SURAH (18) AL-KAHF (AYA 61 to 80)

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا {18:61}

[Q18:61] Falammaa balaghaa majma'a bainihimaa nasiyaa hootahumaa fattakhaza sabeelahoo fil bahri sarabaa. 
[Q18:61] So when they had reached the junction of the two (rivers) they forgot their fish, and it took its way into the sea, going away.

[Q18:61] Maka apabila mereka berdua sampai ke tempat pertemuan dua laut itu, lupalah mereka akan hal ikan mereka, lalu ikan itu menggelungsur menempuh jalannya di laut, yang merupakan lorong di bawah tanah. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:61) And it so happened that when they reached the confluence, they became neglectful of their fish and it burrowed its way to the river as through a tunnel.

فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَٰذَا نَصَبًا {18:62}

[Q18:62] Falammaa jaawazaa qaala lifataahu aatinaa ghadaaa'anaa laqad laqeena min safarinaa haazaa nasabaa. 
[Q18:62] But when they had gone farther, he said to his servant: Bring to us our morning meal, certainly we have met with fatigue from this our journey.

[Q18:62] Setelah mereka melampaui (tempat itu), berkatalah Nabi Musa kepada temannya: Bawalah makan tengah hari kita sebenarnya kita telah mengalami penat lelah dalam perjalanan kita ini. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:62) When they had passed on further,

قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ ۚ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا{18:63}

[Q18:63] Qaala ara'ayta iz awainaaa ilas sakhrati fa innee naseetul hoota wa maaa ansaaneehu illash Shaitaanu an azkurah; wattakhaza sabeelahoo fil bahri'ajabaa. 
[Q18:63] He said: Did you see when we took refuge on the rock then I forgot the fish, and nothing made me forget to speak of it but the Shaitan, and it took its way into the river; what a wonder!

[Q18:63] Temannya berkata: Tahukah apa yang telah terjadi ketika kita berehat di batu besar itu? Sebenarnya aku lupakan hal ikan itu dan tiadalah yang menyebabkan aku lupa daripada menyebutkan halnya kepadamu melainkan Syaitan dan ikan itu telah menggelungsur menempuh jalannya di laut, dengan cara yang menakjubkan. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:63) Moses said to his attendant, "Let us have our breakfast, for we are dead tired because of to-day's journey". The attendant said, "Did you not notice what a strange thing happened when we were taking rest by the side of that rock? I totally forgot about the fish and satan made me so neglectful of it that I could not mention it to you: the fish slipped into the river in a marvellous manner."

قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ ۚ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا {18:64}

[Q18:64] Qaala zaalika maa kunnaa nabgh; fartaddaa 'alaa aasaari him maa qasasaa. 
[Q18:64] He said: This is what we sought for; so they returned retracing their footsteps.

[Q18:64] Nabi Musa berkata: Itulah yang kita kehendaki; merekapun balik semula ke situ, dengan menurut jejak mereka. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:64) Moses replied, "That is exactly what we were seeking". *58 Accordingly, they both went back, retracing their footsteps,

*58 That is, "The same was the sign of the place of our destination". This shows that Prophet Moses had taken this journey at Allah's behest to meet His Servant. He had been told that he would meet the Servant at the place where the fish would disappear. 

فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِنْ لَدُنَّا عِلْمًا {18:65} 

[Q18:65] Fa wajadaa 'abdam min 'ibaadinaaa aatainaahu Rahmatam min 'indinaa wa 'allamnaahu mil ladunnaa 'ilmaa. 
[Q18:65] Then they found one from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves.

[Q18:65] Lalu mereka dapati seorang dari hamba-hamba Kami yang telah kami kurniakan kepadanya rahmat dari Kami dan Kami telah mengajarnya sejenis ilmu; dari sisi Kami. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:65) and there they found one of our servants whom We had blessed with special favour and had given him a special knowledge from Ourselves. *59

*59 The name of this Servant has been stated to be "Khidr" in all the authentic books of traditions. Thus there is no reason why it should be considered at all that his name was Elijah, as some people have asserted under the influence of the Israelite traditions. Their assertion is incorrect not only because it contradicts the assertion of the Holy Prophet but it is also absurd because Prophet Elijah was born several hundred years after Prophet Moses. Though the Qur'an does not mention the name of the attendant of Prophet Moses, according to some traditions he was Joshua, the son of Nun, who succeeded him. 

قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا {18:66}

[Q18:66] Qaala lahoo Moosaa hal attabi'uka 'alaaa an tu'allimani mimmaa 'ullimta rushdaa. 
[Q18:66] Musa said to him: Shall I follow you on condition that you should teach me right knowledge of what you have been taught?

[Q18:66] Nabi Musa berkata kepadanya: Bolehkah aku mengikutmu, dengan syarat engkau mengajarku dari apa yang telah diajarkan oleh ALLAH (SwT) kepadamu, ilmu yang menjadi petunjuk bagiku?  

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:66) Moses said to him, "May I accompany you, so that you may teach me also that Wisdom, which has been taught to you?"

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا {18:67}

[Q18:67] Qaalaa innaka lan tastatee'a ma'iya sabraa. 
[Q18:67] He said: Surely you cannot have patience with me.

[Q18:67] Dia menjawab: Sesungguhnya engkau (wahai Musa), tidak sekali-kali akan dapat bersabar bersamaku.  

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:67) He answered, "You cannot bear with me,

وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا {18:68}

[Q18:68] Wa kaifa tasbiru 'alaa maa lam tuhit bihee khubraa. 
[Q18:68] And how can you have patience in that of which you have not got a comprehensive knowledge?

[Q18:68] Dan bagaimana engkau akan sabar terhadap perkara yang engkau tidak mengetahuinya secara meliputi? 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:68) and you cannot have the patience with regard to that matter of which you have no knowledge".

قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلَا أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا {18:69}

[Q18:69] Qaala satajiduneee in shaa'al laahu saabiranw wa laaa a'see laka amraa. 

[Q18:69] He said: If ALLAH (SWT) pleases, you will find me patient and I shall not disobey you in any matter.
[Q18:69] Nabi Musa berkata: Engkau akan dapati aku, Insya Allah: Orang yang sabar; dan aku tidak akan membantah sebarang perintahmu. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:69) Moses said, "If Allah wills, you will find me patient and I will not disobey you in any matter".

قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا {18:70}

[Q18:70] Qaala fa init taba'tanee falaa tas'alnee 'an shai'in hattaaa uhdisa laka minhu zikraa. 
[Q18:70] He said: If you would follow me, then do not question me about any thing until I myself speak to you about it.

[Q18:70] Dia menjawab: Sekiranya engkau mengikutku, maka janganlah engkau bertanya kepadaku akan sesuatupun sehingga aku ceritakan halnya kepadamu.  

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:70) He said, "Well, if you want to accompany me, you should ask me no questions about anything until I myself mention it to you."

SECTION 10

Moses following the one gifted with knowledge of God

Moses travel and meets with wonder-seeking events.

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَا ۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا {18:71}

[Q18:71] Fantalaqaa hattaaa izaa rakibaa fis safeenati kharaqahaa qaala akharaqtahaa litughriqa ahlahaa laqad ji'ta shai'an imraa.
[Q18:71] So they went (their way) until when they embarked in the boat he made a hole in it. (Musa) said: Have you made a hole in it to drown its inmates? Certainly you have done a grievous thing.

[Q18:71] Lalu berjalanlah keduanya sehingga apabila mereka naik ke sebuah perahu, ia membocorkannya. Nabi Musa berkata: Patutkah engkau membocorkannya sedang akibat perbuatan itu menenggelamkan penumpang-penumpangnya? Sesungguhnya engkau telah melakukan satu perkara yang besar. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:71) So they proceeded on until they boarded a boat, and that person bored a hole in the boat. Moses cried out, "What! Have you bored a hole in it so that all the passengers may be drowned? This is a grievous thing that you have done".

