: حُدثت عن هشيم، قال: ثنا أبو بلج، عن عمرو بن ميمون، عن عبد الله بن عمرو، قال: الحقب: ثمانون سنة.وقال آخرون: هو سبعون سنة.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، عن ابن جريج، عن مجاهد ( أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ) قال: سبعين خريفا.حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى، وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، مثله.وقال آخرون في ذلك، بنحو الذي قلنا.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني عليّ، قال: ثنا أبو صالح، قال: ثني معاوية، عن عليّ، عن ابن عباس، قوله: ( أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ) قال: دهرا.حدثنا أحمد بن يحيى، قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق، قال: أخبرنا معمر، عن قتادة، في قوله (حُقُبا) قال: الحقب: زمان.حدثنا يونس، قال: أخبرنا ابن وهب، قال: قال ابن زيد، في قوله: ( أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ) قال: الحقب: الزمان.
قوله عز وجل : ( وإذ قال موسى لفتاه لا أبرح حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين ) عامة أهل العلم قالوا : إنه موسى بن عمران . وقال بعضهم : هو موسى بن ميشا من أولاد يوسف والأول أصح .أخبرنا عبد الواحد بن أحمد المليحي أنبأنا أحمد بن عبد الله النعيمي أنبأنا محمد بن يوسف حدثنا محمد بن إسماعيل حدثنا الحميدي حدثنا سفيان حدثنا عمرو بن دينار أخبرني سعيد بن جبير قال : قلت لابن عباس : إن نوفا البكالي يزعم أن موسى صاحب الخضر ليس هو موسى بني إسرائيل فقال ابن عباس : كذب عدو الله حدثنا أبي بن كعب أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : " إن موسى قام خطيبا في بني إسرائيل فسئل أي الناس أعلم؟ فقال : أنا ، فعتب الله عليه إذ لم يرد العلم إليه ، فأوحى الله إليه أن لي عبدا بمجمع البحرين هو أعلم منك ، قال موسى : يا رب فكيف لي به؟ قال : تأخذ معك حوتا فتجعله في مكتل فحيث ما فقدت الحوت فهو ثم . فأخذ حوتا فجعله في مكتل ثم انطلق وانطلق معه فتاه يوشع بن نون حتى إذا أتيا الصخرة وضعا رءوسهما فناما واضطرب الحوت في المكتل فخرج منه فسقط في البحر ، فاتخذ سبيله في البحر سربا وأمسك الله تعالى عن الحوت جرية الماء فصار عليه مثل الطاق فلما استيقظ نسي صاحبه أن يخبره بالحوت فانطلقا بقية يومهما وليلتهما حتى إذا كان من الغد قال موسى لفتاه : آتنا غداءنا لقد لقينا من سفرنا هذا نصبا قال : ولم يجد موسى النصب حتى جاوز المكان الذي أمر به وقال له فتاه : أرأيت إذ أوينا إلى الصخرة فإني نسيت الحوت وما أنسانيه إلا الشيطان أن أذكره واتخذ سبيله في البحر عجبا قال : فكان للحوت سربا ولموسى ولفتاه عجبا وقال موسى : ذلك ما كنا نبغ قال : رجعا يقصان آثارهما حتى انتهيا إلى الصخرة فإذا رجل مسجى بثوب فسلم عليه موسى فقال الخضر عليه السلام : وأنى بأرضك السلام ، فقال : أنا موسى قال : موسى بني إسرائيل؟ قال : نعم أتيتك لتعلمني مما علمت رشدا ، قال : إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا يا موسى ، إني على علم من الله علمنيه لا تعلمه أنت ، وأنت على علم من علم الله علمك الله لا أعلمه فقال موسى : ستجدني إن شاء الله صابرا ولا أعصي لك أمرا ، فقال له الخضر : فإن اتبعتني فلا تسألني عن شيء حتى أحدث لك منه ذكرا ، فانطلقا يمشيان على ساحل البحر فمرت سفينة فكلموهم أن يحملوهم ، فعرفوا الخضر فحملوهم بغير نول ، فلما ركبا في السفينة لم يضح إلا والخضر قد قلع لوحا من ألواح السفينة بالقدوم ، فقال له موسى : قوم حملونا بغير نول عمدت إلى سفينتهم فخرقتها لتغرق أهلها؟ لقد جئت شيئا إمرا! قال : ألم أقل لك إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا؟ قال : لا تؤاخذني بما نسيت ولا ترهقني من أمري عسرا ، قال : وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " كانت الأولى من موسى نسيانا [ والوسطى شرطا والثالثة عمدا " ] قال : وجاء عصفور فوقع على حرف السفينة فنقر في البحر نقرة فقال له الخضر : ما [ نقص ] علمي وعلمك من علم الله إلا مثل ما نقص هذا العصفور من هذا البحر ، ثم خرجا من السفينة ، فبينما هما يمشيان على الساحل إذ أبصر الخضر غلاما يلعب مع الغلمان ، فأخذ الخضر برأسه فاقتلعه بيده فقتله فقال له موسى : أقتلت نفسا زكية بغير نفس لقد جئت شيئا نكرا قال ألم أقل لك إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا قال : وهذه أشد من الأولى قال : إن سألتك عن شيء بعدها فلا تصاحبني قد بلغت من لدني عذرا فانطلقا حتى إذا أتيا أهل قرية استطعما أهلها فأبوا أن يضيفوهما فوجدا فيها جدارا يريد أن ينقض فأقامه ، قال : كان مائلا فقال الخضر بيده فأقامه ، فقال موسى : قوم أتيناهم فلم يطعمونا ولم يضيفونا لو شئت لاتخذت عليه أجرا قال : " هذا فراق بيني وبينك سأنبئك بتأويل ما لم تستطع عليه صبرا " فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " وددنا أن موسى كان صبر حتى يقص علينا من خبرهما " .قال سعيد بن جبير : فكان ابن عباس يقرأ : " وكان أمامهم ملك يأخذ كل سفينة صالحة غصبا " ، وكان يقرأ : " وأما الغلام فكان كافرا وكان أبواه مؤمنين " .وعن سعيد بن جبير في رواية أخرى عن ابن عباس عن أبي بن كعب قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " [ قام موسى ] رسول الله فذكر الناس يوما حتى إذا فاضت العيون ورقت القلوب ولى فأدركه رجل فقال : أي رسول الله هل في الأرض أحد أعلم منك؟ قال : لا - فعتب الله عليه إذ لم يرد العلم إلى الله - قيل : بلى [ عبدنا الخضر ] قال : يا رب وأين؟ قال : بمجمع البحرين [ قال : رب اجعل لي علما أعلم ذلك به ] قال : فخذ حوتا ميتا حيث ينفخ فيه الروح وفي رواية قيل له : تزود حوتا مالحا فإنه حيث تفقد الحوت فأخذ حوتا فجعله في مكتل " .رجعنا إلى التفسير; قوله عز وجل : ( وإذ قال موسى لفتاه ) يوشع بن نون ( لا أبرح ) أي لا أزال أسير ( حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين ) قال قتادة : بحر فارس وبحر الروم مما يلي المشرق . وقال محمد بن كعب طنجة . وقال أبي بن كعب : إفريقية .( أو أمضي حقبا ) وإن كان حقبا أي دهرا طويلا وزمانا ، وجمعه أحقاب ، والحقب : جمع الحقب . قال عبد الله بن عمر : والحقب ثمانون سنة فحملا خبزا وسمكة مالحة حتى انتهيا إلى الصخرة التي عند مجمع البحرين ليلا وعندها عين تسمى ماء الحياة لا يصيب ذلك الماء شيئا إلا حي فلما أصاب السمكة روح الماء وبرده اضطربت في المكتل وعاشت ودخلت البحر .
