The story of Moosa (peace be upon him) with al-Khadr
Question

                I want to know the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) with the man who took him to the ship, and their story with the boy. I heard that this man was an angel or one of the jinn (I am not sure).
Praise be to Allah.
    If you 
    want to know the story of Moosa with al-Khadr (peace be upon them both), 
    then you have to read the verses in Soorat al-Kahf that tell of this story, 
    and also the lengthy hadeeth narrated by Imam al-Bukhaari (no. 3401) and 
    Imam Muslim (no. 2380), which the scholars have commented on and explained 
    in detail. 

    In 
    order to present the story simply and make it easier to talk about it and 
    explain its incidents and what we learn from them, we will quote these 
    verses from Soorat al-Kahf bit by bit, then we will follow each portion with 
    the similar part from the hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased 
    with him) in which the story is also told in full. Then after that we will 
    explain some of the meanings of this portion along with tafseer (commentary) 
    from al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer and al-‘Allaamah as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy 
    on them both). 

    The 
    story begins when Moosa (peace be upon him) addressed the Children of 
    Israel, and one of them asked him who was the most knowledgeable of people. 
    Moosa (peace be upon him) thought – because he was a Messenger of the Lord 
    of the Worlds – that he was the most knowledgeable of all people on earth, 
    so he answered that question by saying: “I am.” But it would have been 
    better for him (peace be upon him) to say: “Allah knows best,” because the 
    knowledge of the Messengers and Prophets cannot encompass all things; 
    encompassing all knowledge is one of the attributes of Allah alone, may He 
    be glorified and exalted, Who has no partner. So Allah, may He be glorified 
    and exalted, wanted to show Moosa (peace be upon him) that there was one of 
    His slaves who was more knowledgeable than him. Hence He instructed him to 
    travel to a certain place, where he would meet that knowledgeable slave of 
    His.

    It was 
    narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard 
    the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say:

    “Moosa 
    stood up to address the Children of Israel, and he was asked: Which of the 
    people is most knowledgeable? He said: I am. Allah rebuked him because he 
    did not refer knowledge to Him. So Allah revealed to him: “There is a slave 
    of Mine at the junction of the two seas who is more knowledgeable than 
    you.” 

    So 
    Moosa (peace be upon him) decided to go to the junction of the two seas, in 
    order to meet this slave of Allah who was more knowledgeable than Moosa 
    (peace be upon him). There are many opinions concerning the location of “the 
    junction of the two seas”, but there is no reliable evidence to support any 
    of them. 

    Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “And (remember) when Moosa (Moses) 
    said to his boy-servant: ‘I will not give up (travelling) until I reach the 
    junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travelling.’”

    
    [al-Kahf 18:60]. 

    
    Al-‘Allaamah as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Here 
    Allah, may He be exalted, tells us about His Prophet Moosa (peace be upon 
    him) and his eagerness to do good and seek knowledge. He said to his 
    servant-boy – who stayed with him at home and when he was travelling, and 
    whose name was Yoosha‘ ibn Noon, and Allah made him a Prophet after that – : 
    “I 
    will not give up (travelling) until I reach the junction of the two seas” 
    that is, I shall continue travelling, even if it is lengthy and difficult 
    for me, until I reach the junction of the two seas; that is the place where 
    it was revealed to me: There you will find one of the knowledgeable slaves 
    of Allah, who has knowledge that you do not have. 

    “or 
    (until) I spend years and years in travelling” 
    that is, or until I cover a great distance. What is meant is that longing 
    and yearning made Moosa say these words to his servant-boy. This was 
    determination on his part, hence he went ahead with his plan. End quote. 

    
    Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan, 
    p. 481 

    Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, revealed to Moosa a sign by which he would 
    recognise the place where that slave was. 

    In the 
    hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b it says:

    “Moosa 
    said: ‘O Lord, how can I find him?’ He said: ‘Take with you a fish and put 
    it in a basket, then where you lose the fish, he will be there.’ So he took 
    a fish and put it in a basket, then he set out, and his servant-boy Yoosha‘ 
    ibn Noon set out with him. Then when they came to the rock, they lay down 
    and slept, and the fish stirred in the basket, then it escaped from it and 
    fell into the sea, ‘and it took its way 
    through the sea as in a tunnel’ 
    [al-Kahf 18:61]…” 

    
    According to another report narrated by al-Bukhaari, “At the base of the 
    rock there was a spring called al-Hayaat (life); nothing was touched by its 
    water but it came to life. The fish was touched by the water of that spring, 
    so it began to move and escaped from the basket into the sea. 

