The young man whom Khadir killed was a non-believer by his very nature and had he survived he would have involved his parents in defiance and unbelief.
The Book of Destiny - Sahih Muslim 2662a
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon His final Messenger Muhammad.
The incident referenced concerns the narrative of Prophet Musa (Moses) and Khadir (peace be upon them both) as related in Surah Al-Kahf. The killing of the young boy by Khadir, as divinely instructed, was an act predicated upon divine wisdom and knowledge of the unseen.
Commentary on the Nature and Fate of the Youth
The statement that the youth was a "non-believer by his very nature" (kāfir al-ṭab') refers to his innate disposition (fitrah) having become corrupted and fixed upon disbelief due to divine foreknowledge. Allah knew with eternal knowledge that this child would never accept faith, and that his persistence in disbelief was certain.
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Every child is born in a state of fitrah (natural disposition to Islam), then his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian." In this case, divine knowledge encompassed that this particular youth would ultimately reject his fitrah and die upon disbelief.
The Wisdom Behind the Action
The primary wisdom was the preservation of the parents' faith. Had the boy lived, he would have compelled his righteous parents to transgression and disbelief through his influence and disobedience. Thus, Allah in His mercy replaced him with another child who would be righteous and bring them comfort rather than tribulation.
This incident demonstrates that Allah's decree, though sometimes mysterious to human comprehension, is founded upon perfect wisdom, mercy, and justice. What appears as a severe action contained immense mercy for the believing parents and prevented greater spiritual harm.
Lessons in Divine Decree and Trust
This narrative teaches believers to trust in Allah's wisdom even when facing situations beyond their understanding. It affirms that Allah's knowledge encompasses all outcomes, and His actions are never arbitrary but serve greater purposes that may remain hidden from creation.
The incident ultimately serves as a profound lesson about the reality of divine destiny (qadar) and the perfection of Allah's knowledge and planning, which transcends human limited perspective and temporal understanding of good and evil.