لما كان النهي عن الجهر بالدعاء أو قراءة الصلاة سداً لذريعة زيادة تصميمهم على الكفر أعقب ذلك بأمره بإعلان التوحيد لقطع دابر توهم من توهموا أن الرحمان اسم لمسمى غير مسمى اسم الله ، فبعضهم توهمه إلهاً شريكاً ، وبعضهم توهمه مُعيناً وناصراً ، أمر النبي بأن يقول ما يقلع ذلك كله وأن يعظمه بأنواع من التعظيم .وجملة { الحمد لله } تقتضي تخصيصه تعالى بالحمد ، أي قصر جنس الحمد عليه تعالى لأنه أعظم مستحق لأن يحمد . فالتخصيص ادعائي بادعاء أن دواعي حمد غير الله تعالى في جانب دواعي حمد الله بمنزلة العدم ، كما تقدم في سورة الفاتحة .و ( مِن ) في قوله : { من الذل } بمعنى لام التعليل .والذل : العجز والافتقار ، وهو ضدّ العز ، أي ليس له ناصر من أجل الذل . والمراد : نفي الناصر له على وجه مؤكد ، فإن الحاجة إلى الناصر لا تكون إلا من العجز عن الانتصار للنفس . ويجوز تضمين ( الولي ) معنى ( المانع ) فتكون ( من ) لتعدية الاسم المضمن معناه .ومعنى { كبره } اعتقد أنه كبير ، أي عظيم العِظم المعنوي الشامل لوجوب الوجود والغِنى المطلق ، وصفات الكمال كلها الكاملة التعلقات ، لأن الاتصاف بذلك كله كمال ، والاتصاف بأضداد ذلك نقص وصغار معنوي .وإجراء هذه الصلات الثلاث على اسم الجلالة الذي هو متعلق الحمد لأن في هذه الصلاة إيماء إلى وجه تخصيصه بالحمد . والإتيان بالمفعول المطلق بعد { كَبّره } للتوكيد ، ولما في التنوين من التعظيم ، ولأنّ من هذه صفاته هو الذي يقدر على إعطاء النعم التي يعجز غيره عن إسدائها .
يخبر تعالى عن نبيه موسى عليه السلام، وشدة رغبته في الخير وطلب العلم، أنه قال لفتاه - أي: خادمه الذي يلازمه في حضره وسفره، وهو " يوشع بن نون "" الذي نبأه الله بعد ذلك:- { لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ ْ} أي: لا أزال مسافرا وإن طالت علي الشقة، ولحقتني المشقة، حتى أصل إلى مجمع البحرين، وهو المكان الذي أوحي إليه أنك ستجد فيه عبدا من عباد الله العالمين، عنده من العلم، ما ليس عندك، { أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ْ} أي: مسافة طويلة، المعنى: أن الشوق والرغبة، حمل موسى أن قال لفتاه هذه المقالة، وهذا عزم منه جازم، فلذلك أمضاه."
قوله تعالى : وإذ قال موسى لفتاه لا أبرح حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين أو أمضي حقبا فيه أربع مسائل :الأولى : قوله تعالى : وإذ قال موسى لفتاه الجمهور من العلماء وأهل التاريخ أنه موسى بن عمران المذكور في القرآن ليس فيه موسى غيره . وقالت فرقة منها نوف البكالي : إنه ليس ابن عمران وإنما هو موسى بن منشا بن يوسف بن يعقوب وكان نبيا قبل موسى بن عمران . وقد رد هذا القول ابن عباس في صحيح البخاري وغيره . وفتاه : هو يوشع بن نون . وقد مضى ذكره في " المائدة " وآخر " يوسف " . ومن قال هو ابن منشا فليس الفتى يوشع بن نون .لا أبرح أي لا أزال أسير ; قال الشاعر :[ ص: 385 ]وأبرح ما أدام الله قومي بحمد الله منتطقا مجيداوقيل : لا أبرح لا أفارقك .حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين أي ملتقاهما . قال قتادة : وهو بحر فارس والروم ; وقاله مجاهد . قال ابن عطية : وهو ذراع يخرج من البحر المحيط من شمال إلى جنوب في أرض فارس من وراء أذربيجان ، فالركن الذي لاجتماع البحرين مما يلي بر الشام هو مجمع البحرين على هذا القول . وقيل : هما بحر الأردن وبحر القلزم . وقيل : مجمع البحرين عند طنجة ; قال محمد بن كعب . وروي عن أبي بن كعب أنه بأفريقية . وقال السدي : الكر والرس بأرمينية .وقال بعض أهل العلم : هو بحر الأندلس من البحر المحيط ; حكاه النقاش ; وهذا مما يذكر كثيرا . وقالت فرقة : إنما هما موسى والخضر ; وهذا قول ضعيف ; وحكي عن ابن عباس ، ولا يصح ; فإن الأمر بين من الأحاديث أنه إنما وسم له بحر ماء .وسبب هذه القصة ما خرجه الصحيحان عن أبي بن كعب أنه سمع رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يقول : إن موسى - عليه السلام - قام خطيبا في بني إسرائيل فسئل أي الناس أعلم فقال أنا فعتب الله عليه إذ لم يرد العلم إليه فأوحى الله إليه إن لي عبدا بمجمع البحرين هو أعلم منك قال موسى يا رب فكيف لي به قال تأخذ معك حوتا فتجعله في مكتل فحيثما فقدت الحوت فهو ثم . . . وذكر الحديث ، واللفظ للبخاري . وقال ابن عباس : لما ظهر موسى وقومه على أرض مصر أنزل قومه مصر ، فلما استقرت بهم الدار أمره الله أن ذكرهم بأيام الله ، فخطب قومه فذكرهم ما أتاهم الله من الخير والنعمة إذ نجاهم من آل فرعون ، وأهلك عدوهم ، واستخلفهم في الأرض ، ثم قال : وكلم الله نبيكم تكليما ، واصطفاه لنفسه ، وألقى علي محبة منه ، وآتاكم من كل ما سألتموه ، فجعلكم أفضل أهل الأرض ، ورزقكم العز بعد الذل ، والغنى بعد الفقر ، والتوراة بعد أن كنتم جهالا ; فقال له رجل من بني إسرائيل : عرفنا الذي تقول ، فهل على وجه الأرض أحد أعلم منك يا نبي الله ؟ قال : لا ; فعتب عليه حين لم يرد العلم إليه ، فبعث الله جبريل : أن يا موسى وما يدريك أين أضع علمي ؟ بلى إن لي عبدا بمجمع البحرين أعلم منك . . . ) وذكر الحديث .قال علماؤنا : قوله في الحديث ( هو أعلم منك ) أي بأحكام وقائع مفصلة ، وحكم نوازل معينة ، لا مطلقا بدليل قول الخضر لموسى : إنك على علم علمكه الله لا أعلمه أنا ، وأنا على علم علمنيه لا تعلمه أنت ، وعلى هذا فيصدق على كل واحد منهما أنه أعلم من الآخر بالنسبة إلى ما يعلمه كل واحد منهما ولا يعلمه الآخر ، فلما سمع موسى هذا تشوقت نفسه الفاضلة ، وهمته العالية ، لتحصيل علم ما لم يعلم ، وللقاء من [ ص: 386 ] قيل فيه : إنه أعلم منك ; فعزم فسأل سؤال الذليل بكيف السبيل ، فأمر بالارتحال على كل حال وقيل له احمل معك حوتا مالحا في مكتل - وهو الزنبيل - فحيث يحيا وتفقده فثم السبيل ، فانطلق مع فتاه لما واتاه ، مجتهدا طلبا قائلا : لا أبرح حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين أو أمضي حقباالثانية : في هذا من الفقه رحلة العالم في طلب الازدياد من العلم ، والاستعانة على ذلك بالخادم والصاحب ، واغتنام لقاء الفضلاء والعلماء وإن بعدت أقطارهم ، وذلك كان في دأب السلف الصالح ، وبسبب ذلك وصل المرتحلون إلى الحظ الراجح ، وحصلوا على السعي الناجح ، فرسخت لهم في العلوم أقدام ، وصح لهم من الذكر والأجر والفضل أفضل الأقسام قال البخاري : ورحل جابر بن عبد الله مسيرة شهر إلى عبد الله بن أنيس في حديث .الثالثة : وإذ قال موسى لفتاه للعلماء فيه ثلاثة أقوال : أحدها : أنه كان معه يخدمه ، والفتى في كلام العرب الشاب ، ولما كان الخدمة أكثر ما يكونون فتيانا قيل للخادم فتى على جهة حسن الأدب ، وندبت الشريعة إلى ذلك في قول النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : لا يقل أحدكم عبدي ولا أمتي وليقل فتاي وفتاتي فهذا ندب إلى التواضع ; وقد تقدم هذا في " يوسف " . والفتى في الآية هو الخادم وهو يوشع بن نون بن إفراثيم بن يوسف - عليه السلام - . ويقال : هو ابن أخت موسى - عليه السلام - . وقيل : إنما سمي فتى موسى لأنه لزمه ليتعلم منه وإن كان حرا ; وهذا معنى الأول . وقيل : إنما سماه فتى لأنه قام مقام الفتى وهو العبد ، قال الله - تعالى - : وقال لفتيانه اجعلوا بضاعتهم في رحالهم وقال : تراود فتاها عن نفسه قال ابن العربي : فظاهر القرآن يقتضي أنه عبد ، وفي الحديث : ( أنه كان يوشع بن نون ) وفي التفسير : أنه ابن أخته ، وهذا كله مما لا يقطع به ، والتوقف فيه أسلم .[ ص: 387 ] الرابعة : أو أمضي حقبا بضم الحاء والقاف وهو الدهر ، والجمع أحقاب . وقد تسكن قافه فيقال حقب . وهو ثمانون سنة . ويقال : أكثر من ذلك . والجمع حقاب . والحقبة بكسر الحاء واحدة الحقب وهي السنون . قال عبد الله بن عمر : والحقب ثمانون سنة . مجاهد : سبعون خريفا . قتادة : زمان ، النحاس : الذي يعرفه أهل اللغة أن الحقب والحقبة زمان من الدهر مبهم غير محدود ; كما أن رهطا وقوما مبهم غير محدود : وجمعه أحقاب .
God continuously manages the affairs of this world through His angels. Since this system is not visible to man, he does not fully grasp its secrets. He harbours different types of doubts due to his deficient knowledge. To remedy this, God has given the opportunity for indirect observation to certain of His selected subjects. He has arranged for them to observe His invisible world, so that they should see with their own eyes its wisdom and make others aware of it. Here, the incident relating to Moses is a similar type of exceptional event, by means of which he was given a glimpse of God’s invisible system. Moses is said to have undertaken this journey between Egypt and Sudan along with one young disciple Yusha‘ bin Nun (Joshua). By way of a sign, God had asked him to proceed on his journey until he reached a place where two seas came together. He was told that there he would find somebody (perhaps an angel in the shape of a human being), whom he was asked to accompany.
Commentary
In the description of this event referred to in: وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ (And when Musa said to his young man), the opening sentence of verse 60, 'Musa' means the famous prophet, Musa son of 'Imran (علیہ السلام) . The attribution of this event to some other Musa by Nawf al-Bakali has been sternly refuted by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ as reported in the Sahih of al-Bukhari.
