Surah Kahf Tafseer Part 4 (Ayah 60-82) - The story of Musa AS and Khidr AS (The Trial of Knowledge)

And [mention] when Moses said to his young man/servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period."

This story is about the trial of knowledge. Knowledge is a blessing when it enters the heart. But if knowledge remains in the head, and does not penetrate the heart, it leads to arrogance and becomes a curse. (YQ)

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. (Quran 62:5)

The Jews asked RasulAllah SAWW about only two stories: Ashaab e Kahf and Zulqarnain. Why did Allah narrate additional stories when they asked only for two?

The story about the man of two gardens was a response to the Quraysh who were too arrogant to believe in Islam and were deceived by their own might and glory. They had forgotten the reality of Dunya.

This story about Musa AS was a reference to the Jews. Allah is reminding them of their own Prophet Musa AS in this story. Being a prophet, Musa AS was the most knowledgeable man on Earth but when he discovered that there was someone even more knowledgeable than him, he was eager to learn from him.  He did not have an ounce of kibr or any hesitation in accepting Khidr AS as his teacher. The Jews also considered themselves the most knowledgeable and worthy of prophet hood, so they refused to accept RasulAllah SAWW as their prophet. But Allah is reminding them of the example of Musa AS so that they humbly submit to the truth as well.

 Ubayy bin Ka`b narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah say

'Once Musa, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), preached to the people till their eyes shed tears and their hearts became tender, whereupon he finished his sermon. Then a man came to Musa and asked, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Is there anyone on the earth who is more learned than you?' Musa replied, 'No.'

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 and put it in a basket and said to his boy-servant "I don't want to trouble you, except that you should inform me as soon as this fish leaves you." He said (to Musa)." You have not demanded too much.

 While the attendant was in the shade of the rock at a wet place, the fish slipped out (alive) while Musa was sleeping. His attendant said (to himself), "I will not wake him, but when he woke up, he forgot to tell him. 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, 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.'')  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 steps until they reached the rock. There they found a man covered with a garment.

Musa greeted him (Assalamu alaiyk). 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.'' Musa said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient and I will disobey no order of yours. 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. 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. 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). '')) (In the first instance, Musa asked Al-Khidr because he had forgotten his promise.

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! He said, "Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me'') 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 Prophet added, "May Allah be Merciful to Musa! "We wished that Musa AS could have been more patient so that Allah might have described to us more about their story."(Sahih Bukhari +Sahih Muslim)

It is impossible to understand the Quran without Hadith and Sunnah. Allah will lift the curtain of the unseen in this story and we will get a chance to look behind the curtain, and see the hidden hikmat behind Allah’s decisions.  (NAK)

Musa AS made a very rational assumption that he has more knowledge (in relation to those around him), but it was not based on the guidance of Allah. He thought that since he was the nabi of that time, he was the most knowledgeable among the people. But he should have said Allahu A’lam and attributed all knowledge to Allah. This is the same as RasulAllah SAWW not saying inshaaAllah. These aren’t considered mistakes for normal people, but Allah has set a very high standard for Prophets so He even corrects the minor aspects related to adaab.

Musa AS did not have ilm e KUL, as anbiya do not have knowledge of the unseen. Khidr AS had been given ilm e juz(a part of knowledge that Musa AS did not have). Khidr AS knew about Musa AS but Musa AS did not know about Khidr AS. This reflects the higher status of Musa AS.

Fataahu literally means a young man. When this word is 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. It is Islamic etiquette that a servant or attendant should be addressed nicely, either by his name, or a title such as 'young man.'  It is better not to travel alone, but to have a companion. Musa took Yusha ibn Nun AS with him, who became a Prophet after Musa AS.  At that time, he was not a prophet but was still in his training period.

Musa AS took an attendant and a fish with him and made provision for the journey. Tawakkul doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make use of means. Rather, we should use all means possible and then have tawakkul in Allah.

Majmal Bahrain literally means every such place where two waters meet - and it is obvious that they are many such places around the world. Since the Qur'an and Hadith have not pinpointed it precisely, therefore, sayings of commentators differ in terms of traces and contexts. (MQ)

Huqbah means 80 years. 80 years is usually the average lifetime of a person. So, figuratively it means that I am willing to spend my whole lifetime in this journey. (NAK)

But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot their fish, and it took its course into the sea, slipping away.

Sarab means a tunnel that is dug to open up a passage through the mountains or an underground subway in cities. This tells us that the fish when it went into the sea had a tunnel-like passage forming itself in whatever direction it moved. Water currents did not obstruct its passage at all. At least this much is definite that the fish

was dead. Its stirring up, becoming alive and going into the sea was

nothing short of a miracle. It took its course implies that Allah had programmed that fish to take a specific course. (MQ)

So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue."

It comes in tafsir that they'd already travelled for a long period but hadn't felt tired before. It happens sometimes that while we're travelling we don't feel tired, but when we reach our destination, THEN all the fatigue/hunger sets in suddenly. So some scholars say Musa (AS) felt tired because they'd gone past their destination. (SK)

He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly".

Re-occurrence of the word عجبا. Previously it was about the miracles Allah did for the young people. Allah mentioned that it wasn’t something out of the ordinary for him. And here Allah is showing that not only when people are fleeing persecution and they have impossible odds that He will aid them. But when you are running towards truth and knowledge, then Allah will open miraculous doors for you. (NAK)

Two things became a barrier in learning: forgetfulness (forgetting the importance of something OR not being able to recall it) and fatigue. Yusha attributed forgetfulness to his own self, but in the previous ayah, Allah attributed forgetfulness to both of them. Allah said: They forgot the fish, because Musa AS was equally responsible. (NAK)

[Moses] said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their footprints.

Musa AS did not reprimand his attendant for forgetting to inform him. This is the ikhlaaq of Anbiya AS. Imagine how we would have reacted? It is very easy to rebuke someone who is lower in status and position. RasulAllah SAWW never rebuked his servant Anas RA even those he was in his service for 10 years.

"I remained in the service (of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam for ten years. He never once told me 'Oof'. When I did something, he never asked me, why did you do so? When I did not do a certain task, he never asked me why I did not do it. (Shamail Muhamadiya)

And they found a servant from among Our servants to whom we had given mercy from us and had taught him from Us a [certain] knowledge.

KHIDR AS

It was recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari that the Messenger of Allah said, He was called Al-Khidr because he sat on a barren Farwah(withered vegetation) and it turned green (Khadra') beneath him.) So, he brought blessings with him wherever he went. It is not his proper name but it is a title that was given to him. Ilm e ladun means a special ilm FROM Allah SWT (from some special secret vault).

The very fact of his being a prophet has been debated. In the sight of the majority of religious scholars, the proof of his being a prophet is embedded within the events mentioned in the Quran. Some of the actions that Khidr AS did are absolutely counter to the Shariah and there can be no exemption from an injunction of the Sharyah except under the authority of a Divine revelation, something restricted to a prophet and messenger of Allah. Whatever he did, was under the divine decree of Allah. No waliyy, no man of Allah anywhere in this world can be taken on the analogy of al-Khadir, nor can any act contrary to the codified Shari'ah issuing forth from him be called permissible. (MQ)

Moreover, previous prophets were sent to a specific region and for a specific period of time. Even if Khidr AS is considered a wali, he could act contrary to the shariah of Musa AS as he was not part the ummah of Musa AS.  But RasulAllah SAWW’s ummah is kulli and it extends to the whole world. No Wali in this age can go against the shariah of rasulAllah SAWW, taking Khidr AS’s actions as an example. Khidr AS was not part of the ummah of RasulAllah SAWW or bound by its laws. (SK)

Even if his prophet-hood (nubuwwah) is acknowledged, he does not

hold the station of a messenger (Rasul) of Allah. Neither is he credited

with a Book, nor does he have a distinct community of followers. Apparently, Musa AS had far more precedence and superiority in status. But Allah has His own wise

ways of teaching to help those close to Him perform better. He would not let the

least want or short coming go uncorrected and not amended. There is no shame in learning from someone who is lower than you in status. (MQ)

Also, the way Allah describes Khidr AS although he had such a high status is remarkable. Allah says that he was a slave from among our (endless ocean of) slaves. The greatest ranking we can earn is that of an عبد. Allah says he was a servant, and this means that his status should not be raised beyond that of a servant of Allah.

