Verse Number 57-59
The Worst People are Those Who turn away after being reminded
Allah says, `Who among My creatures does more wrong than one who is reminded of the signs of Allah then turns away from them,’ i.e., ignores them and does not listen or pay attention to them.
وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ
(forgetting what his hands have sent forth.) means, bad deeds and evil actions.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ
(Truly, We have set over their hearts) means, the hearts of these people,
أَكِنَّةً
(Akinnah) means, coverings.
أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ
(lest they should understand this,) means, so that they will not understand this Qur’an and its clear Message
وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا
(and in their ears, deafness.) means that they will be deaf in an abstract way, to guidance.
وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُواْ إِذاً أَبَداً
(And if you call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.)
وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ
(And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of mercy.) means, `your Lord, O Muhammad, is forgiving and has great mercy.’
لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُواْ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ
(Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment.) This is like the Ayah:
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ
(And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface of the earth.) 35:45
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
(But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spite of their wrongdoing. And verily, your Lord is (also) severe in punishment) 13:6. And there are many Ayat which say the same thing. Then Allah tells us that He is patient, He conceals faults and forgives sins. He may guide some of them from wrongdoing to true guidance, and whoever continues in his evil ways, then there will come to him a Day when infants will turn grey and every pregnant female will shed her load. He says:
بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُواْ مِن دُونِهِ مَوْئِلاً
(But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.) meaning, they will find no way out.
وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَى أَهْلَكْنَـهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ
(And these towns, We destroyed them when they did wrong.) This refers to earlier nations in times past; `We destroyed them because of their stubborn disbelief.’
وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًا
(And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.) `We appointed for them a set time limit, not to be increased or decreased. The same applies to you, O ido- lators, so beware or what happened to them will happen to you too, for you have rejected the noblest Messenger and greatest Prophet, and you are not dearer to Us than them, so fear My punishment and wrath.’
Verse Number 60-65
The Story of Musa and Al-Khidr
The reason for Musa’s conversation with the boy-servant, Yusha` bin Nun, was that he had been told about one of the servants of Allah at the junction of the two seas, who had knowledge which Musa had not been granted, so he wanted to travel to meet him. So he said to that boy-servant of his:
لا أَبْرَحُ
(I will not give up) meaning, I will keep on traveling,
حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ
(until I reach the junction of the two seas) meaning, the place where the two seas met.
أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُباً
(or a Huqub passes.) meaning, even if I have to travel for a very long time. Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Some of the scholars of the Arabic language said that Huqub means a year in the dialect of the tribe of Qays,” then he narrated that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, “Huqub means eighty years.” Mujahid said, “Seventy years.” `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that it means a lifetime. Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said likewise.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا
(But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish,) He had been commanded to carry a salted fish with him, and it had been said to him, when you lose the fish, that will be a sign that you have reached the right place. So they set out and traveled until they reached the junction of the two seas, where there was a spring called `Ayn Al-Hayat (the Spring of Life). They went to sleep there, and the fish felt the drops of that water, so it came back to life. It was in a vessel with Yusha`, upon him be peace, and it jumped out of the vessel towards the sea. Yusha` woke up and the fish fell into the water and started to swim through the water, leaving a track or channel behind it. Allah said:
فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ سَرَباً
(and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel.) meaning, like going through a tunnel on land. Ibn Jurayj said, “Ibn `Abbas said, `It left a trace as if it were a rock.'”
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا
(So when they had passed further on,) means, past the place where they had forgotten the fish. Forgetfulness is attributed to them both even though it was actually Yusha` who forgot. This is like the Ayah:
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا الُّلؤْلُؤُ وَالمَرْجَانُ
(Out of them both come out pearl and coral.) 55:22, although they come from the salt water, according to one of the two opinions. When they had passed one stage beyond the place where they had forgotten the fish,
قَالَ لِفَتَـهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـذَا
(Musa said to his boy-servant: “Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered in this, our journey) meaning, their journey beyond the place where they should have stopped.
نَصَباً
(Nasaban) means, exhaustion.
قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ
(He said: “Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish; none but Shaytan made me forget to remember it…”) Then he said,
وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ
(It took its course), meaning its path,
فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًاقَالَ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ
(“…into the sea in a strange (way)!” Musa said: “That is what we have been seeking.”) meaning, this is what we have been looking for.
فَارْتَدَّا
(So they went back )
عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا
(their footsteps.)