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا {18:72}

[Q18:72] Qaala alam aqul innaka lan tastatee'a ma'iya sabraa. 
[Q18:72] He said: Did I not say that you will not be able to have patience with me?

[Q18:72] Dia menjawab: Bukankah aku telah katakan, bahawa engkau tidak sekali-kali akan dapat bersabar bersamaku? 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:72) He answered, "Didn't I tell you that you would not be able to bear with me patiently"?

قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا {18:73}

[Q18:73] Qaala laa tu'aakhiznee bimaa naseetu wa laa turhiqnee min amree 'usraa.
[Q18:73] He said: Blame me not for what I forgot, and do not constrain me to a difficult thing in my affair.

[Q18:73] Nabi Musa berkata: Janganlah engkau marah akan daku disebabkan aku lupa (akan syaratmu) dan janganlah engkau memberati daku dengan sebarang kesukaran dalam urusanku (menuntut ilmu). 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:73) Moses replied, "Please do not rebuke me for my forgetfulness, and do not take me to task in regard to my conduct".

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَامًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا {18:74}

[Q18:74] Fantalaqaa hattaa izaa laqiyaa ghulaaman faqatalahoo qaala aqatalta nafsan zakiy yatam bighairi nafs; laqad ji'ta shai'an nukraa. 
[Q18:74] So they went on until, when they met a boy, he slew him. (Musa) said: Have you slain an innocent person otherwise than for manslaughter? Certainly you have done an evil thing.

[Q18:74] Kemudian keduanya berjalan lagi sehingga apabila mereka bertemu dengan seorang pemuda lalu dia membunuhnya. Nabi Musa berkata Patutkah engkau membunuh satu jiwa yang bersih, yang tidak berdosa membunuh orang? Sesungguhnya engkau telah melakukan satu perbuatan yang mungkar! 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:74) Then they journeyed on until they met a boy and that person slew him. Moses cried out, "Have you killed an innocent person, though he had killed nobody? Surely this is a horrible deed that you have committed".

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا {18:75}

[Q18:75] Qaala alam aqul laka innaka lan tastatee'a ma'iya sabraa. 
[Q18:75] He said: Did I not say to you that you will not be able to have patience with me?

[Q18:75] Dia menjawab: Bukankah, aku telah katakan kepadamu, bahawa engkau tidak sekali-kali akan dapat bersabar bersamaku? 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:75) He answered, "Didn't I tell you that you would not be able to bear with me patiently"?

قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلَا تُصَاحِبْنِي ۖ قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا {18:76}

[Q18:76] Qaala in sa altuka 'an shai'im ba'dahaa falaa tusaahibnee qad balaghta mil ladunnee 'uzraa. 
[Q18:76] He said: If I ask you about anything after this, keep me not in your company; indeed you shall have (then) found an excuse in my case.

[Q18:76] Nabi Musa berkata: Jika aku bertanya kepadamu tentang sebarang perkara sesudah ini, maka janganlah engkau jadikan daku sahabatmu lagi; sesungguhnya engkau telah cukup mendapat alasan-alasan berbuat demikian disebabkan pertanyaan-pertanyaan dan bantahanku.  

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:76) Moses said, "If after this, I ask anything of you, you may not let me accompany you. Well, now I have afforded you with an excuse from myself".

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ ۖ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا {18:77}

[Q18:77] Fantalaqaa hattaaa izaaa atayaaa ahla qaryatinis tat'amaaa ahlahaa fa abaw any yudaiyifoohumaa fawajadaa feehaa jidaarany yureedu any yanqadda fa aqaamah; qaala law shi'ta lattakhazta 'alaihi ajraa. 
[Q18:77] So they went on until when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he put it into a right state. (Musa) said: If you had pleased, you might certainly have taken a recompense for it.

[Q18:77] Kemudian keduanya berjalan lagi, sehingga apabila mereka sampai kepada penduduk sebuah bandar, mereka meminta makan kepada orang-orang di situ, lalu orang-orang itu enggan menjamu mereka. Kemudian mereka dapati di situ sebuah tembok yang hendak runtuh, lalu dia membinanya. Nabi Musa berkata: Jika engkau mahu, tentulah engkau berhak mengambil upah mengenainya! 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:77) Then they travelled on until they reached a certain habitation and requested its inhabitants to give them some food but they declined to entertain them. There they saw a wall which was about to fall down. That person set it up again. Moses said, "Had you wanted, you could have demanded payment for your labour".