The Prophet SAWW’s ascension to the heavens is important because up until then the highest a human being had reached was the top of a mountain to speak to Allah (Musa AS). But Allah decided that a human being would travel to the heavens and even go to a place that Jibreel himself could not go to. This means that no human being has reached a status higher than the Prophet SAWW both figuratively and literally. And when Allah speaks about this ascension the Prophet SAWW, he is referred to as a عبد. This is the ultimate position of learning from Allah directly. This is the highest honor. (NAK)

Moses said to him, "May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgment?"

This is a question phrased in gentle terms, with no sense of force or coercion. This is the manner in which the seeker of knowledge should address the scholar.

(I follow you) means, I accompany you and spend time with you so that you teach  me something from that which Allah has taught you, so that I may be guided by it. (IK)

Musa AS had an intense desire to seek knowledge, and he humbled himself before Khidr AS although he was higher in Maqam than Khidr AS. As soon as he smelt the scent of knowledge, he was ready to make every effort to acquire it. This teaches us that students should not be lazy, but they should do mujahida. Musa AS was willing to exert himself, and undertake a long journey to travel for years to find Khidr AS. Everyone should have a thirst for knowledge, no matter how knowledgeable they are. This ilm was not fardh, but Musa AS was still eager to learn every drop of ilm. Also, the adab of learning something is that the student should go to the teacher. People used to travel for months just to learn one hadith directly from the sahaba. Traveling for the sake of ilm has a lot of reward. (MQ)

This also shows the importance of learning from a scholar rather than self-instruction through a book. There are more chances of erring if we are entirely on our own. Knowledge is taught best through experience and joining the company of scholars.  Everyone these days becomes a DIY Shaykh, Google becomes their Imaam, and Wikipedia becomes their mufti. Will we ever rely on google for treating our medical ailments? NO. Then how can we have such an ignorant attitude towards deen? (YQ)

Rushda= teach me that knowledge that will guide me, from all of the knowledge that you have. Knowledge itself is just a means, and it is not an end. The purpose of knowledge is to give you direction; it is not the goal in itself. Quran is supposed to be the book that guides you and gives you a direction in life. But in it you can get lost in a lot of unnecessary details. Don’t lose sight of the actual purpose. It ties this story to the story of the people of the cave because the people lost the point of that story and got caught up in trivial details. Musa AS here is asking for knowledge that is guiding so he doesn’t lose direction. (NAK)

He said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.

And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?"

The strength to face negative situations comes from our belief in the unseen. In this story, patience is made dependent on the recognition that Allah knows the unseen. We don’t know why certain things are happening but still believe them to be full of khayr. (NAK)

You will not be able to accompany me when you see me doing things that go against your law, because I have knowledge from Allah that He has not taught you, and you have knowledge from Allah that He has not taught me. For I know that you will denounce me justifiably, but I have knowledge of Allah's wisdom and the hidden interests which I can see but you cannot.  He was putting himself in Musa AS’s shoes and thinking from his perspective. (IK)

Another reason for saying this could be that Khidr AS wanted to check if Musa AS was truly serious and passionate about learning. He wanted to pose a challenge and raise the bar for his student. (YQ)

[Moses] said, "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order."

He said, "Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything until I make to you about it mention."

Allah tells us that Musa AS and his companion Al-Khidr set out after having come to an agreement.  Al-Khidr had made the condition that Musa AS was forbidden to ask any questions, and this would test Musa AS’s patience.  Khidr AS said that Musa AS should wait till Khidr AS tell him “something” on his own, so that meant that he would not give him complete exhaustive knowledge. (IK)

So, a teacher can set some rules while teaching students, and students can choose whether to follow those conditions and come under studentship or not. If the student accepts these conditions, he forms a relationship of trust, patience and obedience with his teacher. (SK)

 So they set out, until when they had embarked on the ship, al-Khidr tore it open. [Moses] said, "Have you torn it open to drown its people? You have certainly done a grave thing."

