Who Is Al-Khidr?
من هو الخضر؟
The majority of jurists believe that al-Khidr was a prophet or a righteous man of vast knowledge. While the Children of Israel were wandering in the desert because of their wrongdoing and ingratitude, Moses (peace be upon him) spent time with al-Khidr.
Ubayy ibn Ka'b narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Moses stood up to address the Children of Israel and was asked, 'Who is the most learned of people?' He said, 'I am the most learned.' Allah reproached him because he did not attribute the knowledge to Him, and Allah revealed to him: 'A servant of Mine at the junction of the two seas is more learned than you.'"
أغلبية الفقهاء يعتقدون أنه نبي أو رجل صالح ذو علم واسع. عندما كان بنو إسرائيل يتيهون في الصحراء بسبب ظلمهم وجحودهم، أمضى موسى عليه السلام وقتًا مع الخضر.
روى أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: "قَامَ مُوسَى خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ."
1. A Scholarly Question: Prophet or a Man of Vast Knowledge? | سؤالٌ علمي: نبيٌّ أم رجلٌ ذو علمٍ واسع؟
Scholars are not unanimous on Al-Khidr's exact status; most hold that he was either a prophet or a righteous man given vast knowledge by Allah. This difference does not diminish his role in the story that follows. What the meeting teaches is gathered in the lessons of the encounter between Musa and al-Khidr.
لم يُجمع العلماء على منزلة الخضر على وجه الدقة؛ وأكثرهم على أنه كان إما نبيا وإما رجلا صالحا آتاه الله علما واسعا. ولا ينقص هذا الخلاف من دوره في القصة التي تليه. وأما ما يعلّمه هذا اللقاء فمجموع في بيان دروس اللقاء بين موسى والخضر.
2. Timing: During the Years of Wandering | التوقيت: خلال سنوات التيه
The answer places this meeting within the period the Children of Israel spent wandering in the desert, unable to enter the Promised Land because of their earlier refusal and denial. The Quran and the hadith themselves do not state when the meeting took place.
يضع الجواب هذا اللقاء في الفترة التي قضاها بنو إسرائيل تائهين في الصحراء، عاجزين عن دخول الأرض المقدسة بسبب رفضهم وتكذيبهم من قبل. ولا يذكر القرآن ولا الحديث نفسه متى وقع اللقاء.
3. Musa's Unqualified Claim to Be Most Knowledgeable | ادعاء موسى العلم الأوسع دون تحفظ
When asked directly who was the most learned person alive, Musa answered simply, "I am the most learned," without qualifying the claim by attributing ultimate knowledge to Allah alone. Even a prophet who spoke directly with Allah was corrected for not attributing knowledge to Allah in this answer.
لما سُئل موسى مباشرة عن أعلم الناس، أجاب ببساطة: "أنا أعلم"، دون أن يقيد قوله برد العلم المطلق إلى الله وحده. فحتى النبي الذي كلمه الله مباشرة عوتب لأنه لم يرد العلم إلى الله في هذا الجواب.
4. Allah's Correction: A Servant More Learned at the Junction of the Two Seas | تصحيح الله: عبدٌ أعلم عند مجمع البحرين
Allah reproves Musa for this claim and directs him specifically to a servant more learned than himself, found at the junction of the two seas. This precise correction sets the entire subsequent journey in motion, sending Musa to actively seek out and learn from someone else, a notable posture for a prophet already carrying his own revealed Law.
يعاتب الله موسى على هذا القول، ويدله تحديدا على عبد أعلم منه عند مجمع البحرين. وهذا التصحيح الدقيق هو ما أطلق الرحلة كلها، إذ أرسل موسى ليسعى إلى غيره ويتعلم منه، وهو موقف لافت لنبي يحمل شريعته المنزلة.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who is Al-Khidr?
A man most scholars regard as either a prophet or a righteous man of great knowledge from Allah.
When did Moses meet Al-Khidr?
The Quran and the authentic hadith do not specify when they met; some place the meeting in the years the Children of Israel wandered in the desert.
What claim did Moses make that Allah corrected?
He said he was the most learned person alive, without attributing ultimate knowledge to Allah.
Where did Allah direct Moses to find someone more learned than him?
At the junction of the two seas.