As for the word: فَتٰی (fata), it literally means a young man. When this word is used as attributed to a particular person, it carries the sense of his attendant or servant because it is usually a young and strong man who is taken in for this kind of service in order that he could handle all sorts of jobs. Incidentally, it also happens to be an article of good Islamic etiquette that a servant or attendant should be addressed nicely, either by his name, or an appellation such as 'young man.' The ground rule is that even servants are not to be addressed as servants. At this place, the attribution of 'fata' is to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ، therefore, it means Sayyidna Musa's attendant in service. It appears in Hadith narratives that the name of this attendant was Yusha' son of Nun, son of Ifra'im, son of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . Some narratives identify him as the maternal nephew of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . But, no categorical decision can be taken in this matter. As for his name being Yusha' ibn Nun, that much stands proved on the authority of sound narratives. However, there is no proof for the rest of the antecedents. (Qurtubi)
The word: مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ (majma' al-bahrayn) literally means every such place where two waters meet - and it is obvious that they are many all around the world. Exactly which place is meant by 'majma` al-bahrayn' in this context? Since the Qur'an, and Hadith have not pinpointed it precisely, therefore, sayings of commentators differ in terms of traces and contexts. According to Qatadah, it signifies the meeting point of the seas of Faris (Persia) and Rum. Ibn ` Atiyyah has identified a place near Azerbaijan. Some point out to the confluence of the Gulf of 'Aqabah in Jordan and the Red Sea (Sharm ash-Shaykh). Some others have said that this place is located in Tanjah (Tangiers in North Africa). Sayyidna 'Ubayy ibn Ka'b ؓ reports that it is in Africa. Suddiyy gives its location in Armenia. Some give its location at the meeting point of the sea of Andulus (Gibraltar) and the Great Ocean (Atlantic). Allah knows best. However, this much is clear that Allah Ta’ ala had told Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) the fixed geographical location of this place towards which he had made his journey. (Qurtubi)
The Story of Sayyidna Musa (Moses) (علیہ السلام) and Al-Khadir (Elias)
Details of this event appear in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim. There, according to a narration of Sayyidna Ubaiyy ibn Ka` b ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: "Once when Musa rose to address his people, the Bani Isra'il, those present there asked him, 'of all human beings, who is the foremost in knowledge?' Since (in the knowledge of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) there was no one more knowledgeable than himself) therefore, he said, 'I am the foremost in knowledge.' (Allah Ta’ ala has His special ways of grooming prophets close to Him, therefore, this statement was not welcome. The etiquette of the situation demanded that he should have resigned his answer to the ultimate knowledge of Allah and said that 'Allah alone knows as to who is the foremost in knowledge among His entire creation' ). So, the answer given by Musa (علیہ السلام) brought displeasure from Allah Ta` ala and to him it was revealed: 'Present on the meeting point of the two seas, there is a servant of Ours. He is more knowledgeable than you.' (When Musa (علیہ السلام) came to know this, he submitted before Allah Ta` ala that it was incumbent on him to travel and learn from the person who is superior to him in knowledge). So, he said: '0 Allah, tell me where to find him.' Allah Ta` ala said, 'put a fish in your basket and travel in the direction of the meeting point of the two seas. When you reach the place where this fish disappears, that shall be the place where you meet that servant of Ours.' As commanded, Musa put a fish in the basket and set out. His attendant, Yusha' ibn Nun was also with him. During the course of travel, they reached a rock where they lied down resting their heads against it. All of a sudden, on that spot, the fish moved, left the basket and went into the sea. (With this miracle of the fish coming alive and slipping out into the sea, yet another miracle unfolded when) Allah Ta` ala stopped the flow of water currents all along the way the fish took into the sea making the place like a tunnel into the sea. (Yusha' ibn Nun witnessed this extraor-dinary event while Musa (علیہ السلام) was asleep). When he woke up, Yusha' ibn Nun forgot to mention this strange happening before him and resumed their journey onwards from there. They traveled for a whole day and night. When came the morning of the next day, Musa (علیہ السلام) asked his companion of the journey, 'bring us our morning meal. We have, indeed, had much fatigue from this journey of ours.' The Holy Prophet ﷺ said that (as Divinely arranged) Musa (علیہ السلام) felt no fatigue at all before that, so much so that he had over-traversed the spot where he had to reach. It was only when Musa asked for his morning meal that Yusha' ibn Nun recalled the fate of the fish, tendered his excuse for having forgotten to mention it for the Shaitan had made him forget about the need to report this matter to him earlier. After that, he disclosed that the dead fish had come alive and gone into the sea in an amazing manner. Thereupon, Musa` (علیہ السلام) said: 'that was what we were looking for.' (That is, the place where the fish comes alive and disappears was the desired destination).
So they turned back that very instant and took the same route they had taken earlier in order to find the spot they were looking for. Now, when they reached the familiar rock, they saw that someone was lying there covered with a sheet from the head down to the feet. Musa (علیہ السلام) (taking things as they were) offered the greeting of salam. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) asked, 'where in the world does this 'salam' come from in this (uninhabited) wilderness?' Thereupon, Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'I am Musa.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) asked, 'Musa Bani Isra'il?' He confirmed, 'Yes, I am Musa Bani Isra'il. I have come here to ask you to teach me the knowl-edge Allah has given to you specially.'
Al Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'you will be unable to remain patient with me. 0 Musa, there is a knowledge Allah has given to me and which you do not have while there is a knowledge which Allah has given to you which I do not have.' Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'if Allah wills, you will find me patient. I shall not disobey you in any of your orders.'
Al Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'If you are to be with me, do not ask me about anything unless I tell you about it first.'
After having said this, they started walking by the shore. Then came a boat. A ride was negotiated. The boat people recognized al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) and let them come on board free of any charges. No sooner did he step into the boat, al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) forced out a panel of the boat with the help of an axe. Musa (علیہ السلام) could not restrain himself. He said, 'These people gave us a free ride on the boat. This is what you did to them in return. You tore their boat apart so that they would drown. You have really done something very bad.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'Did I not tell you before that you will be unable to remain patient with me?' Thereupon, Musa (علیہ السلام) offered his excuse that he had forgotten his promise and requested him not to take him to task on his act of inadvertent omission.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ ، after relating this event, said, "The first objection raised by Musa (علیہ السلام) against al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) was activated by forgetfulness, the second as a condition and the third by intention. (Meanwhile) a bird came, sat down on the side of the boat and took out a beak-full of water from the sea. Thereupon, addressing Musa (علیہ السلام) ، al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, "even the combined knowledge of the two of us, yours and mine, cannot claim a status against Divine knowledge that could be compared even with the water in the beak of this bird as related to this sea."