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
(Then they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.) This was Al-Khidr, peace be upon him, as is indicated by the authentic Hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Al-Bukhari recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said, “I said to Ibn `Abbas: `Nawf Al-Bikali claims that Musa, the companion of Al-Khidr was not the Musa of the Children of Israel.’ Ibn `Abbas said, `The enemy of Allah has told a lie.’ Ubayy bin Ka`b narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,
«إِنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ: أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا، فَعَتَبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَوْحَى اللهُ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ لِي عَبْدًا بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ. قَالَ مُوسَى: يَا رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ؟ قَالَ: تَأْخُذُ مَعَكَ حُوتًا فَتَجْعَلَهُ بِمِكْتَلٍ، فَحَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ، فَأَخَذَ حُوتًا فَجَعَلَهُ بِمِكْتَلٍ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ وَضَعَا رُءُوْسَهُمَا فَنَامَا، وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا، وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ، فَصَارَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ، نَسِيَ صَاحِبُهُ أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ بِالْحُوتِ، فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتَهُمَا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ:
ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـذَا نَصَباً
(Musa got up to deliver a speech before the Children of Israel and he was asked, “Who is the most learned person among the people” Musa replied, “I am.” 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, put it in a vessel and set out, along with his boy-servant Yusha` bin Nun, peace be upon him, till they reached a rock (on which) they both lay down their heads and slept. 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, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, and so 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.”) وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أَمَرَهُ اللهُ بِهِ، قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ:
أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا
قاَل: فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا، وَلِمُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا، فَقَالَ:
ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا
قَالَ: فَرَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ أَثَرَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ موسَى فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ: وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلَامُ.فَقَالَ: أَنَا مُوسَى. فَقَالَ: مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ علْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُ أَنْتَ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عَلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللهُ لَا أَعْلَمُهُ. 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 footsteps.”) So they went back retracing their steps until they reached the rock. There they found a man covered with a garment. Musa greeted him. 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.” فَقَالَ مُوسَى:
سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِى لَكَ أمْراً
قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ:
فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِى فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنى عَن شَىءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً
فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ سَفِيَنةٌ، فَكَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ، فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمْ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ لَمْ يَفْجَأْ إِلَّا وَالْخَضِرُ قَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ بِالْقَدُّومِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى: قَدْ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَعَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا؟ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا
قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً – قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِى مِنْ أَمْرِى عُسْراً
Musa said, (“If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.”) 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. When they went on board, suddenly Musa saw that Al-Khidr had pulled out one of the planks of the ship with an adz. 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). “)) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, فَكَانَتِ الْأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا، قَالَ: وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ، فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً أَوْ نَقْرَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ: مَا عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ فِي عِلْمِ اللهِ إِلَّا مِثْلُ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذْ أَبْصَرَ الْخَضِرُ غُلَامًا يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ، فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ رَأْسَهُ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى:
فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلاَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئاً نُّكْراً – قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(In the first instance, Musa asked Al-Khidr because he had forgotten his promise. Then a bird came and sat on the edge of the boat, dipping its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khidr said to Musa, “My knowledge and your knowledge, in comparison to Allah’s knowledge, is like what this bird has taken out of the sea.” 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! Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!” He said, “Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me”) قَالَ: وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْأُولَى/
قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْراً فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ
أَيْ مَائِلًا،فَقَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ
فَأَقَامَهُ
فَقَالَ مُوسَى: قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا
فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً – قَالَ هَـذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً
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 Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَقُصَّ اللهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا»
(We wish that Musa was patient so that Allah would have told us more about both of them.) Sa`id bin Jubayr said: “Ibn `Abbas used to recite Ayah no. 79 (وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَاْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالَحَةٍ غَضْبًا) (There was a king before them who seized every good-conditioned ship by force) and Ayah no 80 (وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ) (As for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers.) Then (in another narration) Al-Bukhari recorded a similar account which says: فَخَرَجَ مُوسَى وَمَعَهُ فَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ وَمَعَهُمَا الْحُوتُ، حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَنَزَلَا عِنْدَهَا، قَالَ: فَوَضَعَ مُوسَى رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ، قَالَ: وَفِي أَصْلِ الصَّخْرَةِ عَيْنٌ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْحَيَاةُ لَا يُصِيبُ مِنْ مَائِهَا شَيْءٌ إِلَّا حَيِيَ فَأَصَابَ الْحُوتَ مِنْ مَاءِ تِلْكَ الْعَيْنِ، فَتَحَرَّكَ وَانْسَلَّ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَدَخَلَ الْبَحْرَ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ:
ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا
(…then Musa set out and with him was his boy-servant Yusha` bin Nun, and they had the fish with them. When they reached the rock, they camped there, and Musa lay down his head and slept. At the base of the rock there was a spring called Al-Hayat; its water never touched a thing but it brought it to life. Some of its water touched the fish, so it began to move and jumped out of the vessel and into the sea. When he woke up, Musa said to his boy-servant: (Bring us our morning meal.)) Then he quoted the rest of the Hadith. Then a bird came and perched on the edge of the ship, and dipped its beak in the sea, and Al-Khidr said to Musa, “My knowledge and your knowledge and the knowledge of all of creation, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, is like what this bird has taken from the sea.” Then he mentioned the rest of the report.
قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْداً – قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً – وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْراً
Verse Number 66-70
Musa meeting with Al-Khidr and accompanying Him
Allah tells us what Musa said to that learned man, who was Al-Khidr. He was one to whom Allah had given knowledge that He had not given to Musa, just as He had given Musa knowledge that He had not given to Al-Khidr.
قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ
(Musa said to him: “May I follow you…”) 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.
اتَّبَعَكَ
(I follow you) means, I accompany you and spend time with you.
عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْداً
(so that you teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught) meaning, teach me something from that which Allah has taught you so that I may be guided by it and learn something beneficial and do righteous deeds. At this point,
قَالَ
(He said) meaning, Al-Khidr said to Musa,
إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(Verily, you will not be able to have patience with me!) meaning, `You will not be able to accompany with 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. Each of us has responsibilities before Allah that the other does not share, and you will not be able to stay with me,’
وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْراً
(And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not) `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.’
قَالَ
(He said) meaning, Musa said:
سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا
(If Allah wills, you will find me patient,) with whatever I see of your affairs,
وَلاَ أَعْصِى لَكَ أمْراً
(and I will not disobey you in aught.) means, `I will not go against you in anything.’ At that point, Al-Khidr, upon him be peace, set a condition:
قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِى فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنى عَن شَىءٍ
(Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything) do not initiate any discussion of the matter,
حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً
(till I myself mention of it to you. ) meaning, `until I initiate the discussion, before you ask me about it.’
Verse Number 71-73
Damaging the Boat
Allah tells us that Musa and his companion Al-Khidr set out having come to an agreement and reached an understanding. Al-Khidr had made the condition that Musa should not ask him about anything he found distasteful until he himself initiated the discussion and offered an explanation. So they went on board the ship, as described in the Hadith quoted above — the crew recognized Al-Khidr and let them ride on board free of charge, as an honor to Al-Khidr. When the boat took them out to sea and they were far from the shore, Al-Khidr got up and damaged the boat, pulling out one of its planks and then patching it up again. Musa, peace be upon him, could not restrain himself from denouncing him, so he said:
أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا
(Have you damaged it wherein its people will drown) The grammatical structure of the sentence in Arabic implies that this was the consequence, not the purpose, of his action.
لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا
(Verily, you have committed a thing Imr.) About `Imr’, Mujahid said: “An evil thing.” Qatadah said, “An astounding thing.” At this point, reminding him of the previously-agreed condition, Al-Khidr said:
أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me) meaning, `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.’
قَالَ
(He said), meaning, Musa said:
لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِى مِنْ أَمْرِى عُسْراً
(Call me not to account for what I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you).) meaning, `do not be harsh with me.’ Hence it says in the Hadith quoted above from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
«كَانَتِ الْأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا»
(In the first instance, Musa asked Al-Khidr because he had forgotten his promise.)
Verse Number 74-76
The Story of killing the Boy
فَانطَلَقَا
(Then they both proceeded,) means, after the first incident,
حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلاَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ
(till they met a boy, and he (Khidr) killed him.) It has been stated previously 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, peace be upon him, saw that he denounced him even more fervently than in the first case, and said hastily:
أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً
(Have you killed an innocent person) meaning, a young person who had not yet committed any sin or done anything wrong, yet you killed him
بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ
(without Nafs) with no reason for killing him.
لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئاً نُّكْراً
(Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!) meaning, something that is clearly evil.
قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(He said: “Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me”) Once again, Al-Khidr reiterates the condition set in the first place, so Musa says to him:
إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا
(If I ask you anything after this,) meaning, `if I object to anything else you do after this,’
فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْراً
(keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.) `you have accepted my apology twice.’ Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn `Abbas that Ubayy bin Ka`b said: “Whenever the Prophet mentioned anyone, he would pray for himself first. One day he said:
«رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى مُوسَى لَوْ لَبِثَ مَعَ صَاحِبِهِ لَأَبْصَرَ الْعَجَبَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَ:
إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْراً»
(May the mercy of Allah be upon us and upon Musa. If he had stayed with his companion he would have seen wonders, but he said, (`If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.’))”
Verse Number 77-78
The Story of repairing the Wall Allah tells us that
فَانطَلَقَا
(they both proceeded) after the first two instances,
حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ
(till when they came to the people of a town,) Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn Sirin that this was Al-Aylah. According to the Hadith;
«حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ لِئَامًا»
(When they came there, the people of the town were mean.) i.e., miserly
اسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ
(they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight.) means, he fixed it so it was standing upright properly. We have already seen in the Hadith quoted above that he set it up with his own hands, supporting it until it was standing straight again, which is something extraordinary. At this point Musa said to him:
لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً
(If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it!) meaning, because they did not entertain us as guests, you should not have worked for them for free.
قَالَ هَـذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنِكَ
(He said: “This is the parting between you and I) meaning, because you said after the boy was killed that if you asked me anything after that, you would not accompany me any further. So this is the parting of the ways between me and you.
سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ
(I will tell you the interpretation) meaning explanation,
مَا لَمْ تَسْطِـع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً
(of (those) things over which you were not able to be patient.)
