كتاب التفسير
65  
Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))
(3)
The Statement of Allah the Most High: "But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish, and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel." (V.18:61)
(3)
Sahih al-Bukhari 4726

Narrated Ibn Juraij:

Ya`la bin Muslim and `Amr bin Dinar and some others narrated the narration of Sa`id bin Jubair. Narrated Sa`id: While we were at the house of Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Abbas said, "Ask me (any question)" I said, "O Abu `Abbas! May Allah let me be sacrificed for you ! There is a man at Kufa who is a storyteller called Nauf; who claims that he (Al-Khadir's companion) is not Moses of Bani Israel." As for `Amr, he said to me, "Ibn `Abbas said, "(Nauf) the enemy of Allah told a lie." But Ya`la said to me, "Ibn `Abbas said, Ubai bin Ka`b said, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Once Moses, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), preached to the people till their eyes shed tears and their hearts became tender, whereupon he finished his sermon. Then a man came to Moses and asked, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Is there anyone on the earth who is more learned than you?' Moses replied, 'No.' So Allah admonished him (Moses), for he did not ascribe all knowledge to Allah. It was said, (on behalf of Allah), 'Yes, (there is a slave of ours who knows more than you ).' Moses said, 'O my Lord! Where is he?' Allah said, 'At the junction of the two seas.' Moses said, 'O my Lord ! Tell I me of a sign whereby I will recognize the place.' " `Amr said to me, Allah said, "That place will be where the fish will leave you." Ya`la said to me, "Allah said (to Moses), 'Take a dead fish (and your goal will be) the place where it will become alive.' " So Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and said to his boy-servant "I don't want to trouble you, except that you should inform me as soon as this fish leaves you." He said (to Moses)." You have not demanded too much." And that is as mentioned by Allah: 'And (remember) when Moses said to his attendant .... ' (18.60) Yusha` bin Noon. (Sa`id did not state that). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "While the attendant was in the shade of the rock at a wet place, the fish slipped out (alive) while Moses was sleeping. His attend an said (to himself), "I will not wake him, but when he woke up, he forgot to tell him The fish slipped out and entered the sea. Allah stopped the flow of the sea. where the fish was, so that its trace looked as if it was made on a rock. `Amr forming a hole with his two thumbs an index fingers, said to me, "Like this, as in its trace was made on a rock." Moses said "We have suffered much fatigue on this journey of ours." (This was not narrated by Sa`id). Then they returned back and found Al-Khadir. `Uthman bin Abi Sulaiman said to me, (they found him) on a green carpet in the middle of the sea. Al-Khadir was covered with his garment with one end under his feet and the other end under his head. When Moses greeted, he uncovered his face and said astonishingly, 'Is there such a greeting in my land? Who are you?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' Al- Khadir said, 'Are you the Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes.' Al-Khadir said, "What do you want?' Moses said, ' I came to you so that you may teach me of the truth which you were taught.' Al- Khadir said, 'Is it not sufficient for you that the Torah is in your hands and the Divine Inspiration comes to you, O Moses? Verily, I have a knowledge that you ought not learn, and you have a knowledge which I ought not learn.' At that time a bird took with its beak (some water) from the sea: Al-Khadir then said, 'By Allah, my knowledge and your knowledge besides Allah's Knowledge is like what this bird has taken with its beak from the sea.' Until, when they went on board the boat (18.71). They found a small boat which used to carry the people from this sea-side to the other sea-side. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and said, 'The pious slave of Allah.' (We said to Sa`id "Was that Khadir?" He said, "Yes.") The boat men said, 'We will not get him on board with fare.' Al-Khadir scuttled the boat and then plugged the hole with a piece of wood. Moses said, 'Have you scuttled it in order to drown these people surely, you have done a dreadful thing. (18.71) (Mujahid said. "Moses said so protestingly.") Al-Khadir said, didn't I say that you can have no patience with me?' (18.72) The first inquiry of Moses was done because of forgetfulness, the second caused him to be bound with a stipulation, and the third was done intentionally. Moses said, 'Call me not to account for what I forgot and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you).' (18.73) (Then) they found a boy and Al-Khadir killed him. Ya`la- said: Sa`id said 'They found boys playing and Al-Khadir got hold of a handsome infidel boy laid him down and then slew him with knife. Moses said, 'Have you killed a innocent soul who has killed nobody' (18.74) Then they proceeded and found a wall which was on the point of falling down, and Al-Khadir set it up straight. Sa`id moved his hand thus and said 'Al-Khadir raised his hand and the wall became straight. Ya`la said, 'I think Sa`id said, 'Al-Khadir touched the wall with his hand and it became straight (Moses said to Al-Khadir), 'If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it.' Sa`id said, 'Wages that we might had eaten.' And there was a king in furor (ahead) of them" (18.79) And there was in front of them. Ibn `Abbas recited: 'In front of them (was) a king.' It is said on the authority of somebody other than Sa`id that the king was Hudad bin Budad. They say that the boy was called Haisur. 'A king who seized every ship by force. (18.79) So I wished that if that boat passed by him, he would leave it because of its defect and when they have passed they would repair it and get benefit from it. Some people said that they closed that hole with a bottle, and some said with tar. 'His parents were believers, and he (the boy) was a non-believer and we (Khadir) feared lest he would oppress them by obstinate rebellion and disbelief.' (18.80) (i.e. that their love for him would urge them to follow him in his religion, 'so we (Khadir) desired that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and near to mercy' (18:81). This was in reply to Moses' saying: Have you killed an innocent soul.'? (18.74). 'Near to mercy" means they will be more merciful to him than they were to the former whom Khadir had killed. Other than Sa`id, said that they were compensated with a girl. Dawud bin Abi `Asim said on the authority of more than one that this next child was a girl.

