Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Kahf Verse 65

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Then they found one of Our servants whom We blessed with mercy from Us and whom We gave knowledge, a knowledge from Our own.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

There they found a servant of Ours, to whom We had granted mercy from Us and enlightened with knowledge of Our Own.

Ruwwad Translation Center

There they found one of Our slaves upon whom We bestowed Our mercy and We taught him from Our Own knowledge.

A. J. Arberry

Then they found one of Our servants unto whom We had given mercy from Us, and We had taught him knowledge proceeding from Us.

Abdul Haleem

and found one of Our servants- a man to whom We had granted Our mercy and whom We had given knowledge of Our own.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then the twain found a bondman from Our bondmen, him We had vouchsafed a mercy from before Us, and him We had taught from Our presence a knowledge.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own Presence.

Abul Ala Maududi

and there they found one of Our servants upon whom We had bestowed Our mercy, and to whom We had imparted a special knowledge from Ourselves.

Ahmed Ali

Then they found one of Our votaries, whom We had blessed and given knowledge from Us.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So they found a bondman* from amongst Our (chosen) bondmen, to whom We had given mercy from Us, and had bestowed the inspired knowledge from Ourselves. (* Hazrat Khidr – peace be upon him.)

Ali Quli Qarai

[There] they found one of Our servants whom We had granted a mercy from Ourselves, and taught him a knowledge from Our own.

Ali Ünal

And they found (there) one of Our servants to whom We had granted a mercy as a grace from Us and taught a special knowledge from Our Presence.

Amatul Rahman Omar

So that they found a (noble and great) servant of Ours to whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught (great) Knowledge from Ourself.

English Literal

So they (B) found a worshipper/slave from Our worshippers/slaves, We gave/brought him from at Us mercy, and We taught/instructed him from at Us knowledge.

Faridul Haque

So they found a bondman * from amongst Our (chosen) bondmen, to whom We had given mercy from Us, and had bestowed the inspired knowledge from Ourselves. (* Hazrat Khidr - peace be upon him.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Moses said, "This is what we were searching for." So they retraced their steps again.

Hilali & Khan

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

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: This is what we sought for. So they returned retracing their footsteps.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Then they found one from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then found they one of Our slaves, unto whom We had given mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from Our presence.

Muhammad Sarwar

There they met one of Our servants who had received blessings and knowledge from Us.

Qaribullah & Darwish

and found one of Our worshipers to whom We had given from Our Mercy, and to whom We had taught knowledge of Ours.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

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

Wahiduddin Khan

and they found one of Our servants to whom We had granted Our mercy and had given a knowledge from Ourself.

Talal Itani

Then they came upon a servant of Ours, whom We had blessed with mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from Our Own.

Tafsir jalalayn

So [there] they found one of Our servants, namely, al-Khidr, to whom We had given mercy from Us -- according to one opinion this [mercy] was prophethood; according to another it was authority, and this [latter] is the opinion of the majority of scholars -- and We had taught him knowledge from Us (`ilman is the second direct object), in other words, some knowledge of unseen things; al-Bukhr reports the [following] hadth; `Moses was delivering a sermon among the Children of Israel and was asked, "Who is the most knowledgeable of people?", to which he [Moses] said, "Myself". God then reproached him for not having attributed [his] knowledge as [coming] from Him. God then revealed to him the following; "Truly, there is a servant of Mine at the juncture of the two seas; he is more knowledgeable than you". Moses then asked, "My Lord, how do I reach him?" He [God] said, `Take a fish with you and place it in a basket and [the place] where you lose the fish will be [the place] where he is." He [Moses] took a fish and placed it in a basket and departed together with his lad Joshua son of Nun until they reached the rock. [There] they placed their heads back and fell asleep. The fish began to move about in the basket, until it escaped from it and fell into the sea, and it made its way into the sea in an amazing manner. God then held back the flow of the water [preventing it] from [engulfing] the fish, forming a kind of arch over it. When he awoke, his companion [Joshua] forgot to inform him of [what had happened to] the fish, and so they journeyed on for the remainder of that day and night until on the morning [of the second day] Moses said to his lad, `Bring us our breakfast', to where he says, and it made its way into the sea in an amazing manner'. He [Bukhr] said, `For the fish, it [the way into the sea] was [by] `burrowing' (saraban), and for Moses and his lad it [this way] was `amazing' (`ajaban) ...' [and so on] to the end [of Bukhr's report].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

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.

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 say,

إِنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ فَسُيِلَ 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 السَّلَأمُ 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

اتِنَا غَدَاءنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا


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.

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,

أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَأ إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَأ أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَـنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِى الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا

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,

ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا

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.

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً

Al-Khidr said, You will not be able to have patience with me.

O Musa! I have some of Allahs knowledge which He has bestowed upon me but you do not know it; and you too, have some of Allahs knowledge which He has bestowed upon you, but I do not know it.

Musa said,

سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَأءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلَا أَعْصِى لَكَ أمْراً

If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.

Al-Khidr said to him,

فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِى فَلَ تَسْأَلْنى عَن شَىءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً

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!

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً

Al-Khidr said, Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with me!

قَالَ لَا تُوَاخِذْنِى بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرْهِقْنِى مِنْ أَمْرِى عُسْراً

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 said,

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 Allahs 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 boys head and pulled it off with his hands, killing him.

Musa said to him,

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِيْتَ شَيْياً نُّكْراً

Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none! Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً

He said, Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me

(The narrator) said, "The second blame was stronger than the first one".

قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلَ تُصَاحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْراً فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَأ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَأ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ

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.

فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَأ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَأ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَاراً يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِيْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً

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!"

قَالَ هَـذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّيُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً

(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 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;
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