Verse Number 79
Interpretations of why the Ship was damaged
This is an explanation of what Musa found so hard to understand, and the appearence of which he condemed. Allah showed Al-Khidr the hidden reasons, so he said, “I damaged the ship to make it faulty, because they used to pass by a king who was one of the oppressors, who
يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ
(seized every boat), i.e., every good, sound boat
غَصْباً
(by force.) `So I wanted to prevent him from taking this boat by making it appear faulty, so that its poor owners who had nothing else could benefit from it.’ It was also said that they were orphans.
Verse Number 80-81
Interpretation of why the Boy was killed
Ibn `Abbas narrated from Ubayy bin Ka`b that the Prophet said:
«الْغُلَامُ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ الْخَضِرُ طُبِعَ يَوْمَ طُبِعَ كَافِرًا»
(The boy Al-Khidr killed was destined to be a disbeliever from the day he was created.) It was recorded by Ibn Jarir from Ibn `Abbas. He said:
فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ فَخَشِينَآ أَن يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَـناً وَكُفْراً
(his parents were believers, and we feared he would oppress them by rebellion and disbelief) Their love for him might make them follow him in disbelief. Qatadah said, “His parents rejoiced when he was born and grieved for him when he was killed. If he had stayed alive, he would have been the cause of their doom. 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 than if He were to decree something that he likes for him.” An authentic Hadith says;
«لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ قَضَاءٍ إِلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَه»
(Allah does not decree anything for the believer except it is good for him.) And Allah says:
وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ
(and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you.) 2:216.
فَأَرَدْنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْراً مِّنْهُ زَكَـوةً وَأَقْرَبَ رُحْماً
(So we intended that their Lord should exchange him for them for one better in righteousness and nearer to mercy. ) A child who was better than this one, a child for whom they would feel more compassion. This was the view of Ibn Jurayj.
Verse Number 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,
حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ
(till when they came to the people of a town (Qaryah)) 18:77, but here He says:
فَكَانَ لِغُلَـمَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ
(it belonged to two orphan boys in the town (Al-Madinah);) This is like the Ayat:
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِىَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَتْكَ
(And many a town (Qaryah), stronger than your town which has driven you out We have destroyed) 47:13 and;
وَقَالُواْ لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
(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).
وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَـلِحاً
(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.”
فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا
(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:
فَأَرَدْنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْراً مِّنْهُ زَكَـوةً
(So we intended that their Lord should exchange him for them for one better in righteousness) and concerning the ship:
فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا
(So I wished to make a defective damage in it,) And Allah knows best.
Was Al-Khidr a Prophet
رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِى
(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:
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
(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؛
«إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ خَضِرًا لِأَنَّهُ جَلَسَ عَلَى فَرْوَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ، فَإِذَا هِيَ تَهْتَزُّ مِنْ تَحْتِهِ خَضْرَاء»
(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 ﷺ said,
«إِنَّمَا سُمِّي الْخَضِرَ لِأَنَّهُ جَلَسَ عَلَى فَرْوَةٍ، فَإِذَا هِيَ تَهْتَزُّ مِنْ تَحْتِهِ خَضْرَاء»
(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.
ذَلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِـع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً
(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,
تَسْطِـع
(you could) When the matter was still confusing and very difficult, a more intensive form was used,
سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً
(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:
فَمَا اسْطَـعُواْ أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ
(So they (Ya`juj and Ma`juj) were not able to scale it) 18:97 which means ascending to its highest point,
وَمَا اسْتَطَـعُواْ لَهُ نَقْبًا
(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.
Verse Number 83-84
The Story of Dhul-Qarnayn Allah says to His Prophet ,
وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ
(And they ask you) O Muhammad ,
عَن ذِى الْقَرْنَيْنِ
(about Dhul-Qarnayn.) i.e., about his story. We have already mentioned how the disbelievers of Makkah sent word to the People of the Book and asked them for some information with which they could test the Prophet . They (the People of the Book) said, `Ask him about a man who traveled extensively throughout the earth, and about some young men who nobody knows what they did, and about the Ruh (the soul),’ then Surat Al-Kahf was revealed. Dhul-Qarnayn had great Power
إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ
(Verily, We established him in the earth,) means, `We have given him great power, so that he had all that kings could have of might, armies, war equipment and siege machinery.’ So he had dominion over the east and the west, all countries and their kings submitted to him, and all the nations, Arab and non-Arab, served him. Some of them said he was called Dhul-Qarnayn (the one with two horns) because he reached the two “Horns” of the sun, east and west, where it rises and where it sets.
وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً
(and We gave him the means of everything.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others said, “This means knowledge.” Qatadah also said,
وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً
(and We gave him the means of everything.) “The different parts and features of the earth.” Concerning Bilqis, Allah said,
وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
(she has been given all things) 27:23, meaning all things that monarchs like her are given. Thus too was Dhul-Qarnayn: Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means and power to conquer all areas, regions and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the earth and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need. And Allah knows best.
Verse Number85-88
His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West)
فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً
(So he followed a way.) Ibn `Abbas said that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted.
فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً
(So he followed a way.) Mujahid said that he followed different routes, east and west. According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said:
سَبَباً
(a way) means, “A route through the land.” Qatadah said, “It means he followed the routes and landmarks of the earth.”
حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ
(Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun,) means, he followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun’s setting, which is the west of the earth. As for the idea of his reaching the place in the sky where the sun sets, this is something impossible, and the tales told by storytellers that he traveled so far to the west that the sun set behind him are not true at all. Most of these stories come from the myths of the People of the Book and the fabrications and lies of their heretics.
وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ
(he found it setting in a spring of Hami’ah) meaning, he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see: it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed. Hami’ah is, according to one of the two views, derived from the word Hama’ah, which means mud. This is like the Ayah:
إِنِّى خَـلِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
(“I am going to create a man (Adam) from dried clay of altered Hama’h (mud)) 15:28, which means smooth mud, as we have discussed above.
وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْماً
(And he found near it a people.) meaning a nation. They mentioned that they were a great nation from among the sons of Adam.
قُلْنَا يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْناً
(We (Allah) said (by inspiration): “O Dhul-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness”) means, Allah gave him power over them and gave him the choice: if he wanted to, he could kill the men and take the women and children captive, or if he wanted to, he could set them free, with or without a ransom. His justice and faith became apparent in the ruling he pronounced:
أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ
(As for him who does wrong,) meaning who persists in his Kufr and in associating others in worship with his Lord,
فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ
(we shall punish him,) Qatadah said, i.e., by killing him.
ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَاباً نُّكْراً
(and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment.) meaning a severe, far-reaching and painful punishment. This implies a confirmation of the Hereafter and the reward and punishment.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ
(But as for him who believes), meaning `who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate,’
فَلَهُ جَزَآءً الْحُسْنَى
(he shall have the best reward,) meaning in the Hereafter, with Allah.
وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْراً
(and we (Dhul-Qarnayn) shall speak unto him mild words.) Mujahid said, `(words of) kindness.’
Verse Number 89-91
His Journey East
Allah tells us that Dhul-Qarnayn then traveled from the west of the earth towards the east. Every time he passed a nation, he subjugated the people and called them to Allah. If they obeyed him, all well and good, otherwise he would humiliate them and take their wealth and possessions. From every nation he took what his armies needed to fight the next nation. When he reached the place where the sun rises, as Allah says,
وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ
(he found it rising on a people) meaning a nation,
لَّمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُمْ مِّن دُونِهَا سِتْراً
(for whom We (Allah) had provided no shelter against the sun.) meaning, they had no buildings or trees to cover them and shade them from the heat of the sun. Qatadah said, “It was mentioned to us that they were in a land where nothing grew, so when the sun rose they would go into tunnels until it had passed its zenith, then they would come out to go about their daily lives and earn themselves a living.”
كَذَلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْراً
(So (it was)! And We knew all about him.) Mujahid and As-Suddi said, “This means that Allah knew everything about him and his army, and nothing was hidden from Him, even though they came from so many different nations and lands. For,
لاَ يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ فِى السَّمَآءِ
(Truly, nothing is hidden from Allah, in the earth or in the heaven.)3:5″
Verse Number 92-96
His Journey to the Land of Ya’juj and Ma’juj, and building the Barrier
Allah says of Dhul-Qarnayn:
ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَباً
(Then he followed (another) way) meaning, he traveled from the east of the earth until he reached a place between the two mountains which were next to one another with a valley in between, from which Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog) will emerge into the land of the Turks and spread mischief there, destroying crops and people. Ya’juj and Ma’juj are among the progeny of Adam, peace be upon him, as was recorded in the Two Sahihs;
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: يَا آدَمُ فَيَقُولُ: لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ فَيَقُولُ: ابْعَثْ بَعْثَ النَّارِ، فَيَقُولُ: وَمَا بَعْثُ النَّارِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ تِسْعُمِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَوَاحِدٌ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، فَحِينَئِذٍ يَشِيبُ الصَّغِيرُ وَتَضَعُ كُلُّ ذَاتِ حَمْلٍ حَمْلَهَا. فَقَالَ: إِنَّ فِيكُمْ أُمَّتيْنِ مَا كَانَتَا فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا كَثَّرَتَاهُ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوج»
“Allah said: “O Adam.” Adam said, “Here I am at Your service.” Allah said, “Send forth the group of Hellfire.” Adam said, “What is the group of Hellfire” Allah said: “Out of every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine will go to Hell and one will go to Paradise.” At that time young men will turn grey and every pregnant female will drop her load. Among you are two nations who never come to anything but they overwhelm it with their huge numbers. (They are) Ya’juj and Ma’juj.”
وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْماً لاَّ يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلاً
(he found before them a people who scarcely understood a word. ) he could not understand their speech, because they were so isolated from other people.
