Surah Al-Kahf: Verse 82 - وأما الجدار فكان لغلامين يتيمين... - English

"As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience." (82)

About the statement: وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا (and there was beneath it a treasure for them - 82), Sayyidna Abu al-Dard' ؓ has reported from the Holy Prophet ﷺ that it was a treasure chest of gold and silver. (Narrated by Tirmidhi and a1-Hakim, from Mazhari)

Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ said that it was a tablet of gold inscribed with the following good counsel. This report was also narrated by Sayyidna ` Uthman ibn ` Affan ؓ عنہ with its chain of narrators ascending to the Holy Prophet ﷺ : (Qurtubi)

1. بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim: With the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Very Merciful).

2. Amazing is the person who believes in destiny, then how could he despair.

3. Amazing is the person who believes that Allah Ta’ ala is the sponsor of all in their sustenance, still, why would he consume himself in striving for more than he needs and in achieving what is redundant.

4. Amazing is the person who believes in death yet, how could he remain all happy.

5. Amazing is the person who believes in the reckoning of the Hereafter yet, how could he afford to be heedless.

6. Amazing is the person who knows the world and its vicissitudes yet, how could he sit relaxed about it.

7. لا إله إلا اللہ محمد رسول اللہ (la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulullah: There is no god but Allah Muhammad is a messenger of Allah).

The benefit of the righteousness of parents reaches children, and their children.

The statement: وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا (and their father was a pious man - 82) carries a hint that arrangements were made to have the buried treasure secured for the orphan children through al-Khadir for the reason that the father of the orphan children was some pious man dear in the sight of Allah. Therefore, it was to grant his wish and to bring benefit to his children that Allah Ta’ ala made this arrangement. Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir says: 'It is because of the piety and righteousness of a servant of His that Allah Ta’ ala protects his children, and the children of his children, and his family, even the homes built around his own.' (Mazhari)

As in al-Qurtubi, sage Shibli used to say that he was a guarantee of peace for the city and the area adjoining it. When he died, it was soon after his burial that the disbelievers of Dailam crossed Euphrates and took over Baghdad. At that time, everyone was saying that they were struck by double distress - the death of Shibli and the sack of Dailam, (Qurtubi, p. 29, v. 11)

According to Tafsir Mazhari, this verse also indicates that people too should show consideration and affection for the children of the learned and the pious - unless, of course, they were to succumb to disbelief and sin.

Later, the word: اَشُدّ (ashudd) in: أَن يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا (that they reach their maturity - 82) is a plural form of: شدّہ (shiddah) meaning maturity, the age when one reaches full maturity and becomes able to decide what is good or bad for him. According to Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، this is the age of twenty-five years. Others put it at forty years because it appears in the Qur'an: حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْ‌بَعِينَ سَنَةً (until when he reaches his maturity and reaches [ the age of ] forty years - al-Ahqaf, 46:15)

Prophetic Eloquence and the Nuances of Etiquette: An Example

Before we turn to this example, let us first understand that nothing can happen in this world, good or bad, without the will and intention of Allah Ta` ala. All phenomena of good and evil is as created by Him and is subservient to His intention and will. Things understood or named as evil or bad do deserve to be called as evil or bad in terms of particular individuals and particular circumstances. But, given a total world-view, they all are necessary and nothing but good in terms of being a Divine creation as based on wisdom.

In short, whatever calamity or accident stands activated in this world simply cannot materialize without the will and intention of Allah Ta` ala. In that respect, every good and evil can also be attributed to Allah Ta’ ala. But, the fact is that, given the creation of Allah Ta’ ala, no evil is evil. Therefore, etiquette demands that evil should not be attributed towards Allah Ta` ala. The words of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) mentioned in the Qur'an: وَالَّذِي هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِي وَيَسْقِينِ وَإِذَا مَرِ‌ضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ (It is He who gives me [ things ] to eat and drink, [ 26:79] and when I am sick, it is He who cures me - 26:80) are a good example. They teach us the same etiquette when the provision of food and drink has been attributed to Allah Ta` ala. Then comes the provision of cure from sickness. This too has been attributed to Him. In between came the mention of sickness. He attributed it to himself in the words: وَإِذَا مَرِ‌ضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ and when I am sick, it is He who cures me) - not in the manner: When He makes me fall sick, He cures me too.