    
    Concerning that, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said: 
    
    “But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish, 
    and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel” [al-Kahf 18:60]. 

    
    Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    “and 
    it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel” 
    means: like a tunnel underground. 

    Ibn 
    Jurayj said: Ibn ‘Abbaas said: Its tracks became like rock. 

    
    Al-‘Awfi said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbaas: The fish did not touch any part 
    of the sea but it dried up until it became rock. End quote. 

    
    Tafseer al-Qur’an al-‘Azeem, 
    5/174 

    After 
    that, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 

    
    
    “So when they had passed further on (beyond that fixed place), Moosa (Moses) 
    said to his boy-servant: ‘Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered 
    much fatigue in this, our journey.’

    
    
    He said: ‘Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed 
    forgot the fish, none but Shaytaan (Satan) made me forget to remember it. It 
    took its course into the sea in a strange (way)!’

    
    
    (Moosa (Moses)) said: ‘That is what we have been seeking.’ So they went back 
    retracing their footsteps”

    
    
    [al-Kahf 18:62-63]. 

    
    Al-‘Allaamah as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    “That 
    is what we have been seeking” 
    i.e., looking for

    “So 
    they went back retracing their footsteps” 
    i.e., they went back, retracing their footsteps, to the place where they had 
    forgotten the fish. 

    
    Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan, 
    p. 481 

    In the 
    hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) it says: 

    “When 
    he woke up, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, so they 
    continued on their way for the rest of that day and the following night. The 
    next morning, Moosa said to his servant boy: 
    
    ‘Bring us our morning meal; truly, we have suffered much fatigue in this, 
    our journey.’ 
    Moosa did not feel any fatigue until they had passed the place that Allah 
    had instructed him to find. His servant-boy said to him: 
    
    ‘Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed forgot the 
    fish, none but Shaytaan (Satan) made me forget to remember it. It took its 
    course into the sea in a strange (way)!’ 
    So for the fish it was a tunnel, and for Moosa and his servant-boy was 
    something strange. Then Moosa said: “‘That is what we have been 
    seeking.’ So they went back retracing their footsteps.” 
    They went back, retracing their footsteps, until they came to the rock. 

    
    Al-‘Allaamah as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    This 
    was one of the signs. The commentators said: That fish was something that 
    they took as provision (for the journey), but when they reached that place, 
    it was touched by some of the sea water, and it slipped away, by Allah’s 
    leave, into the sea, and joined other creatures as a living creature. End 
    quote. 

    
    Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan, 
    p. 481 

    There 
    Moosa met al-Khadr, and there was a conversation between them, in which 
    Moosa asked to accompany al-Khadr so that he could learn from him; this was 
    great humility on his part (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 

    Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Then they found one of Our 
    slaves, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught 
    knowledge from Us.

    
    
    Moosa (Moses) said to him (Khadr): ‘May I follow you so that you teach me 
    something of that knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have been 
    taught (by Allah)?’

    
    
    He (Khadr) said: ‘Verily! You will not be able to have patience with me!

    
    
    ‘And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not?’

    
    
    Moosa (Moses) said: ‘If Allah will, you will find me patient, and I will not 
    disobey you in aught.’

    
    
    He (Khadr) said: ‘Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I 
    myself mention it to you.’”

    
    [al-Kahf 18:65-70]. 

    
    Al-Khadr was one of the sons of Adam (i.e., human) but, as al-Haafiz Ibn 
    Hajar said, there was a difference of opinion concerning his name, the name 
    of his father and his lineage; whether he was a Prophet; and how long he 
    lived. End quote from Fath al-Baari, 6/433 

    In the 
    hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) it says: 

    “There 
    they saw a man covered with a garment. Moosa greeted him with salaam, and 
    al-Khadr said: ‘How could there be peace (salaam) in your land?’ (Moosa) 
    said: ‘I am Moosa.’ Al-Khadr said: ‘Moosa of the Children of Israel?’ He 
    said: ‘Yes. 
    May I follow you so that you 
    teach me something of that knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have 
    been taught (by Allah)?’ 
    He said: ‘Verily! You will not 
    be able to have patience 
    with 
    me, O Moosa! I have something of Allah’s knowledge which Allah has taught me 
    and which you do not know, and you have something of Allah’s knowledge which 
    Allah has taught you and which I do not know.’ Moosa said: ‘If Allah will, you 
    will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.’ 
    Al-Khadr said to him: ‘Then, 
    if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I myself mention it to you.’ 