قَالَ هَٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ ۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا {18:78}

[Q18:78] Qaala haazaa firaaqu bainee wa bainik; sa unabi 'uka bitaaweeli maa lam tastati' 'alaihi sabraa. 
[Q18:78] He said: This shall be separation between me and you; now I will inform you of the significance of that with which you could not have patience.

[Q18:78] Dia menjawab: Inilah masanya perpisahan antaraku denganmu, aku akan terangkan kepadamu maksud (kejadian-kejadian yang dimusykilkan) yang engkau tidak dapat bersabar mengenainya. 

(see commentary for verse 60)

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(18:78) The other said, "That will do: we must now part company. Now I explain those things about which you could not keep patience.

أَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَاكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَاءَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا {18:79}

[Q18:79] Ammas safeenatu fakaanat limasaakeena ya'maloona fil bahri fa arattu an a'eebahaa wa kaana waraaa' ahum malikuny yaakhuzu kulla safeenatin ghasbaa. 
[Q18:79] As for the boat, it belonged to (some) poor men who worked on the river and I wished that I should damage it, and there was behind them a king who seized every boat by force.

[Q18:79] Adapun perahu itu adalah ia dipunyai oleh orang-orang miskin yang bekerja di laut; oleh itu, aku bocorkan dengan tujuan hendak mencacatkannya, kerana di belakang mereka nanti ada seorang raja yang merampas tiap-tiap sebuah perahu yang tidak cacat.  

APPLICABLE FOR VERSES 78 AND 79. The owners of the boat, though reduced to a miserable poverty, did not resort to any disrespectful means of earning their sustenance. They used to earn their livelihood by plying their boats BUT the cruel King wanted to commandeer the boats of their subjects. If these self-respecting poor souls lost the boat, which was the only means of their subsistence, they would have been reduced to beggary.

Ü  Khizr simply made it useless for the time being and saved it from being snatched away from them. The damage done could be easily repaired by the owners after the boats escaped the seizure by the King.

THIS INCIDENT SERVED THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING HOME TO THE INTELLIGENT MIND THAT THE WORKING OF THE DIVINE PLAN IN THIS WORLD IS NEVER WITHOUT THE ABSOLUTE WISDOM ACTIVE IN IT, TOWARDS SOME GOOD IN THE ULTIMATE, THOUGH OUTWARDLY IT MIGHT SEEM TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE IMMEDIATE INTEREST OF SOME, BUT IT MIGHT LEAD TO A REALLY FAVOURABLE END.

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(18:79) As regards the boat, it belonged to a few poor persons who toiled on the river. I intended to damage it because further on there was the territory of a king who forcibly seized every boat.

وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ فَخَشِينَا أَنْ يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا {18:80}

[Q18:80] Wa aammal ghulaamu fakaana abawaahu mu'minaini fakhasheenaaa any yurhiqa humaa tughyaananw wa kufraa. 
[Q18:80] And as for the boy, his parents were believers and we feared lest he should make disobedience and ingratitude to come upon them:

[Q18:80] Adapun pemuda itu, kedua ibu bapanya adalah orang-orang yang beriman, maka kami bimbang bahawa dia akan mendesak mereka melakukan perbuatan yang zalim dan kufur. 

The act of killing the youth seemed to be a definite cruelty. BUT it was not a secret for Khizr that the boy was practically lost to his parents as an outlaw, AS SUCH, was an encumbrance to the society, a danger to the life of the public and THUS a source of a torturous grief to his gentle and righteous parents.

µ  The statement being in first person plural indicates that Khizr did not act on his own BUT was guided by the Divine inspiration.

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(18:80) As for the boy, his parents were true Believers and we feared lest he should trouble them with his rebellion and unbelief.