Let us now consider the diction of al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) . When he formed the intention of breaking the boat - which was obviously a vicious act - he attributed this intention to himself and said: اَرَدتُ (ara[ d ] tu: I wanted to make it defective - 79). After that, he mentioned the killing of the boy and wished someone would replace him who 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: اَرَدنَا (aradna: we wished - 81) so that whatever obvious evil there lies in it is beamed back to his own self and whatever good lies in it stands attributed to Allah Ta’ ala. 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 Ta` ala by saying: فَأَرَ‌ادَ رَ‌بُّكَ (fa arada rabbuk: So your Lord willed - 82).

Is al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) alive, or is he dead?

The event related to al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) mentioned in the Qur'an has nothing to do with the question of his life or death after it. Therefore, no clear statement in this regard is present in the Qur'an, and Sunnah. Some reports suggest his being alive till now while others tell us otherwise. Thus, scholarly opinion has always been at variance in this matter. Those who hold that he is alive argue on the basis of the narrative from. Sayyidna Anas ؓ carried by al-Hakim in his al-Mustadrak. It says, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ left this mortal world, there came a person in black and white beard. Tearing the crowd of people, he reached inside and started weeping. Then, turning to the noble Companions ؓ ، he said the following words:

اِنَّ فِی اللہِ عَزَآءً مَّن کُلِّ مُصِیبَۃِ وَّعِوَضاً مِّن کُلِّ فَآیٔتِ ، وَّ خَلَفاً مِّن کُلِّ ھَالِکِ ، فَاِلَی اللہِ فَاَنِیبُوا وَاِلَیہِ فَاَرغَبُوا وَنَظَرُہ ، اِلَیکُم فِی البَلَاء فَنظُرُوا فَاِنَّمَا المُصَابُ مَن لَّم یُجبَر

Indeed, in Allah there is endurance against all distress, and recompense of everything taken away, and He is the real caretaker for He alone survives after everyone is dead. So, return to Allah, turn to Him passionately and long for Him alone - because, deprived is he who has been deprived of the reward of enduring distress.

After having said these words, when the visitor departed, Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ said, he was al-Khadir. This narrative has also been reported by Ibn al-Jazri in his al-Hisn al-Hasin where the compiler is particular about including nothing but what is authentic.

And in Sahih Muslim, it appears that Dajjal (Imposter) will reach a point close to Madinah when a man of Madinah will come out to confront him. He will be the best of men during that time, or among the better ones. Abu Ishaq said, this person will be al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) .' (Qurtubi)

And Ibn Abi ad-Dunya has reported in Kitab al-Hawatif with necessary chains of authority that Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ met al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) who told him about a Du` a' which, if recited by anyone after every Salah, would bring for him great reward, forgiveness and mercy. That prayer is given below:

یَامَن لَّا یُشغِلُہ، سَمعِ ، َّیَا مَن لَّا تُغلِطُہُ المَسَآیٔلُ ، وَیَا مَن لَّا یَبرَمُ مَن اِلحَاحِ المُلِحَّینَ ، اَذِقنِی بَردَ عَفوِکَ وَ حِلَاوَۃَ مَغفِرَتِکَ

O He whose hearing of one thing does not hamper His hearing of the other,

And 0 He who never errs in responding to (millions of) requests simultaneously,

And 0 He who never becomes weary of the plaints made repeatedly by those who make them in prayers, let me, in Your mercy, have a cool taste of Your forgiveness and sweetness of Your pardon. (Qurtubi)

Then, within the same book, exactly the same event, the same prayer and the same incidence of meeting with al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) has been reported from Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ as well. (Qurtubi)

Similar to this, there are countless events relating to al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) that have been attributed to the community's men of Allah ( اَولِیَاء awliya' ).