قَالُواْ يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجاً
(They said: “O Dhul-Qarnayn! Verily, Ya’juj and Ma’juj are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute”) Ibn Jurayj reported from `Ata’ from Ibn `Abbas that this meant a great reward, i.e., they wanted to collect money among themselves to give to him so that he would create a barrier between them and Ya’juj and Ma’juj. Dhul-Qarnayn said with kindness, righteousness and good intentions,
مَا مَكَّنِّى فِيهِ رَبِّى خَيْرٌ
(That in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute).) meaning, the power and authority that Allah has given me is better for me than what you have collected. This is like when Sulayman (Solomon), peace be upon him, said:
أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٍ فَمَآ ءَاتَـنِى اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَـكُمْ
(Will you help me in wealth What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you!) 27:36 Similarly, Dhul-Qarnayn said: `What I have is better than what you want to give me, but help me with strength,’ i.e., with your labor and construction equipment,
أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًاءَاتُونِى زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ
(I will erect between you and them a barrier. Give me Zubar of iron,) Zubar is the plural of Zubrah, which means pieces or chunks of something. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah. These pieces were like bricks or blocks, and it was said that each block weighed one Damascene Qintar or more.
حَتَّى إِذَا سَاوَى بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ
(then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs,) means, he put the blocks on top of one another, starting at the bottom, until he reached the tops of the mountains, filling the width and height of the gap. The scholars differed about the precise width and height.
قَالَ انفُخُواْ
(he said: “Blow;”) means, he lit a fire until the whole thing was burning hot.
قَالَ آتُونِى أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْراً
(he said: “Bring me Qitran to pour over them.”) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and As-Suddi said it was copper. Some of them added that it was molten. This is similar to the Ayah:
وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ
(And We caused a fount of Qitran to flow for him) 34:12. So it resembled a striped cloak. Then Allah said:
Verse Number 97-99
The Barrier restrains Them, but It will be breached when the Hour draws nigh
Allah tells us that Ya’juj and Ma’juj could not climb over the barrier or penetrate its lower portion. Varying forms of the verb are used here in the Arabic text to reflect the difficulty of the action referred to.
فَمَا اسْطَـعُواْ أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَـعُواْ لَهُ نَقْبًا
(So they (Ya’juj and Ma’juj) could not scale it or dig through it.) This indicates that they could not penetrate it or dig through it. Imam Ahmad recorded that Zaynab bint Jahsh, the wife of the Prophet said, “The Prophet woke from sleep, and he was red in the face. He said,
«لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرَ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذَا»
(La ilaha illallah! Woe to the Arabs from the evil that has approached (them). Today a hole has been opened in the barrier of Ya’juj and Ma’juj like this.) and he made a circle with his index finger and thumb. I Zaynab said, `O Messenger of Allah, will we be destroyed even though there will be righteous people among us’ He said:
«نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَث»
(Yes, if evil increases.)” This is a Sahih Hadith, both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded it.
قَالَ هَـذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّى
((Dhul-Qarnayn) said: “This is a mercy from my Lord…”) meaning, after it was built by Dhul-Qarnayn.
قَالَ هَـذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّى
(He said: This is a mercy from my Lord) for the people, when he placed a barrier between them and Ya’juj and Ma’juj, to stop them from spreading evil and corruption on earth.
فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّى
(but when the promise of my Lord comes) means, when the true promise comes
جَعَلَهُ دَكَّآءَ
(He shall Dakka’ it down to the ground.) means, will make it flat. The Arabs use Dakka’ to describe a female camel whose back is flat and has no hump. And Allah says:
فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا
(So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it Dakkan) 7:143 meaning, level to the ground.
وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّى حَقّاً
(And the promise of my Lord is ever true.) means, it will come to pass without a doubt.
وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ
(We shall leave some of them) meaning mankind, on that day, the day when the barrier will be breached and these people (Ya’juj and Ma’juj) will come out surging over mankind to destroy their wealth and property.
وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِى بَعْضٍ
(We shall leave some of them to surge like waves on one another;) As-Suddi said: “That is when they emerge upon the people.” All of this will happen before the Day of Resurrection and after the Dajjal, as we will explain when discussing the Ayat:
حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ
(Until, when Ya’juj and Ma’juj are let loose, and they swoop down from every Hadab. And the true promise shall draw near…) 21:96-97
وَنُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ
(and As-Sur will be blown.) As-Sur, as explained in the Hadith, is a horn that is blown into. The one who will blow into it is (the angel) Israfil, peace be upon him, as has been explained in the Hadith quoted at length above, and there are many Hadiths on this topic. According to a Hadith narrated from `Atiyah from Ibn `Abbas and Abu Sa`id, and attributed to the Prophet ,
«كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَصَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الْقَرْنَ وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ وَاسْتَمَعَ مَتَى يُؤْمَرُ؟»
(How can I relax when the one with the Horn has put the Horn in his mouth and has knelt down, listening out for the command to be given to him) They said, “What should we say” He said:
«قُولُوا: حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ عَلَى اللهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا»
(Say: “Allah is Sufficient for us and the best Disposer of affairs, in Allah have we put our trust.”)
فَجَمَعْنَـهُمْ جَمْعاً
(and We shall collect them (the creatures) all together.) means, `We shall bring them all together for Reckoning.’