    The 
    strange and wondrous journey began at that point, and Allah, may He be 
    glorified and exalted, tells us of what happened during it of three 
    confusing incidents, concerning which Moosa (peace be upon him) could not 
    conceal his astonishment and keep the promise he had made to al-Khadr that 
    he would not ask him about anything that occurred during the time he 
    accompanied him. 

    Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “So 
    they both proceeded, till, when they embarked the ship, he (Khidr) scuttled 
    it. Moosa (Moses) said: ‘Have you scuttled it in order to drown its people? 
    Verily, you have committed a thing “Imra” (a Munkar - evil, bad, dreadful 
    thing).’”

    [al-Kahf 18:71]. 

    In the 
    hadeeth it says: 

    “Then 
    they set out walking along the seashore. They passed by a ship and spoke to 
    them (the crew) about taking them on as passengers. They recognized al-Khadr 
    and took them on board at no cost. When they boarded the ship, suddenly 
    al-Khadr pulled out one of the planks of the ship with an adze. Moosa said 
    to him: ‘These people took us on board at no cost, and now you have 
    deliberately scuttled their ship in order to drown its people! You have done 
    a dreadful thing!’ al-Khadr said: ‘Did I not tell you, that you would not be 
    able to have patience with me?’ Moosa said: ‘Call me not to account for what 
    I forgot, and do not be hard on me on account of what I have done.’” 

    And 
    the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The 
    first time was because Moosa forgot.” 

    He 
    said: “A sparrow came and sat on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak 
    into the sea. Al-Khadr said to him (Moosa). ‘My knowledge and your 
    knowledge, in comparison to Allah’s knowledge, is no more than the water 
    taken from the sea by this sparrow’s beak.’” 

    Then 
    came the second incident: 

    Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    
    
    “Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy; he (Khadr) killed him. Moosa 
    (Moses) said: ‘Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? 
    Verily, you have committed a thing “Nukra” (a great Munkar - prohibited, 
    evil, dreadful thing)!’

    
    
    (Khidr) said: ‘Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?’

    
    
    (Moosa (Moses)) said: ‘If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your 
    company, you have received an excuse from me.’”

    
    
    [al-Kahf 18:74-76]. 

    In the 
    hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, it says: 

    “Then 
    they disembarked from the ship, and whilst they were walking on the shore, 
    al-Khadr saw a boy playing with some other boys. Al-Khadr took hold of the 
    boy’s head and cut it off, and killed him. Moosa said to him: 
    
    ‘Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have 
    committed a thing “Nukra” (a great Munkar - prohibited, evil, dreadful 
    thing)!. 
    Al-Khadr said to him: ‘‘Did I not tell you 
    that you can have no patience with me? 
    He said to him: ‘This is worse than the first time!’ Moosa said: 
    
    ‘If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have 
    received an excuse from me.’” 

    Then 
    came the third incident:

    Allah, 
    may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    
    
    “Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, 
    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. (Moosa 
    (Moses)) said: ‘If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for 
    it!’

    
    
    (Khidr) said: ‘This is the parting between me and you, I will tell you the 
    interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to hold 
    patience’”

    
    
    [al-Kahf 18:77-78]. 

    In the 
    hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b it says: 

    “They 
    went on their way until they came to the people of a town and asked its 
    people for food, but they refused to give them any hospitality. In that town 
    they found a wall that was leaning and about to collapse. Al-Khadr set it up 
    straight with his own hands and Moosa said to him: They are people to whom 
    we came and they did not feed us or give us any hospitality. If you had 
    wanted, you could have taken some payment for it.’ Al-Khadr said: ‘This is 
    the parting between me and you.’” 

    The 
    Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Would 
    that Moosa had been patient so that Allah could have told us more about 
    their story.” 

    As for 
    the explanation of the reasons for the actions of al-Khadr (peace be upon 
    him) in those strange situations, al-Khadr explained them to Moosa. The 
    Qur’an tells us about that in detail at the end of the story in Soorat 
    al-Kahf:

    “ ‘As for the ship, it belonged to 
    Masakeen (poor people) working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective 
    damage in it, as there was a king after them who seized every ship by force.

    
    
    ‘And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he 
    should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief.

    
    
    ‘So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in 
    righteousness and near to mercy.

    
    
    ‘And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there 
    was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous 
    man, and your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full 
    strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it 
    not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things) over 
    which you could not hold patience.”

    
    [al-Kahf 18:79-82]. 

    Anyone 
    who would like to know more about the details of this story and what we 
    learn from it may refer to the books of tafseer (Qur’anic exegesis) and read 
    the commentary on Soorat al-Kahf. 

    See 
    also: Fath al-Baari by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (8/410 ff). 

    And 
    Allah knows best.