Quran Verses about Moses and al-Khidr

وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبۡرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبۡلُغَ مَجۡمَعَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ أَوۡ أَمۡضِيَ حُقُبٗا ٦٠

Wa idh qāla mūsā lifatāhu lā abraḥu ḥattā ablugha majmaʿal-baḥrayni aw amḍiya ḥuqubā.

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."

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجۡمَعَ بَيۡنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ سَرَبٗا ٦١

Falammā balaghā majmaʿa baynihimā nasiyā ḥūtahumā fattakhadha sabīlahū fil-baḥri sarabā.

But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot their fish, and it took its course into the sea, slipping away.

فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدۡ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَٰذَا نَصَبٗا ٦٢

Falammā jāwazā qāla lifatāhu ātinā ghadāʾanā laqad laqīnā min safarinā hādhā naṣabā.

So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue."

قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَ إِذۡ أَوَيۡنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخۡرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ ٱلۡحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَنۡ أَذۡكُرَهُۥۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا ٦٣

Qāla araʾayta idh awaynā ilaṣ-ṣakhrati fa innī nasītul-ḥūta wa mā ansānīhu illash-shayṭānu an adhkurah, wattakhadha sabīlahū fil-baḥri ʿajabā.

He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly."

قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبۡغِۚ فَٱرۡتَدَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَارِهِمَا قَصَصٗا ٦٤

Qāla dhālika mā kunnā nabgh, fartaddā ʿalā āthārihimā qaṣaṣā.

[Moses] said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their footprints.

فَوَجَدَا عَبۡدٗا مِّنۡ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنۡ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمۡنَٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلۡمٗا ٦٥

Fawajadā ʿabdam min ʿibādinā ātaynāhu raḥmatam min ʿindinā wa ʿallamnāhu mil ladunnā ʿilmā.

And they found a servant from among Our servants [i.e., al-Khiḍr] to whom We had given mercy from Us and had taught him from Us a [certain] knowledge.

قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلۡ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمۡتَ رُشۡدٗا ٦٦

Qāla lahū mūsā hal attabiʿuka ʿalā an tuʿallimani mimmā ʿullimta rushdā.

Moses said to him, "May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgement?"

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبۡرٗا ٦٧

Qāla innaka lan tastaṭīʿa maʿiya ṣabrā.

He said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.

وَكَيۡفَ تَصۡبِرُ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ خُبۡرٗا ٦٨

Wa kayfa taṣbiru ʿalā mā lam tuḥiṭ bihī khubrā.

And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?"

قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ صَابِرٗا وَلَآ أَعۡصِي لَكَ أَمۡرٗا ٦٩

Qāla satajidunī in shāʾallāhu ṣābiraw wa lā aʿṣī laka amrā.

[Moses] said, "You will find me, if Allāh wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order."

قَالَ فَإِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتَنِي فَلَا تَسۡـَٔلۡنِي عَن شَيۡءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ أُحۡدِثَ لَكَ مِنۡهُ ذِكۡرٗا ٧٠

Qāla fa inittabaʿtanī falā tasʾalnī ʿan shayʾin ḥattā uḥditha laka minhu dhikrā.

He said, "Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything until I make to you about it mention [i.e., explanation]."

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي ٱلسَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَاۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقۡتَهَا لِتُغۡرِقَ أَهۡلَهَا لَقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـًٔا إِمۡرٗا ٧١

Fanṭalaqā ḥattā idhā rakibā fis-safīnati kharaqahā, qāla akharaqtahā litughriqa ahlahā laqad jiʾta shayʾan imrā.

So they set out, until when they had embarked on the ship, he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] tore it open. [Moses] said, "Have you torn it open to drown its people? You have certainly done a grave thing."

قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُلۡ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبۡرٗا ٧٢

Qāla alam aqul innaka lan tastaṭīʿa maʿiya ṣabrā.