قُلْ إِنَّ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَالاٌّخِرِينَ – لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَـتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ
(Say: “(Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for appointed meeting of a known Day.) 56:49-50
وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً
(and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.) 18:47
Verse Number 100-102
Hell will be displayed before the Disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection
Allah tells us what He will do to the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection. He will show Hell to them, meaning He will bring it forth for them to see its punishment and torment before they enter it. This will intensify their distress and grief. In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«يُؤْتَى بِجَهَنَّمَ تُقَادُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِسَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ زِمَامٍ، مَعَ كُلِّ زِمَامٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَك»
(Hell will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection, pulled by means of seventy thousand reins, each of which will be held by seventy thousand angels.) Then Allah says of them:
الَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِى غِطَآءٍ عَن ذِكْرِى
((To) those whose eyes had been under a covering from My Reminder,) meaning, they neglected it, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to it, refusing to accept guidance and follow the truth. As Allah says:
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَاناً فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ
(And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We appoint for him a Shaytan to be a companion for him.) 43:36 And here Allah says:
وَكَانُواْ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعاً
(and they could not bear to hear (it). ) meaning, they did not understand the commands and prohibitions of Allah. Then He says:
أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ عِبَادِى مِن دُونِى أَوْلِيَآءَ
(Do then those who disbelieved think that they can take My servants as Awliya’ protectors besides Me) meaning, do they think that this is right for them and that it is going to benefit them
كَلاَّ سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَـدَتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدّاً
(Nay, but they will deny their worship of them, and become opponents to them) 19:82. Allah says that He has prepared Hell as their abode on the Day of Resurrection.
Verse Number 103-106
The Greatest Losers in respect of (Their) Deeds
Al-Bukhari recorded from `Amr that Mus`ab who said: “I asked my father — meaning Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas — about Allah’s saying,
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالاٌّخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـلاً
(Say: “Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds”) `Are they the Haruriyyah’ He said, `No, they are the Jews and Christians. As for the Jews, they disbelieved in Muhammad ﷺ, and as for the Christians, they disbelieved in Paradise and said that there is no food or drink there, and the Haruriyyah are those who break Allah’s covenant after ratifying it.’ Sa`d used to call them Al-Fasiqin (the corrupt). `Ali bin Abi Talib, Ad-Dahhak and others said: “They are the Haruriyyah,” so this means, that according to `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, this Ayah includes the Haruriyyah just as it includes the Jews, the Christians and others. This does not mean that the Ayah was revealed concerning any of these groups in particular; it is more general than that, because the Ayah was revealed in Makkah, before the Qur’an addressed the Jews and Christians, and before the Khawarij existed at all. So the Ayah is general and refers to everyone who worships Allah in a way that is not acceptable, thinking that he is right in doing that and that his deeds will be accepted, but he is mistaken and his deeds will be rejected, as Allah says:
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَـشِعَةٌ – عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ – تَصْلَى نَاراً حَامِيَةً
(Some faces, that Day will be humiliated. Laboring, weary. They will enter in the hot blazing Fire.) 88:2-4
وَقَدِمْنَآ إِلَى مَا عَمِلُواْ مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَآءً مَّنثُوراً
(And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.) 25:23
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَآءً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئاً
(As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing) 24:39 And in this Ayah Allah says:
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم
(Say: “Shall We tell you…”) meaning, `Shall We inform you;’
بِالاٌّخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـلاً
(the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds) Then Allah explains who they are, and says:
الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا
(Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life) meaning, they did deeds that do not count, deeds that are not in accordance with the prescribed way that is acceptable to Allah.
وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا
(while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds.) means, they thought that there was some basis for their deeds and that they were accepted and loved.
أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ
(They are those who deny the Ayat of their Lord and the meeting with Him.) they denied the signs of Allah in this world, the proofs that He has established of His Oneness and of the truth of His Messengers, and they denied the Hereafter.
فَلاَ نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَزْناً
(and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign no weight for them.) means, `We will not make their Balance heavy because it is empty of any goodness.’ Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إِنَّهُ لَيَأْتِي الرَّجُلُ الْعَظِيمُ السَّمِينُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يَزِنُ عِنْدَ اللهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ وَقَالَ: اقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ:
فَلاَ نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَزْناً
(A huge fat man will come forward on the Day of Resurrection and he will weigh no more than the wing of a gnat to Allah. Recite, if you wish:) (and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign no weight for them) It was also recorded by Muslim.
ذَلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُواْ
(That shall be their recompense, Hell; because they disbelieved) means, `We will punish them with that because of their disbelief and because they took the signs and Messengers of Allah ﷺ as a joke, mocking them and disbelieving them in the worst way.’
Verse Number 107-108
The Reward of the Righteous Believers
Allah tells us about His blessed servants, those who believed in Allah and His Messengers and accepted as truth what the Messengers brought. He tells us that they will have the Gardens of Al-Firdaws (Paradise). Abu Umamah said, “Al-Firdaws is the center of Paradise.” Qatadah said, “Al-Firdaws is a hill in Paradise, at its center, the best of it.” This was also narrated from Samurah and attributed to the Prophet ,
«الْفِرْدَوْسُ رَبْوَةُ الْجَنَّةِ أَوْسَطُهَا وَأَحْسَنُهَا»
(Al-Firdaws is a hill in Paradise, at its center, the best of it.) A similar report was narrated from Qatadah from Anas bin Malik, and attributed to the Prophet . All of the preceding reports were narrated by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him. The following is in the Sahih,
«إِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللهَ الْجَنَّةَ، فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ فَإِنَّهُ أَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَأَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ، وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّة»
(If you ask Allah for Paradise, then ask Him for Al-Firdaws, for it is the highest part of Paradise, in the middle of Paradise, and from it spring the rivers of Paradise.)
نُزُلاً
(entertainment) means offered to them as hospitality.
خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ
(Wherein they shall dwell (forever).) means, they will stay there and never leave.
لاَ يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلاً
(No desire will they have for removal therefrom. ) means, they will never choose or want anything else. This Ayah tells us how much they love and desire it, even though one might imagine that a person who is to stay in one place forever would get tired and bored of it. But Allah tells us that despite this eternal stay, they will never choose to change or move from where they are.
Verse Number 109
The Words of the Lord can never be finished
Allah says: `Say, O Muhammad, if the water of the sea were ink for a pen to write down the words, wisdom and signs of Allah, the sea would run dry before it all could be written down.
وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ
(even if We brought like it) means, another sea, then another, and so on, additional seas to be used for writing. The Words of Allah would still never run out. As Allah says:
وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلاَمٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَـتُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
(And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink), with seven seas behind it to increase it, yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) 31:27 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, “The parable of the knowledge of all of mankind, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, is that of a drop of water in comparison to all of the oceans.” Allah revealed that:
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَاداً لِّكَلِمَـتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـتُ رَبِّى
(Say: “If the sea were ink for the Words of my Lord, surely, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be finished,) Allah says that even if those oceans were ink for the Words of Allah, and all the trees were pens, the pens would be broken and the water of the sea would run dry, and the Words of Allah would remain, for nothing can outlast them. For no one can comprehend the greatness of Allah or praise Him as He deserves to be praised, except the One Who praises Himself. Our Lord is as He says He is and He is beyond what we can say. The blessings of this world, the beginning and end of it, in comparison to the blessings of the Hereafter, are like a mustard seed compared to the entire world.
Verse Number 110
Muhammad ﷺ is a Human Being and a Messenger, and the God is One
Allah says to His Messenger Muhammad ,
قُلْ
(Say) to these idolators who reject your message to them,
إِنَّمَآ أَنَاْ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ
(`I am only a man like you.) Whoever claims that I am lying, let him bring something like this that I have brought. For I did not know the Unseen, the matters of the past which you asked me about and I told you about, the story of the people of the Cave and of Dhul-Qarnayn, stories which are true — I did not know any of this except for what Allah made known to me. And I tell you,
إِنَّمَآ إِلَـهُكُمُ
(that your God), Who calls you to worship Him,
إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ
(is One God), with no partner or associate.’
فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِ
(So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord,) i.e., hopes for a good reward and recompense,
فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلاً صَـلِحاً
(let him work righteousness) meaning, in accordance with the prescribed laws of Allah,
وَلاَ يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدَا
(and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.) This is what is meant by seeking the pleasure of Allah alone with no associate or partner. These are the two basic features of acceptable deeds: their intent is for the sake of Allah alone, and are done in accordance with the way of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Imam Ahmad recorded that Mahmud bin Labid said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافَ عَلَيْكُمُ الشِّرْكُ الْأَصْغَر»
(What I fear the most for you is the small Shirk.) “They said: What is the small Shirk, O Messenger of Allah” He said,
«الرِّيَاءُ، يَقُولُ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِذَا جَزَىَ النَّاسَ بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ: اذْهَبُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ كُنْتُمْ تُرَاءُونَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَانْظُرُوا هَلْ تَجِدُونَ عِنْدَهُمْ جَزَاءً؟»
(Showing off (Ar-Riya’). Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection, when the people are rewarded or punished for their deeds, “Go to the one for whom you were showing off in the world and see if you will find any reward with him.”) Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id bin Abi Fadalah Al-Ansari, who was one of the Companions, said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,
«إِذَا جَمَعَ اللهُ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لِيَوْمٍ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ نَادَى مُنَادٍ: مَنْ كَانَ أَشْرَكَ فِي عَمَلٍ عَمِلَهُ للهِ أَحَدًا فَلْيَطْلُبْ ثَوَابَهُ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللهِ،فَإِنَّ اللهَ أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْك»
(Allah will gather the first and the last on the Day of Resurrection, the Day concerning which there is no doubt. A voice will call out, “Whoever used to associate anyone with Allah in the deeds which he did, let him seek his reward from someone other than Allah, for Allah is the least in need of any partner or associate.) It was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Kahf. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.
END