As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today’s selection is from Surah 18, Al-Kahf or the Cave, verses 71-82. This selection concludes the story of Prophet Moses and a man named Khizr, whom the Prophet had sought out so as to learn some wisdom which God had imparted upon Khizr.
Tafseer for this selection elaborates on two additional points we are to take from this story.
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Verses
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.So they (Prophet Moses & Khizr) set forth, but when they embarked in a boat to cross the river, Khizr made a hole in it. Moses cried out: “Did you make a hole in it to drown its passengers? You have done a weird thing!”[71] He said: “Didn’t I say that you would not manage to have patience with me?”[72] Moses said: “Pardon my forgetfulness, do not be angry with me on account of this mistake.” [73] So they journeyed on until they met a boy, and Khizr slew him. Moses said: “You have killed an innocent person though he had killed nobody. Surely you have done a horrible deed!”[74] 18:[71-74]
Khizr said: “Did I not tell you that you will not be able to bear with me?”[75] Moses replied: “If ever I ask you about anything after this, you may decide not to keep me in your company; for then I should deserve it because you will have an excuse in my case.”[76] They traveled on until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for some food, but they refused to receive them as their guests. There they found a wall on the point of falling down, so he restored it. Moses said: “If you wanted you could have demanded some payment for it!”[77] 18:[75-77]
Khizr replied: “That’s it, this is the parting between you and me. But first I will explain to you those acts of mine which you could not bear to watch with patience.[78] As for the boat, it belonged to some poor fishermen who toiled on the river. I intended to damage it because in their rear there was a king who was seizing every boat by force.[79] As for the youth, his parents are true believers, and we feared lest he would grieve them with his rebellion and unbelief.[80] It was our wish that our Lord should grant them another in his place, a son more righteous and better in affection.[81] As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city and beneath it their treasure was buried. Since their father was a righteous man, your Lord desired that these children should attain their maturity and take out their treasure. All this was done as a mercy from your Lord. What I did was not done by my own will. That is the interpretation of those actions which you could not bear to watch with patience.”[82] 18:[78-82]
Ameen.
Tafseer
This selection is meant to illustrate the second 2 of 4 points:
(3) The mysterious man he meets to whom Tradition assigns the name of Khizr (literally, Green), is the type of that knowledge which is never in contact with life as it is actually lived. (4) There are paradoxes in life: apparent loss may be real gain; apparent cruelty may be real mercy; returning good for evil may really be justice and not generosity but Allah’s wisdom transcends all human calculation.
This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.
Thank you and be well.