Khidr AS had dislodged a plank of the boat with an axe because of which there was a danger that water would fill up the boat and it would capsize. (IK)

Musa AS was shocked because the owners of the boat had been so generous to them, and Khidr AS caused apparent harm to them. Imr could mean an astounding thing, or an evil thing. It is illogical and unethical.

Note that Musa AS did not say “WE will drown” but he said that “its people will drown”, so he had more concerned for the other people than his own self. He genuinely forgot his promise when he witnessed this incident. (YQ)

[Al-Khidhr] said, "Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

This thing that I did deliberately is one of the things I told you not to denounce me for, because you do not know the full story, and there is a reason and purpose for it that you do not know about. (IK)

[Moses] said, "Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not cover me in my matter with difficulty."

So they set out, until when they met a boy, al-Khidhr killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."

It has been stated that this boy was playing with other boys in one of the towns, and that Al-Khidr deliberately singled him out. He was the finest and most handsome of them all, and Al-Khidr killed him. When Musa A.S. saw that, he denounced him even more fervently than in the first case, and said hastily: Have you killed an innocent person. (Zakiyyah) means 'free of sin' and it can be either the attribute of a prophet or a minor child who faces no accounting for what is done by him and no sin is written in his Book of Deeds. Nukr means something horrible/evil/universally unacceptable/unheard of. Murder is universally condemned.

At the first incidence, Musa AS had forgotten his promise and objected my mistake. But at the killing of the boy, Musa AS intentionally objected, as it was an apparent violation of shariah. The underlying logic was that no prophet and messenger of Allah could bear to see things being done against the norms of the Shariah and maintain a stance of patience.

Apparently, killing a person unlawfully is against the injunction of shariah. But under divine revelation, that particular event has been exempted from the general religious law. There are services essential to the realm of creation (takwin). Generally, appointed to take care of these are the angels of Allah. But Allah has specifically chosen some from among the group of prophets also in order to carry out the services whereby the decisions of Allah's will relating to the management of His creation are enforced. This act has been made permissible for the person who has been appointed to carry out this task. (MQ)

[Al-Khidhr] said, "Did I not tell you that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

[Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."

The right to divorce belongs to the student and not to the teacher. Instead of putting the teacher in an awkward position, the student should himself realize that he is violating the codes of the relationship, and either work on himself or allow for separation.  Here, Musa AS told Khidr AS that if he repeats his mistake, Khidr AS has a justified excuse in leaving him. (SK)

So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidhr restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment."

It was the accepted norm of all civilizations that any traveler passing through a land was offered basic food and water before he could move on. Even in Islam, it is the right of a guest to be hosted for up to three days. The community is obliged to take care of the basic needs of a traveler who has no where to go. The people of this city were so stingy that they refused to give them anything. As they were walking through the city, they saw a wall that was on the verge of collapsing (wanting to fall apart). Khidr AS rebuilt that wall. Musa AS told Khidr AS that he should have taken something in return of this favour, so they could have something to eat. (YQ)

[Al-Khidhr] said, "This is parting between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.

Khidr AS explained the hikmat behind all actions while parting with Musa AS. This teaches us that we should part with people amicably without any misunderstandings or confusions. Even if one’s own conscience is clear, onw should still clarify to others to avoid fitnah. (SK)

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.

The boat belonged to poor orphans who were fishermen.  They had offered a ride to Musa and Khidr AS out of generosity, but Khidr AS repaid them by damaging the boat. The king was forcibly seizing all working boats to expand his naval force.  Ghasb= forcibly snatch. Khidr AS wanted to prevent the king from taking their boat by making it appear faulty, so that the fishermen could keep their boat.

This shows that Allah does not let any generosity go to waste, and rewards with that which is better.  If we want to add barakah and blessings to our life, we should do everything for the sake of Allah. Also, we should trust the wisdom of Allah and have tawakkul in Him, even if we are unable to understand anything. Sometimes, smaller calamities save us from huge calamities. (YQ)

And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief.

His parents rejoiced when he was born and grieved when he was killed. But if he had stayed alive, he would have been the cause of their doom. It is not sure exactly what the child would have done, but the extreme love for that child would have caused the parents to become kafir/ disobedient.

Abu Ad-Darda reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Your love of something might render you blind and deaf. Sunan Abu Dawud 5130

Allah caused the child to be taken away, so that they turn to Allah and increase in righteousness. IF Allah takes away our loved ones, and we are patient after that, the reward is Jannah. (YQ)

“When a person’s child dies, Allah the Most High asks His angels, ‘Have you taken out the life of the child of My slave?’  They reply in the affirmative. He then asks, ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ They reply in the affirmative. Thereupon he asks, ‘What has My slave said?’ They say: ‘He has praised You and said: Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un (We belong to Allah and to Him we shall be returned).’ Allah says: ‘Build a house for My slave in Jannah and name it Bait-ul-Hamd (the House of Praise)’.” (At-Tirmidhi, Number 1736)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 70, Number 545)

Moreover, it was a blessing that the child died in a state of innocence so he would go to Jannah. If he had stayed alive, he would have entered disbelief.  So let a man be content with the decree of Allah, for the decree of Allah for the believer, if he dislikes it, is better for him. (IK)

So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy.

If Allah takes away something from us and we are patient at that, Allah will replace it with that which is better. Indeed, with every hardship there is ease. Whenever Allah empties our hands, it is only to replace it with something better. This is also applicable to giving up things for the sake of Allah.

Ruhm= mercy/family ties. So he would have more rahma and would also maintain family ties.

Abu Qatadah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, you will never leave anything for the sake of Allah the Exalted except that Allah will replace it with something better.” Musnad Ahmad 22565

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience."

The people of that town were very stingy so if they had discovered the orphan’s treasure, they would have usurped it.  Allah protected that treasure because their father had been a righteous man. So, although they would spend their childhood in difficulty, they would be able to benefit from this wealth when they grow up. Allah knows what’s the right timing for everything as His knowledge is infinite while our knowledge is finite.

But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. (2:216)

This also indicates that a righteous person's offspring will be taken care of, and that the blessing of his worship will extend to them in this world and in the Hereafter. This will occur through his intercession for them, as well as their status being raised to the highest levels of Paradise, so that he may find joy in them. If the parents are righteous and momineen, Allah protects their offspring in divine ways.

I was only commanded to do these things that were enjoined upon me. This also supports the belief that Khidr AS was a prophet as he clarified that he did nothing on his own accord. It was entirely dependent on Allah’s command.

All 3 situations had some immediate harm and eventual benefit. Allah’s plans are long term. Sometimes we have to take a step back to take 100 steps forward. There is an outside reality and inside reality. Most people can only see and judge the zaahir/outside reality, and these people end up questioning Allah’s decision. The point of these lessons is to show Musa AS that there is an internal reality to everything that we may not understand.

Khidr AS explained the rationale behind everything with adab, based on the apparent reality of situations. When he formed the intention of breaking the boat - which was apparently a vicious act - he attributed this intention to himself and said: (aradtu: I wanted to make it defective. In the zaahir, this action seemed negative, so the adab was to not attribute it to Allah. Whatever calamity or accident stands activated in this world simply cannot materialize without the will and intention of Allah. In that respect, every good and evil can also be attributed to Allah. But, the fact is that, given the creation of Allah, no evil is evil. Therefore, etiquette demands that evil should not be attributed towards Allah.

After that, he mentioned the killing of the boy and replacing him with a child would be better than him. Here, there was evil in the act of killing while being blessed with better progeny in his place was something good. Therefore, because of this common factor, the form used was that of the first person, plural. It was said: (aradna: we wished) so that whatever obvious evil there lies in it is attributed to his own self and whatever good lies in it stands attributed to Allah.  Then, he said: we intended that THEIR LORD should substitute for them, so he attributed the good to Allah.

As for the third event - setting the wall right to secure the property of the orphans - it was nothing but good. This was attributed entirely to Allah (fa arada rabbuk:

So your Lord willed)  (IK)

                                       

How is this story connected to the fitnah and trials that the Ummah will face?

One of the most difficult things that the Ummah will have to face is fitnah. And every time we face them we will get overwhelmed with grief and frustration. And when that happens we will be told what Khidr told Musa that we don’t have enough patience to bear. When these fitnahs and injustice is happening, people will begin to question their faith and would think that ‘everything is happening to us because of our faith.’ So people will not want to be Muslim anymore.