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرۡهِقۡنِي مِنۡ أَمۡرِي عُسۡرٗا ٧٣

Qāla lā tuʾākhidhnī bimā nasītu wa lā turhiqnī min amrī ʿusrā.

[Moses] said, "Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not overwhelm me in my matter with difficulty."

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمٗا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسٗا زَكِيَّةَۢ بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٖ لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـٔٗا نُّكۡرٗا ٧٤

Fanṭalaqā ḥattā idhā laqiyā ghulāman faqatalahū qāla aqatalta nafsan zakiyyatam bighayri nafsil laqad jiʾta shayʾan nukrā.

So they set out, until when they met a boy, he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."

۞ قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبۡرٗا ٧٥

Qāla alam aqul laka innaka lan tastaṭīʿa maʿiya ṣabrā.

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "Did I not tell you that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

قَالَ إِن سَأَلۡتُكَ عَن شَيۡءِۭ بَعۡدَهَا فَلَا تُصَٰحِبۡنِيۖ قَدۡ بَلَغۡتَ مِن لَّدُنِّي عُذۡرٗا ٧٦

Qāla in saʾaltuka ʿan shayʾim baʿdahā falā tuṣāḥibnī, qad balaghta mil ladunnī ʿudhrā.

[Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهۡلَ قَرۡيَةٍ ٱسۡتَطۡعَمَآ أَهۡلَهَا فَأَبَوۡاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارٗا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُۥۖ قَالَ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ لَتَّخَذۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرٗا ٧٧

Fanṭalaqā ḥattā idhā atayā ahla qaryatinistaṭʿamā ahlahā fa abaw ay yuḍayyifūhumā fawajadā fīhā jidāray yurīdu ay yanqaḍḍa fa aqāmah, qāla law shiʾta lattakhadhta ʿalayhi ajrā.

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."

قَالَ هَٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنِكَۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأۡوِيلِ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡتَطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرًا ٧٨

Qāla hādhā firāqu baynī wa baynik, saʾunabbiʾuka bitaʾwīli mā lam tastaṭiʿ ʿalayhi ṣabrā.

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "This is parting between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.

أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتۡ لِمَسَٰكِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنۡ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكٞ يَأۡخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصۡبٗا ٧٩

Ammas-safīnatu fakānat limasākīna yaʿmalūna fil-baḥri fa aradttu an aʿībahā wa kāna warāʾahum malikuy yaʾkhudhu kulla safīnatin ghaṣbā.

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.

وَأَمَّا ٱلۡغُلَٰمُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤۡمِنَيۡنِ فَخَشِينَآ أَن يُرۡهِقَهُمَا طُغۡيَٰنٗا وَكُفۡرٗا ٨٠

Wa ammal-ghulāmu fakāna abawāhu muʾminayni fakhashīnā ay yurhiqahumā ṭughyānaw wa kufrā.

And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief.

فَأَرَدۡنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُ زَكَوٰةٗ وَأَقۡرَبَ رُحۡمٗا ٨١

Fa aradnā ay yubdilahumā rabbuhumā khayram minhu zakātaw wa aqraba ruḥmā.

So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy.

وَأَمَّا ٱلۡجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَٰمَيۡنِ يَتِيمَيۡنِ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحۡتَهُۥ كَنزٞ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَٰلِحٗا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبۡلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسۡتَخۡرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ وَمَا فَعَلۡتُهُۥ عَنۡ أَمۡرِيۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأۡوِيلُ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرٗا ٨٢

Wa ammal-jidāru fakāna lighulāmayni yatīmayni fil-madīnati wa kāna taḥtahū kanzul lahumā wa kāna abūhumā ṣāliḥan fa arāda rabbuka ay yablughā ashuddahumā wa yastakhrijā kanzahumā raḥmatam mir rabbik, wa mā faʿaltuhū ʿan amrī, dhālika taʾwīlu mā lam tasṭiʿ ʿalayhi ṣabrā.

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience."