Timeless Guidance from the Story of Moses (Musa) & Khidr
Introduction
Embedded within the 18th Surah of the Qur’an, Al Kahf (The Cave) is the story of Prophet Moses/Musa alayhissalam (peace upon him) and his profound meeting with Khidr. It is infused with lessons that serve as guiding beacons to believers to incorporate moral values, to stand tall in the face of insurmountable trials and to ultimately rely on the Qur’an for guidance. Throughout their journey together, Musa AS is on a quest for knowledge, trying to resolve the indiscernible and seemingly detrimental actions of his teacher Khidr but is unable to restrain himself. However, when Khidr ultimately explains the interpretation of his actions, we are left with a sense of awe and contemplation that ultimately leads to gratitude, humility and trust for Allah’s plan. For the purpose of this discussion, the story will be mentioned in brief and the overarching themes will be analyzed from a macro as well as a micro level to extract valuable benefits.
Story In Summary
The background to the story can be found in Hadith literature wherein Musa AS delivered a speech before Bani Israel and on being asked who is the most learned person he replied that he was.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) Allah rebuked him for this assumption and revealed to him that there is a servant who has knowledge that Musa AS did not possess.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) Therefore, Musa AS sets out on an arduous journey in his quest to learn from him.
Across ayat 60–82 in Al Kahf, Musa AS requests Khidr to follow him so as to accompany and learn from him, but Khidr asserts that he would not be able to have patience with him.Musa AS is insistent that if Allah willing, he would be patient.Thus, the journey commences.At first, they board a ship whose people are generous as they let Musa and Khidr ride the boat free of charge.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) Khidr then ends up damaging the boat and this action angers Musa AS and he denounces it.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) Khidr reiterates the fact that he told Musa AS that he wouldn’t be able to have patience with him to which Musa AS promised that from now on he wouldn’t protest his action because he was insistent on learning.(As’ad, 2017)
On continuing the trip they met a boy and Khidr killed him. This is another tipping point for Musa AS as he is unable to resolve this action and he protests again.Eventually they reach a town whose people were miserly and they refused to provide them with any hospitality.Khidr and Musa AS found a wall and repaired it without any charge to which Musa AS protested that they should have been paid for their labour.
Benefits for Understanding Qadr: Lessons from the 3 Stories & Their Interpretation
Khidr finally explains the rationale behind his actions, asserting that he did nothing of his own accord.(Quran 18:82) Regarding the interpretation of damaging the boat, Khidr said that he damaged it to make it faulty so that their oppressive, tyrannical king would not seize it.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) The poor people had shown generosity through the ship and Allah preserved their very vehicle of generosity.In retrospect, damage to the ship actually led to their protection in the long-term.
Whereas, for the interpretation of why the boy was killed, the Prophet saw narrated that the boy was destined to be a disbeliever from the day he was created.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) Although the immediate suffering for the parents on losing their child is unimaginable, Allah knew that it would be worse to have a living child whose heart is spiritually dead, as He says in ayah 80, “…fearing he would trouble them through wickedness and disbelief.”(Qur’an 18:80) and thus He would eventually substitute this loss with a righteous child in the future.(Qur’an 18:81)
In the third story, the wall was repaired by Musa AS and Khidr without any compensation.This is because the wall belonged to 2 orphans and beneath it was some treasure which needed to be hidden and preserved.Allah mentions that the orphans’ father was a righteous man, indicating that the righteousness of his father was a cause for their protection and blessing from Allah.(Ibn Kathir, 2003) It is also important to note that the townspeople had been extremely stingy, so had they discovered the treasure, the orphans’ finances would have been usurped by them.
Thus, a common lesson running through the 3 incidents witnessed by Musa AS provides valuable insights about trying to discern Allah’s Qadr and plan. Although the actions appeared to Musa AS as questionable and unjustifiable, they were done under divine guidance.(Fakhri, 2018) This is ubiquitous in our lives when events seem irrational or immediately harmful. However, just like in the stories, for a believer, he must have faith and trust that the eventual benefit will far exceed the short-term evil in the grander scheme of things.
Benefits for Knowledge Acquisition and Learning
When Allah revealed to Musa AS that there was someone more learned than him, Musa AS instantaneously expressed his desire to seek knowledge from him.This displays that he had no qualms about seeking knowledge from him.Prophet Musa was of great stature being a Prophet of Allah, but he took on the role of a pupil very humbly.(Fakhri, 2018) The benefit derived here is that humility to learn and study the truth from anyone is essential and that goes hand in hand with an enthusiastic willingness to learn. As students of knowledge, we must be willing to study under anyone, regardless of their age, background, nationality or ethnicity.
Benefits for Acquiring Patience and Determination
The ayah “Moses said to his servant, ‘I will not rest until I reach the place..”(Qur’an 18:60) depicts his determination and resolve to find the place where he would meet Khidr and learn from him. However, even with his steadfastness, he is unable to bear patiently the actions of his teacher and couldn’t help but speak out.(Fakhri, 2018) Although seeking knowledge is praise-worthy, but greater knowledge does not automatically result in greater patience and perseverance. Through Musa AS’s constant interruption, we are able to identify with his frustration and only when the interpretations are revealed do we understand why internalizing knowledge along with patience to bear the seemingly bad happenings was integral in the first place.
Conclusion
The 2 major benefits derived from the story of Musa and Khidr are trust in Allah’s plan juxtaposed with patience and humility while learning. Musa AS’s learning endeavor is a transformational lesson, one that awakens in the reader the need to trust Allah in difficult times. Significant benefits can be also derived at a closer reading of the story, namely to always strive and avoid laxity in knowledge acquisition; good manners before a teacher; encouragement to travel in search of knowledge; and the understanding that no one can reach the pinnacle of learning and humility is valued in Islam. Thus, the comprehensiveness of the story leaves one with numerous impactful lessons.
Works Cited
1) Abdel Haleem, M.A.S. (2004). The Qur’an.: Oxford University Press.
2) As’ad, Mahrus. (2017) Al-Qur’an Interpretation on Musa’s Story-Related in Verses in Surah Al-Kahf,60–82.:Tawarikh:International Journal for Historical Studies.
3) Fakhri, Sajida. (2018). A Sublime Story of Wisdom: Prophet Musa and Al-Khidr (Part 1)
4) Fakhri, Sajida. (2018). A Sublime Story of Wisdom: Prophet Musa and Al-Khidr (Part 2)
5) Ibn Kathir.(2003) Tafsir al-Qur’an Al-‘Azim. Lebanon: Darussalam
