I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf-Al-Bakali claims that Moses (the companion of Khadir) was not the Moses of Bani Israel but he was another Moses." Ibn `Abbas remarked that the enemy of Allah (Nauf) was a liar.
Narrated Ubai bin Ka`b:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Once the Prophet (ﷺ) Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked, "Who is the most learned man amongst the people. He said, "I am the most learned." Allah admonished Moses as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So Allah inspired to him "At the junction of the two seas there is a slave amongst my slaves who is more learned than you." Moses said, "O my Lord! How can I meet him?" Allah said: Take a fish in a large basket (and proceed) and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish. So Moses set out along with his (servant) boy, Yusha` bin Noon and carried a fish in a large basket till they reached a rock, where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish came out of the basket and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing thing for both Moses and his (servant) boy. They proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. When the day broke, Moses said to his (servant) boy: "Bring us our early meal. No doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey." Moses did not get tired till he passed the place about which he was told. There the (servant) boy told Moses, "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish." Moses remarked, "That is what we have been seeking. So they went back retracing their footsteps, till they reached the rock. There they saw a man covered with a garment (or covering himself with his own garment). Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir replied saying, "How do people greet each other in your land?" Moses said, "I am Moses." He asked, "The Moses of Bani Israel?" Moses replied in the affirmative and added, "May I follow you so that you teach me of that knowledge which you have been taught." Al-Khadir replied, "Verily! You will not be able to remain patient with me, O Moses! I have some of the knowledge of Allah which He has taught me and which you do not know, while you have some knowledge which Allah has taught you which I do not know." Moses said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient and I will disobey no order of yours. So both of them set out walking along the seashore, as they did not have a boat. In the meantime a boat passed by them and they requested the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and took them on board without fare. Then a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khadir said: "O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak." Al- Khadir went to one of the planks of the boat and plucked it out. Moses said, "These people gave us a free lift but you have broken their boat and scuttled it so as to drown its people." Al-Khadir replied, "Didn't I tell you that you will not be able to remain patient with me." Moses said, "Call me not to account for what I forgot." The first (excuse) of Moses was that he had forgotten. Then they proceeded further and found a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boy's head from the top and plucked it out with his hands (i.e. killed him). Moses said, "Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed none." Al-Khadir replied, "Did I not tell you that you cannot remain patient with me?" Then they both proceeded till when 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 collapsing. Al-Khadir repaired it with his own hands. Moses said, "If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir replied, "This is the parting between you and me." The Prophet added, "May Allah be Merciful to Moses! Would that he could have been more patient to learn more about his story with Al-Khadir. "
Commentary on the Identity of Moses
The narration begins with a refutation of Nauf al-Bakali's claim that the Moses who accompanied al-Khadir was different from the Moses of Banī Isrā'īl. Ibn 'Abbās, a renowned companion and exegete, categorically rejects this as false, affirming the established position that it was indeed Prophet Mūsā (Moses) of Banī Isrā'īl. This highlights the importance of adhering to authentic narrations and rejecting baseless opinions that contradict the clear texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
The Superiority of Divine Knowledge & The Journey's Commencement
Prophet Mūsā was asked who the most knowledgeable person was, and he replied that he was. While he was the most knowledgeable among his people, this statement was a lapse because absolute knowledge belongs solely to Allāh. Allāh therefore informed him of a more knowledgeable servant, al-Khadir, at the junction of the two seas. The instruction to take a fish and find al-Khadir at the place where the fish was lost is a profound lesson in relying on divine signs (āyāt) and following Allāh's guidance, even when the wisdom is not immediately apparent.
The fish coming to life and escaping into the sea was a miraculous sign (mu'jizah) confirming the divine nature of their quest. Their fatigue and Mūsā's request for a meal indicate the physical and spiritual exertion of the journey. The servant's remembrance of the event at the rock marks the fulfillment of Allāh's sign and the turning point in their mission.
The Meeting with al-Khadir & The Conditions
Al-Khadir's initial response to Mūsā's greeting demonstrates his awareness of their different customs and perhaps a test of Mūsā's humility. Mūsā's request to follow al-Khadir to acquire some of the divinely bestowed knowledge (al-'ilm al-ladunnī) he possessed shows the virtue of seeking knowledge, even from those who may not hold a higher prophetic station. Al-Khadir's immediate warning that Mūsā would lack the patience required underscores a central theme: knowledge based on divine wisdom (ḥikmah) often contradicts apparent, conventional understanding. True knowledge requires the patience to witness its ultimate wisdom unfold.
The Three Trials: A Lesson in Apparent vs. Real Good
The sparrow dipping its beak in the ocean is a powerful metaphor for the finite nature of human knowledge compared to the infinite knowledge of Allāh. No acquisition of knowledge by creation diminishes the divine knowledge in the slightest.
1. Scuttling the Boat: Apparent evil (damaging property) concealed a greater good—saving the poor boat owners from confiscation by an oppressive king. This teaches that worldly loss can be a means of divine protection.
2. Killing the Boy: The most severe test, where an apparently innocent life was taken. The hidden wisdom, as known only to Allāh and al-Khadir, was to save the boy's pious parents from the grief and deviation his future disbelief and transgression would have caused, and to grant them a purer child in his place. This demonstrates that life and death are in Allāh's hands, and what appears as a calamity can be a profound mercy.
3. Repairing the Wall: An act of unpaid labor for an inhospitable people. The hidden good was preserving a treasure for two righteous orphans until they came of age, an act of charity and justice that transcended the immediate context.
The Parting & Final Exhortation
After Mūsā's third questioning, al-Khadir declared their parting, explaining the hidden wisdom (ḥikmah) behind each action. This was the predetermined limit of Mūsā's patience for this specific lesson. The Prophet Muhammad's concluding supplication, "May Allāh be Merciful to Mūsā! Would that he could have been more patient," is not a criticism but an expression of love and a profound lesson for the Ummah. It emphasizes the immense value of the knowledge that lies beyond initial comprehension and encourages believers to cultivate supreme patience and trust in divine wisdom when seeking understanding.