As for those who do not accept the likelihood of al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) being alive, their major argument comes from the Hadith of Sayyida ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ appearing in Sahih Muslim. He says, 'one night, the Holy Prophet ﷺ led the ` Isha' prayer for us during the latter days of his blessed life. After having turned for salam, he rose and said these words:

اَرَیٔتکُم لَیلُتَکُم ھٰذِۃٖ فَاِنَّ عَلٰی رَاسِ مِایٔۃِ سَنَۃِ مَّنھَا لَا یَبقٰی مِمَّن ھُوَعَلٰی ظَھرِ الاَرضِ اَحَدُ

Do you see this night of yours? And after a hundred years from this night, not one of those present over the land will be alive!

After having narrated this report, Sayyidna Ibn ` Umare ؓ said, 'people say different things about it. But, what the Holy Prophet ﷺ meant to say was that this age will be over after hundred years.'

This narrative has been reported in Sahih Muslim also from Sayyidna Jabir ibn ` Abdullah, almost in the same words. But, after having quoted this report, Allamah al-Qurtubi said, 'it offers no conclusive argument for those who hold that the notion of al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) being alive is false because, in this narrative, the words used for the entire progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) are general with a strong emphasis on the generality. Yet, it contains no decisive authority (nass) to prove that this generality covers the entire progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) necessarily. The reason is that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) too is among the progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) who has not died, nor was he killed. Therefore, as obvious, the letters: الف لام (alif-lam) in the words: عَلٰی الاَرضِ ('ala al-ard: over the land) is the alif-lam of 'ahd,' (which points out to something familiar to the addressees), and means the land of Arabia. It does not include the whole land mass of the world out of which the Arabs had never heard even the names of the land of Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj), the far East and the Islands of the West.' This was the view of ` Allamah al-Qurtubi.

Similarly, some people have taken the issue of the Finality of Prophethood as contrary to the notion of al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) being alive. The answer to this is also clear. It can be said that the way the 'life' of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is not contrary to the Finality of Prophethood, the 'life' of al-Khadir can also be quite similar.

Some people have raised a doubt about the 'life' of al-Khadir` (علیہ السلام) . They say, if he were present during the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، it would have been mandatory for him to come to him and to serve the cause of Islam under him. Because, it was said in Hadith: لَو کَانَ مُوسٰی حَیَّاً لَّمَا وَسِعَہ، اِلَّا اِتِّبَاعِی "Had Musa been alive [ today ], he would have had no choice but to follow me [ for my coming has resulted in the abrogation of the Faith of Musa But, not far out is the possibility that the 'life' and prophethood of al-Khadir 'still may be different from that of the usual Shari` ah-bearing prophets. Since he is charged with the duty of carrying out certain affairs of creation (takwin) entrusted with him by Allah Ta` ala, He takes care of this appointed duty staying aloof from people at large. As for following the Shari’ ah of the Last Prophet ﷺ ، it is not a far out proposition that he may have started acting in accordance with it after the advent of the prophethood of Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ . (Allah knows best).

In Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit, Abu Hasan has reported events of several pious elders having met al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) but, along with it, he has also said:

وَالجُمھُورُ عَلٰی اَنَّہ ، مَاتَ

As for the majority of religious scholars, they hold the position that al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) has died. (al-Bahr al-Muhit, p. 147, vol.6)

In Tafsir Mazhari, Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipati has said, 'the resolution of all these difficulties lies in what Sayyid Ahmad al-Sarhandi, known as the reviver of the second Islamic millennium, said on the basis of his mukashafah (discovery through induced illumination). His words are: 'I personally asked al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) about this matter in a state of kashf. He said', "I and Ilyas (علیہ السلام) are both not alive. But, Allah Ta’ ala has granted us the ability to appear in the guise of living men and help people in different ways." (Allah, the Pure, the Exalted, knows best)

Conclusion

I have said earlier that none of our articles of faith or problems of religious practice is connected with the death or life of al-Khadir (علیہ السلام) . Therefore, no clarification or explanation was given in the Qur’ an and Sunnah about it. So, there is just no need to enter into unnecessary discussion or debate in it, nor have we been obligated to believe in any one of the sides of the issue. But, as this problem has found currency on a wider level, details have been provided..

(82)

Interpretation of why the Wall was repaired for no Charge

In this Ayah there is a proof that the word Qaryah (village) may be used to refer to a city (Madinah), because Allah first says,

(till when they came to the people of a town (Qaryah)) 18:77, but here He says:

(it belonged to two orphan boys in the town (Al-Madinah);) This is like the Ayat:

(And many a town (Qaryah), stronger than your town which has driven you out We have destroyed) 47:13 and;

(And they say: "Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns (Al-Qaryatayn)")43:31 meaning Makkah and At-Ta'if. The meaning of the Ayah 18:82 is: "I repaired this wall because it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and underneath it was some treasure belonging to them." `Ikrimah, Qatadah and others said, "Underneath it there was some wealth that was buried for them." This meaning is apparent from the context of the Ayah, and is the view chosen by Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him).

(their father was a righteous man,) 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. This was stated in the Qur'an and reported in the Sunnah. Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas: "They were taken care of because their father was a righteous man, although it is not stated that they themselves were righteous."

(your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure) Here will is attributed to Allah, the Exalted, because no one else is able to bring them to the age of full strength and puberty except Allah. In contrast, He said about the boy:

(So we intended that their Lord should exchange him for them for one better in righteousness) and concerning the ship:

(So I wished to make a defective damage in it,) And Allah knows best.

Was Al-Khidr a Prophet

(as a mercy from your Lord. And I did them not of my own accord.) Meaning, `These three things that I did, come from the mercy of Allah for those we have mentioned, the crew of the ship, the parents of the boy and the two sons of the righteous man; I was only commanded to do these things that were enjoined upon me.' This is proof and evidence in support of those who say that Al-Khidr, peace be upon him, was a Prophet, along with the Ayah which we have already quoted:

(Then they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.) 18:65

Why he was called Al-Khidr

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet said concerning Al-Khidr؛

(He was called Al-Khidr because he sat on a barren Farwah that turned white, then it turned green (Khadra') beneath him.) Imam Ahmad also recorded this from `Abdur-Razzaq. It was also recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari from Hammam from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said,

(He was called Al-Khidr because he sat on a barren Farwah and it turned green (Khadra') beneath him.) The meaning of Farwah here is a patch of withered vegetation. This was the view of `Abdur-Razzaq. It was also said that it means the face of the earth.

(That is the interpretation of those (things) over which you could not be patient.) meaning, `this is the explanation of the things which you could not put up with or be patient with until I took the initiative of explaining them to you.' When he explained them and made them clear and solved the confusion, he used a milder form of the verb,

(you could) When the matter was still confusing and very difficult, a more intensive form was used,

(I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to be patient with) 18:78. The intensity of the verbal form used reflects the intensity of the confusion felt. This is like the Ayah:

(So they (Ya`juj and Ma`juj) were not able to scale it) 18:97 which means ascending to its highest point,

(nor are they able to dig through it) 18:97 which is more difficult than the former. The intensity of the verbal form used reflects the difficulty of the action, which has to do with the subtleties of meaning. And Allah knows best. If one were to ask, what happened to the boy-servant of Musa who appears at the beginning of the story but then is not mentioned The answer is that the objective of the story is what happened between Musa and Al-Khidr. Musa's boy-servant was with him, following him. It is clearly mentioned in the Sahih Hadiths referred to above that he was Yusha` bin Nun, who was the one who became the leader of the Children of Israel after Musa, peace be upon him.

(82)