Lesson from Surah Kahf - Part 4

 

bismillah ar-rahman ar-raheem

• The fourth story of surah kahf is about very specific knowledge that Allah gave Khidr alayhi salam. 

• One day Musa alayhi salam gave a speech as a khateeb, giving the Bani Israel a reminder. At the end of his talk someone within the crowd asked who among the people is the most knowledgeable. To which Musa told this man that he (Musa) was the most knowledgeable.

• Musa was expected to ascribe absolute knowledge to Allah subhanahu’watala. He did not sin, but he was reprimanded by Allah because of his status as a prophet, who were held to a higher standard.

• As a muslim, Allah expects from you certain things. As a mu’min, Allah expects more from you than as a muslim. As a muhsin, Allah expects more from you than a muslim and mu’min. And as you keep going up this ladder, the top thing you will get are the prophets and messengers. Allah expects from them way more, and expects from them a higher standard than all human beings. 

• Allah reveals to Prophet Musa at that very moment that there is a slave where two seas meet, who has more knowledge than him (Musa). Musa asked Allah who that person is and how he could get there, this shows Musa’s humility and zeal to gain knowledge. 

“...Moses said, "O my Lord! How can I meet him?" Allah said: Take a fish in a large basket (and proceed) and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish…” (Sahih al-Bukhari 122) 

• Musa began his journey, leaving his brother, Harun alayhi salam in charge of the community. He took along with him a young boy and his student, believed to be Yusha ibn Nun alayhi salam, who later on became a prophet. Yusha alayhi salam was responsible for carrying the large bucket with the fish inside of it. 

And [mention] when Moses said to his boy [i.e., servant], "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." (18:60)

• Here Musa alayhi salam addressed Yusha as a young boy instead of as a servant, showing his kind nature. There’s softness and mercy in that. 

• He says that he will keep going and going, walking miles and miles for years upon years, a lifetime, until he reaches al-Khidr. This highlights the commitment Musa alayhi salam is showing while seeking knowledge. 

• This is the attitude a student of knowledge should have; of commitment and zeal. 

• Allah is teaching us of two obstacles that will meet you in your quest for knowledge.  Two problems that a student of knowledge has is tiredness and forgetfulness, and one leads to the other. 

“...So Moses set out along with his (servant) boy, Yusha` bin Noon and carried a fish in a large basket till they reached a rock, where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish came out of the basket and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel…” (Sahih al-Bukhari 122)

• Upon realizing that they lost the fish, Musa and Yusha traced back their steps. This teaches us that as a student of knowledge, you can make a mistake, it doesn’t matter, but if you did make a mistake, go back and correct it. 

“So they went back retracing their footsteps, till they reached the rock. There they saw a man covered with a garment (or covering himself with his own garment). Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir replied saying, "How do people greet each other in your land?" Moses said, "I am Moses." He asked, "The Moses of Bani Israel?" Moses replied in the affirmative and added, "May I follow you so that you teach me of that knowledge which you have been taught." Al-Khadir replied, "Verily! You will not be able to remain patient with me, O Moses! I have some of the knowledge of Allah which He has taught me and which you do not know, while you have some knowledge which Allah has taught you which I do not know..." (Sahih al-Bukhari 122)

• Al-Khadr, who was a teacher to Musa, who is an inspiration to this ummah, has been introduced as ‘a servant from among Our servants’ which teaches us that the moment a person of knowledge realizes that he is only a slave like any other slave, that is the highest position you’ve ever reached. Otherwise if you’re running around for a title or elaborate introduction, then your knowledge didn’t take you anywhere.

• A student needs to be obedient and patient with his teacher, the moment there is disobedience from the student towards the teacher, the learning experience won’t work out.

“...sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khadir said: "O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak."’ (Sahih al-Bukhari 122)

• Al-Khadr’s humility is to be taken inspiration from. 

• The lesson we take from the damaged boat is that the qadr Allah decrees upon you that is bad on the surface, may actually be good for you later on. 

• The boat owners were to take their drowning ship to the shore, and by the time they would fix it and bring it back into the water, the oppressive king who seizes ships would have passed. 

• There are things in life, that when they happen to you, look bad, but later on you realize they were good for you. 

• The lesson we take from the boy that was killed is that sometimes we may never know the goodness behind what was seemingly bad. 

• It was good for the boy that he died before his kuffar and rebellion, so he is forgiven and enters the paradise, while good for his parents as they remain on iman and safe from the boy’s future rebellion. Similarly, it is a mercy for the society. So the boy being killed brought about three mercies; himself, his parents and the society. 

• You won’t understand the wisdom behind the qadr of Allah, so surrender, and acknowledge to Allah that you won’t disobey any commandment. That whatever happens, alhumdulillah, and what bad happens is because of our own selves.

“So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment." (18:77)

• The lesson we take from the third story is that the goodness that is for you, hasn’t come your way for a reason. The delays are for a reason. When your rizq is delayed, it is a mercy from Allah subhanahu’watala.

• We also learn that Allah protected that money because the father of the boys was righteous. If Allah can protect the money because the father was a righteous man, then Allah can certainly protect the deen of the boys. Be righteous yourself, and Allah will protect your future generations.

Part-4 

Part 2, Part 3