The Righteous Servant with Musa

The Quest for Knowledge

In a time after the Israelites were freed, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was asked who the most knowledgeable person on earth was. Thinking of his own role, he replied that he was. However, Allah corrected this by revealing there was a servant at the meeting place of the two seas who possessed knowledge Musa (peace be upon him) did not yet have. Driven by a desire to learn for Allah’s sake, Musa (peace be upon him) set out on a long journey with his young assistant.

To find this teacher, they were given a sign: they carried a cooked fish in a basket, and wherever the fish came back to life and disappeared into the sea, there they would find the servant. After a long walk, they rested by a rock. While they slept, the fish miraculously wriggled out and slid into the water, creating a tunnel-like path. It was only later, when they grew hungry, that they realized the fish was gone and returned to the rock to find the mysterious man.

The Mysterious Teacher

At the rock, they found a man whom tradition often calls al-Khidr. Scholars have long debated whether he was a Prophet, a Messenger, or a particularly righteous servant (Wali) of Allah. The Qur'an describes him simply as a servant whom Allah had given special mercy and knowledge from His own presence. Musa (peace be upon him) asked to follow him to learn the 'right guidance' he had been taught.

The teacher warned Musa (peace be upon him) that he would not be able to remain patient. He explained that one cannot be patient with things they do not fully understand. Musa (peace be upon him) promised to be patient and not disobey any order. The teacher agreed, but on one strict condition: Musa (peace be upon him) must not ask any questions about what happened until the teacher explained it himself at the end.

The Ship and the Youth

The two set off and boarded a boat. To Musa's (peace be upon him) shock, the teacher took an adze and damaged the boat by pulling out a plank. Musa (peace be upon him) could not stay silent, fearing the passengers would drown. The teacher gently reminded him of his promise. Musa (peace be upon him) apologized, citing forgetfulness, and they continued their journey on land.

Next, they encountered a young boy, and the teacher performed an action that seemed even more distressing and unjust to Musa (peace be upon him). Once again, Musa (peace be upon him) spoke out in protest, unable to see the wisdom behind such a harsh event. The teacher reminded him a second time: 'Did I not tell you that you would never be able to have patience with me?' Musa (peace be upon him) asked for one last chance.

The Crumbling Wall

They reached a town where the people were very unkind and refused to offer them any food or hospitality. Despite this, the teacher noticed a wall in the town that was about to collapse. Instead of leaving it, he spent his energy repairing the wall and making it sturdy again. Musa (peace be upon him) was confused; why help people who were so rude for free? He suggested they should have at least asked for payment to buy food.

This was the final straw. The teacher declared, 'This is the parting between me and you.' But before they separated, he fulfilled his promise to explain the 'inner meanings' of these three strange events. Musa (peace be upon him) listened closely as the hidden reality of Allah’s decree was finally revealed, showing that what looked like 'bad' events were actually protections against much greater harm.

The Wisdom Revealed

The boat was damaged because a tyrant king was seizing every perfect ship by force; by making it look broken, the poor owners got to keep their livelihood. The youth was taken because he would have grown to be a burden of disbelief and grief for his righteous parents; Allah intended to replace him with a better child. The wall belonged to two orphans, and beneath it was a treasure left by their righteous father. Had the wall fallen, the townspeople would have stolen the treasure before the boys grew up.

The teacher concluded by saying, 'I did it not of my own accord.' This means everything happened by Allah’s command and permission. This story teaches us that we only see a small part of life’s picture. We might dislike something that is actually good for us, or love something that is bad. True wisdom lies in trusting Allah’s plan, even when we don't understand the 'why' behind our current struggles.