Then, having disembarked from the boat, they started walking on the shore. All of a sudden, al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) killed the boy with his own hands. The boy died. Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'you took an innocent life unjustly. Indeed, this was a grave sin you committed.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'Did I not tell you before that you will be unable to remain patient with me?' Musa (علیہ السلام) noticed that this matter was far more serious than the first one. Therefore, he said, 'if I question you after this, you will be free to remove me from your company. As far as I am concerned, you have reached the limit of excuses from me.'
After that, they started walking again until they passed by a village. They requested the village people to house them as guests. They refused. In this habitation, they noticed a wall that was about to collapse. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) made it stand straight with his own hands. Surprised, Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'we requested their hospitality. They refused. Now you did such a big job for them. If you wished, you could have charged wages from them to do it.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, هَـٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ (It means that the condition now stands fulfilled, therefore, time has come for you and me to part company).
Then, after telling Musa (علیہ السلام) the reality behind the three events, Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said: ذٰلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْرًا which means: 'That was the reality of the events over which you were unable to remain patient.'
Once he had narrated this entire event, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "I wish Musa (علیہ السلام) could have remained more patient so that we would have come to know more about the two of them."
This lengthy Hadith appears in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim in a manner that it establishes three things. It clearly mentions the name of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) as Musa Bani Isra'il, the name of his young companion during the travel as Yusha' ibn Nun and the name of the 'servant of Allah' to whom Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was sent towards the meeting point of the two seas as Al-Khadir. Now, from this point onwards, we shall take up the verses of the Qur'an, and explain their sense.
Some rules of the road and a model of high prophetic determination
The first statement made in verse 60:. لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ("I shall not give up until I reach the meeting point of the two seas or else I shall go on for years" ) was from Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) as addressed to his traveling companion, Yusha` ibn Nun. The purpose was to inform him about the direction and destination of the intended journey. This too releases a refinement in manners for he was taking the necessary steps to orient his companion and attendant with the knowledge of things essential for the journey. Proud and arrogant people just do not regard servants and attendants worth addressing, nor would they pass on any in-formation to them about a projected journey.
The word: حُقُبَّا (huquba: years) is the plural of: حُقبَہ (huqbah). According to lexicographers, huqbah is a period of eighty years. Some add more years to this definition. The truth of the matter is that huqubah refers to a long period of time. There are no set limits about it. Here, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has told his companion on the trip that he has to reach a particular place at the meeting point of the two seas. There he must reach as commanded by Allah Ta’ ala and that he was determined to continue his journey until he reaches that destination no matter how long the journey takes. When ready to obey the command of their Lord, this is a model of high determination exhibited by prophets.
Allah then mentioned the story of Moses with Khidr. It so happened that it came to Moses's mind that there is no servant on the face of the earth who is more knowledgeable than him. And so Allah said to Moses: " I have a servant on earth who is more obedient to Me and more knowledgeable than you, and this servant is Khidr ". Moses said: " O Lord! Guide me to him ". He said: " Take with you salted fish and walk along the sea shores until you find a rock in which there is the fountain of life. Sprinkle some of the water on the fish until it comes back to life. There you will meet Khidr ". Allah said: (And when Moses said unto his servant) his servant was Shajardah Joshua ben Nun, an Israelite nobleman. He was his servant in the sense that he kept his company and served him: (I will not give up until I reach the point where the two rivers meet) where sea water meets with river water, i.e. where the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea meet, (though I march on for ages) or I will continue going on for years.
The Story of Musa and Al-Khidr
The reason for Musa's conversation with the boy-servant, Yusha` bin Nun, was that he had been told about one of the servants of Allah at the junction of the two seas, who had knowledge which Musa had not been granted, so he wanted to travel to meet him. So he said to that boy-servant of his:
لا أَبْرَحُ
(I will not give up) meaning, I will keep on traveling,
حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ
(until I reach the junction of the two seas) meaning, the place where the two seas met.
أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُباً
(or a Huqub passes.) meaning, even if I have to travel for a very long time. Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Some of the scholars of the Arabic language said that Huqub means a year in the dialect of the tribe of Qays," then he narrated that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "Huqub means eighty years." Mujahid said, "Seventy years." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that it means a lifetime. Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said likewise.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا
(But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish,) He had been commanded to carry a salted fish with him, and it had been said to him, when you lose the fish, that will be a sign that you have reached the right place. So they set out and traveled until they reached the junction of the two seas, where there was a spring called `Ayn Al-Hayat (the Spring of Life). They went to sleep there, and the fish felt the drops of that water, so it came back to life. It was in a vessel with Yusha`, upon him be peace, and it jumped out of the vessel towards the sea. Yusha` woke up and the fish fell into the water and started to swim through the water, leaving a track or channel behind it. Allah said:
فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ سَرَباً
(and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel.) meaning, like going through a tunnel on land. Ibn Jurayj said, "Ibn `Abbas said, `It left a trace as if it were a rock.'"
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا
(So when they had passed further on,) means, past the place where they had forgotten the fish. Forgetfulness is attributed to them both even though it was actually Yusha` who forgot. This is like the Ayah:
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا الُّلؤْلُؤُ وَالمَرْجَانُ
(Out of them both come out pearl and coral.) 55:22, although they come from the salt water, according to one of the two opinions. When they had passed one stage beyond the place where they had forgotten the fish,
قَالَ لِفَتَـهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـذَا
(Musa said to his boy-servant: "Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered in this, our journey) meaning, their journey beyond the place where they should have stopped.
نَصَباً
(Nasaban) means, exhaustion.
قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ
(He said: "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish; none but Shaytan made me forget to remember it...") Then he said,
وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ
(It took its course), meaning its path,
فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًاقَالَ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ
("...into the sea in a strange (way)!" Musa said: "That is what we have been seeking.") meaning, this is what we have been looking for.
فَارْتَدَّا
(So they went back )
عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا
(their footsteps.)
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
(Then they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.) This was Al-Khidr, peace be upon him, as is indicated by the authentic Hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Al-Bukhari recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "I said to Ibn `Abbas: `Nawf Al-Bikali claims that Musa, the companion of Al-Khidr was not the Musa of the Children of Israel.' Ibn `Abbas said, `The enemy of Allah has told a lie.' Ubayy bin Ka`b narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,
«إِنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ: أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا، فَعَتَبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَوْحَى اللهُ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ لِي عَبْدًا بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ. قَالَ مُوسَى: يَا رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ؟ قَالَ: تَأْخُذُ مَعَكَ حُوتًا فَتَجْعَلَهُ بِمِكْتَلٍ، فَحَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ، فَأَخَذَ حُوتًا فَجَعَلَهُ بِمِكْتَلٍ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ وَضَعَا رُءُوْسَهُمَا فَنَامَا، وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا، وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ، فَصَارَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ، نَسِيَ صَاحِبُهُ أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ بِالْحُوتِ، فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتَهُمَا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ:
ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـذَا نَصَباً
(Musa got up to deliver a speech before the Children of Israel and he was asked, "Who is the most learned person among the people" Musa replied, "I am." Allah rebuked him because he did not refer the knowledge to Allah. So Allah revealed to him: "At the junction of the two seas there is a servant of Ours who is more learned than you." Musa asked, "O my Lord, how can I meet him" Allah said, "Take a fish and put it in a vessel and then set out, and where you lose the fish, you will find him." So Musa took a fish, put it in a vessel and set out, along with his boy-servant Yusha` bin Nun, peace be upon him, till they reached a rock (on which) they both lay down their heads and slept. The fish moved vigorously in the vessel and got out of it and fell into the sea and there it took its way through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water on both sides of the way created by the fish, and so that way was like a tunnel. When Musa got up, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, and so they carried on their journey during the rest of the day and the whole night. The next morning Musa said to his boy-servant, ("Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey.") وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أَمَرَهُ اللهُ بِهِ، قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ:
أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا
قاَل: فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا، وَلِمُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا، فَقَالَ:
ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا
قَالَ: فَرَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ أَثَرَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ موسَى فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ: وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلَامُ.فَقَالَ: أَنَا مُوسَى. فَقَالَ: مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ علْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُ أَنْتَ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عَلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللهُ لَا أَعْلَمُهُ. Musa did not get tired till he had passed the place that Allah had ordered him to look for. His boy-servant then said to him, ("Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish; none but Shaytan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a strange way.") There was a tunnel for the fish and Musa and his boy-servant were amazed. Musa said, ("That is what we have been seeking." So they went back retracing their footsteps.") So they went back retracing their steps until they reached the rock. There they found a man covered with a garment. Musa greeted him. Al-Khidr said, "Is there such a greeting in your land" Musa said, "I am Musa." He said, "Are you the Musa of the Children of Israel" Musa said, "Yes," and added, "I have come to you so that you may teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught." Al-Khidr said, ("You will not be able to have patience with me.) O Musa! I have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon me but you do not know it; and you too, have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon you, but I do not know it." فَقَالَ مُوسَى:
سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِى لَكَ أمْراً
قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ:
فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِى فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنى عَن شَىءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً
فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ سَفِيَنةٌ، فَكَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ، فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمْ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ لَمْ يَفْجَأْ إِلَّا وَالْخَضِرُ قَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ بِالْقَدُّومِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى: قَدْ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَعَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا؟ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا
قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً - قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِى مِنْ أَمْرِى عُسْراً
Musa said, ("If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.") Al-Khidr said to him, ("Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I myself mention it to you.") So they set out walking along the shore, until a boat passed by and they asked the crew to let them go on board. The crew recognized Al-Khidr and allowed them to go on board free of charge. When they went on board, suddenly Musa saw that Al-Khidr had pulled out one of the planks of the ship with an adz. Musa said to him, "These people gave us a free ride, yet you have broken their boat so that its people will drown! Verily, you have done a terrible thing! ("Al-Khidr said, "Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me") (Musa said, "Call me not to account for what I forgot and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you). ")) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, فَكَانَتِ الْأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا، قَالَ: وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ، فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً أَوْ نَقْرَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ: مَا عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ فِي عِلْمِ اللهِ إِلَّا مِثْلُ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذْ أَبْصَرَ الْخَضِرُ غُلَامًا يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ، فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ رَأْسَهُ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى:
فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلاَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئاً نُّكْراً - قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(In the first instance, Musa asked Al-Khidr because he had forgotten his promise. Then a bird came and sat on the edge of the boat, dipping its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khidr said to Musa, "My knowledge and your knowledge, in comparison to Allah's knowledge, is like what this bird has taken out of the sea." Then they both disembarked from the boat, and while they were walking on the shore, Al-Khidr saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khidr took hold of the boy's head and pulled it off with his hands, killing him. Musa said to him, ("Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none! Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!" He said, "Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me") قَالَ: وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْأُولَى/
قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْراً فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ
أَيْ مَائِلًا،فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ
فَأَقَامَهُ
فَقَالَ مُوسَى: قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا
فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً - قَالَ هَـذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً
The narrator said, "The second blame was stronger than the first one". (Musa said, "If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company; you have received an excuse from me." Then they both proceeded until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for food but they refused to entertain them. (Then) they found there a wall on the point of falling down.) (Al-Khidr) set it up straight with his own hands. Musa said, "We came to these people, but they neither fed us nor received us as guests. (If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for it!" (Al-Khidr) said: "This is the parting between you and I. I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to be patient.") The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَقُصَّ اللهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا»
(We wish that Musa was patient so that Allah would have told us more about both of them.) Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "Ibn `Abbas used to recite Ayah no. 79 (وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَاْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالَحَةٍ غَضْبًا) (There was a king before them who seized every good-conditioned ship by force) and Ayah no 80 (وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ) (As for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers.) Then (in another narration) Al-Bukhari recorded a similar account which says: فَخَرَجَ مُوسَى وَمَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ وَمَعَهُمَا الْحُوتُ، حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَنَزَلَا عِنْدَهَا، قَالَ: فَوَضَعَ مُوسَى رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ، قَالَ: وَفِي أَصْلِ الصَّخْرَةِ عَيْنٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْحَيَاةُ لَا يُصِيبُ مِنْ مَائِهَا شَيْءٌ إِلَّا حَيِيَ فَأَصَابَ الْحُوتَ مِنْ مَاءِ تِلْكَ الْعَيْنِ، فَتَحَرَّكَ وَانْسَلَّ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَدَخَلَ الْبَحْرَ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ:
ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا
(...then Musa set out and with him was his boy-servant Yusha` bin Nun, and they had the fish with them. When they reached the rock, they camped there, and Musa lay down his head and slept. At the base of the rock there was a spring called Al-Hayat; its water never touched a thing but it brought it to life. Some of its water touched the fish, so it began to move and jumped out of the vessel and into the sea. When he woke up, Musa said to his boy-servant: (Bring us our morning meal.)) Then he quoted the rest of the Hadith. Then a bird came and perched on the edge of the ship, and dipped its beak in the sea, and Al-Khidr said to Musa, "My knowledge and your knowledge and the knowledge of all of creation, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, is like what this bird has taken from the sea." Then he mentioned the rest of the report.
قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْداً - قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً - وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْراً
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, “I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.” Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, “So I fled from you when I was afraid of you” [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, “He was called from the right bank of the watercourse” [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: “When Moses came to Our appointed time” [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: “We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours” [18:62]. His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: “So Moses struck him and gave him the decree” [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, “Moses struck him and My decree reached him.” Then He said, “Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].” In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, “Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them” [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
When Moses said to his chevalier, �I will continue on until I reach the meeting place of the two seas.�Moses had four journeys: One was the journey of flight, as God says recounting from Moses, �So I fled from you when I was afraid of you� [26:21]. The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. That is His words, �He was called from the right bank of the watercourse� [28:30]. Third was the journey of revelry: �When Moses came to Our appointed time� [7:143]. Fourth was the journey of toil: �We have certainly met with weariness on this journey of ours� [18:62].His journey of flight was at the beginning of the work. He fled from the enemy and turned his face toward Midian, having killed the Egyptian man, as the Exalted Lord says: �So Moses struck him and gave him the decree� [28:15]. When there is solicitude, how can prosperity and victory be ended? Since God had solicitude toward Moses' work, He excused him for that killing. He said, �Moses struck him and My decree reached him.� Then He said, �Moses had no sin in that. The sin belonged to the devil and the act was from the devil: He said, 'This is the work of Satan' [28:15].� In the same way, He will excuse the faithful servant with His bounty and convey His pardon to him. He says, �Satan made them slip for something they had earned, but God has surely pardoned them� [3:155]. God overlooked their sin. It was Satanic disquiet and the devil's work.The second was the journey of seeking on the night of the fire. Moses set out seeking fire. What sort of fire was it, for it placed the whole world on fire! Wherever talk of Moses' fire goes, the whole world takes on the scent of passion because of its turmoil. Moses set off in search of fire and found light. These chevaliers set off in search of light and find fire. If the sweetness of listen- ing to the Real's speech without intermediary reached Moses, what wonder is it that His friends catch a scent of that? If the fire of Moses was apparent, the fire of these chevaliers is hidden. If the fire of Moses was in a tree, the fire of these chevaliers is in the spirit.
Commentary
In the description of this event referred to in: وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ (And when Musa said to his young man), the opening sentence of verse 60, 'Musa' means the famous prophet, Musa son of 'Imran (علیہ السلام) . The attribution of this event to some other Musa by Nawf al-Bakali has been sternly refuted by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ as reported in the Sahih of al-Bukhari.
As for the word: فَتٰی (fata), it literally means a young man. When this word is used as attributed to a particular person, it carries the sense of his attendant or servant because it is usually a young and strong man who is taken in for this kind of service in order that he could handle all sorts of jobs. Incidentally, it also happens to be an article of good Islamic etiquette that a servant or attendant should be addressed nicely, either by his name, or an appellation such as 'young man.' The ground rule is that even servants are not to be addressed as servants. At this place, the attribution of 'fata' is to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ، therefore, it means Sayyidna Musa's attendant in service. It appears in Hadith narratives that the name of this attendant was Yusha' son of Nun, son of Ifra'im, son of Yusuf (علیہ السلام) . Some narratives identify him as the maternal nephew of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . But, no categorical decision can be taken in this matter. As for his name being Yusha' ibn Nun, that much stands proved on the authority of sound narratives. However, there is no proof for the rest of the antecedents. (Qurtubi)
The word: مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ (majma' al-bahrayn) literally means every such place where two waters meet - and it is obvious that they are many all around the world. Exactly which place is meant by 'majma` al-bahrayn' in this context? Since the Qur'an, and Hadith have not pinpointed it precisely, therefore, sayings of commentators differ in terms of traces and contexts. According to Qatadah, it signifies the meeting point of the seas of Faris (Persia) and Rum. Ibn ` Atiyyah has identified a place near Azerbaijan. Some point out to the confluence of the Gulf of 'Aqabah in Jordan and the Red Sea (Sharm ash-Shaykh). Some others have said that this place is located in Tanjah (Tangiers in North Africa). Sayyidna 'Ubayy ibn Ka'b ؓ reports that it is in Africa. Suddiyy gives its location in Armenia. Some give its location at the meeting point of the sea of Andulus (Gibraltar) and the Great Ocean (Atlantic). Allah knows best. However, this much is clear that Allah Ta’ ala had told Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) the fixed geographical location of this place towards which he had made his journey. (Qurtubi)
The Story of Sayyidna Musa (Moses) (علیہ السلام) and Al-Khadir (Elias)
Details of this event appear in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim. There, according to a narration of Sayyidna Ubaiyy ibn Ka` b ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: "Once when Musa rose to address his people, the Bani Isra'il, those present there asked him, 'of all human beings, who is the foremost in knowledge?' Since (in the knowledge of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) there was no one more knowledgeable than himself) therefore, he said, 'I am the foremost in knowledge.' (Allah Ta’ ala has His special ways of grooming prophets close to Him, therefore, this statement was not welcome. The etiquette of the situation demanded that he should have resigned his answer to the ultimate knowledge of Allah and said that 'Allah alone knows as to who is the foremost in knowledge among His entire creation' ). So, the answer given by Musa (علیہ السلام) brought displeasure from Allah Ta` ala and to him it was revealed: 'Present on the meeting point of the two seas, there is a servant of Ours. He is more knowledgeable than you.' (When Musa (علیہ السلام) came to know this, he submitted before Allah Ta` ala that it was incumbent on him to travel and learn from the person who is superior to him in knowledge). So, he said: '0 Allah, tell me where to find him.' Allah Ta` ala said, 'put a fish in your basket and travel in the direction of the meeting point of the two seas. When you reach the place where this fish disappears, that shall be the place where you meet that servant of Ours.' As commanded, Musa put a fish in the basket and set out. His attendant, Yusha' ibn Nun was also with him. During the course of travel, they reached a rock where they lied down resting their heads against it. All of a sudden, on that spot, the fish moved, left the basket and went into the sea. (With this miracle of the fish coming alive and slipping out into the sea, yet another miracle unfolded when) Allah Ta` ala stopped the flow of water currents all along the way the fish took into the sea making the place like a tunnel into the sea. (Yusha' ibn Nun witnessed this extraor-dinary event while Musa (علیہ السلام) was asleep). When he woke up, Yusha' ibn Nun forgot to mention this strange happening before him and resumed their journey onwards from there. They traveled for a whole day and night. When came the morning of the next day, Musa (علیہ السلام) asked his companion of the journey, 'bring us our morning meal. We have, indeed, had much fatigue from this journey of ours.' The Holy Prophet ﷺ said that (as Divinely arranged) Musa (علیہ السلام) felt no fatigue at all before that, so much so that he had over-traversed the spot where he had to reach. It was only when Musa asked for his morning meal that Yusha' ibn Nun recalled the fate of the fish, tendered his excuse for having forgotten to mention it for the Shaitan had made him forget about the need to report this matter to him earlier. After that, he disclosed that the dead fish had come alive and gone into the sea in an amazing manner. Thereupon, Musa` (علیہ السلام) said: 'that was what we were looking for.' (That is, the place where the fish comes alive and disappears was the desired destination).
So they turned back that very instant and took the same route they had taken earlier in order to find the spot they were looking for. Now, when they reached the familiar rock, they saw that someone was lying there covered with a sheet from the head down to the feet. Musa (علیہ السلام) (taking things as they were) offered the greeting of salam. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) asked, 'where in the world does this 'salam' come from in this (uninhabited) wilderness?' Thereupon, Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'I am Musa.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) asked, 'Musa Bani Isra'il?' He confirmed, 'Yes, I am Musa Bani Isra'il. I have come here to ask you to teach me the knowl-edge Allah has given to you specially.'
Al Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'you will be unable to remain patient with me. 0 Musa, there is a knowledge Allah has given to me and which you do not have while there is a knowledge which Allah has given to you which I do not have.' Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'if Allah wills, you will find me patient. I shall not disobey you in any of your orders.'
Al Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'If you are to be with me, do not ask me about anything unless I tell you about it first.'
After having said this, they started walking by the shore. Then came a boat. A ride was negotiated. The boat people recognized al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) and let them come on board free of any charges. No sooner did he step into the boat, al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) forced out a panel of the boat with the help of an axe. Musa (علیہ السلام) could not restrain himself. He said, 'These people gave us a free ride on the boat. This is what you did to them in return. You tore their boat apart so that they would drown. You have really done something very bad.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'Did I not tell you before that you will be unable to remain patient with me?' Thereupon, Musa (علیہ السلام) offered his excuse that he had forgotten his promise and requested him not to take him to task on his act of inadvertent omission.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ ، after relating this event, said, "The first objection raised by Musa (علیہ السلام) against al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) was activated by forgetfulness, the second as a condition and the third by intention. (Meanwhile) a bird came, sat down on the side of the boat and took out a beak-full of water from the sea. Thereupon, addressing Musa (علیہ السلام) ، al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, "even the combined knowledge of the two of us, yours and mine, cannot claim a status against Divine knowledge that could be compared even with the water in the beak of this bird as related to this sea."
Then, having disembarked from the boat, they started walking on the shore. All of a sudden, al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) killed the boy with his own hands. The boy died. Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'you took an innocent life unjustly. Indeed, this was a grave sin you committed.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, 'Did I not tell you before that you will be unable to remain patient with me?' Musa (علیہ السلام) noticed that this matter was far more serious than the first one. Therefore, he said, 'if I question you after this, you will be free to remove me from your company. As far as I am concerned, you have reached the limit of excuses from me.'
After that, they started walking again until they passed by a village. They requested the village people to house them as guests. They refused. In this habitation, they noticed a wall that was about to collapse. Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) made it stand straight with his own hands. Surprised, Musa (علیہ السلام) said, 'we requested their hospitality. They refused. Now you did such a big job for them. If you wished, you could have charged wages from them to do it.' Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said, هَـٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ (It means that the condition now stands fulfilled, therefore, time has come for you and me to part company).
Then, after telling Musa (علیہ السلام) the reality behind the three events, Al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) said: ذٰلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْرًا which means: 'That was the reality of the events over which you were unable to remain patient.'
Once he had narrated this entire event, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "I wish Musa (علیہ السلام) could have remained more patient so that we would have come to know more about the two of them."
This lengthy Hadith appears in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim in a manner that it establishes three things. It clearly mentions the name of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) as Musa Bani Isra'il, the name of his young companion during the travel as Yusha' ibn Nun and the name of the 'servant of Allah' to whom Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was sent towards the meeting point of the two seas as Al-Khadir. Now, from this point onwards, we shall take up the verses of the Qur'an, and explain their sense.
Some rules of the road and a model of high prophetic determination
The first statement made in verse 60:. لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ("I shall not give up until I reach the meeting point of the two seas or else I shall go on for years" ) was from Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) as addressed to his traveling companion, Yusha` ibn Nun. The purpose was to inform him about the direction and destination of the intended journey. This too releases a refinement in manners for he was taking the necessary steps to orient his companion and attendant with the knowledge of things essential for the journey. Proud and arrogant people just do not regard servants and attendants worth addressing, nor would they pass on any in-formation to them about a projected journey.
The word: حُقُبَّا (huquba: years) is the plural of: حُقبَہ (huqbah). According to lexicographers, huqbah is a period of eighty years. Some add more years to this definition. The truth of the matter is that huqubah refers to a long period of time. There are no set limits about it. Here, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has told his companion on the trip that he has to reach a particular place at the meeting point of the two seas. There he must reach as commanded by Allah Ta’ ala and that he was determined to continue his journey until he reaches that destination no matter how long the journey takes. When ready to obey the command of their Lord, this is a model of high determination exhibited by prophets.