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَنَّ ابْنَ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَهُمْ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يَعْلَى بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، يَزِيدُ أَحَدُهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ وَغَيْرَهُمَا قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ يُحَدِّثُهُ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ إِنَّا لَعِنْدَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي بَيْتِهِ، إِذْ قَالَ سَلُونِي قُلْتُ أَىْ أَبَا عَبَّاسٍ ـ جَعَلَنِي اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ ـ بِالْكُوفَةِ رَجُلٌ قَاصٌّ يُقَالُ لَهُ نَوْفٌ، يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، أَمَّا عَمْرٌو فَقَالَ لِي قَالَ قَدْ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ، وَأَمَّا يَعْلَى فَقَالَ لِي قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ حَدَّثَنِي أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مُوسَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ قَالَ ذَكَّرَ النَّاسَ يَوْمًا حَتَّى إِذَا فَاضَتِ الْعُيُونُ، وَرَقَّتِ الْقُلُوبُ وَلَّى، فَأَدْرَكَهُ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ أَىْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ فِي الأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ لاَ، فَعَتَبَ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَى اللَّهِ قِيلَ بَلَى قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ فَأَيْنَ قَالَ بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ لِي عَلَمًا أَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ بِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ لِي عَمْرٌو قَالَ ‏"‏ حَيْثُ يُفَارِقُكَ الْحُوتُ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ لِي يَعْلَى قَالَ ‏"‏ خُذْ نُونًا مَيِّتًا حَيْثُ يُنْفَخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحُ، فَأَخَذَ حُوتًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَقَالَ لِفَتَاهُ لاَ أُكَلِّفُكَ إِلاَّ أَنْ تُخْبِرَنِي بِحَيْثُ يُفَارِقُكَ الْحُوتُ‏.‏ قَالَ مَا كَلَّفْتَ كَثِيرًا فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ ‏{‏وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ‏}‏ يُوشَعَ بْنِ نُونٍ ـ لَيْسَتْ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ ـ قَالَ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ فِي ظِلِّ صَخْرَةٍ فِي مَكَانٍ ثَرْيَانَ، إِذْ تَضَرَّبَ الْحُوتُ، وَمُوسَى نَائِمٌ، فَقَالَ فَتَاهُ لاَ أُوقِظُهُ حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ نَسِيَ أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ، وَتَضَرَّبَ الْحُوتُ، حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جِرْيَةَ الْبَحْرِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّ أَثَرَهُ فِي حَجَرٍ ـ قَالَ لِي عَمْرٌو هَكَذَا كَأَنَّ أَثَرَهُ فِي حَجَرٍ، وَحَلَّقَ بَيْنَ إِبْهَامَيْهِ وَاللَّتَيْنِ تَلِيانِهِمَا ـ لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا قَالَ قَدْ قَطَعَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ النَّصَبَ ـ لَيْسَتْ هَذِهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ ـ أَخْبَرَهُ، فَرَجَعَا فَوَجَدَا خَضِرًا ـ قَالَ لِي عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ ـ عَلَى طِنْفِسَةٍ خَضْرَاءَ عَلَى كَبِدِ الْبَحْرِ ـ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ ـ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ طَرَفَهُ تَحْتَ رِجْلَيْهِ، وَطَرَفَهُ تَحْتَ رَأْسِهِ، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى، فَكَشَفَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ، وَقَالَ هَلْ بِأَرْضِي مِنْ سَلاَمٍ مَنْ أَنْتَ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ فَمَا شَأْنُكَ قَالَ جِئْتُ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رَشَدًا‏.‏ قَالَ أَمَا يَكْفِيكَ أَنَّ التَّوْرَاةَ بِيَدَيْكَ، وَأَنَّ الْوَحْىَ يَأْتِيكَ، يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ لِي عِلْمًا لاَ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَهُ وَإِنَّ لَكَ عِلْمًا لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِي أَنْ أَعْلَمَهُ، فَأَخَذَ طَائِرٌ بِمِنْقَارِهِ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا عِلْمِي وَمَا عِلْمُكَ فِي جَنْبِ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ كَمَا أَخَذَ هَذَا الطَّائِرُ بِمِنْقَارِهِ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ، حَتَّى إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ وَجَدَا مَعَابِرَ صِغَارًا تَحْمِلُ أَهْلَ هَذَا السَّاحِلِ إِلَى أَهْلِ هَذَا السَّاحِلِ الآخَرِ عَرَفُوهُ، فَقَالُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحُ ـ قَالَ قُلْنَا لِسَعِيدٍ خَضِرٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ ـ لاَ نَحْمِلُهُ بِأَجْرٍ، فَخَرَقَهَا وَوَتَدَ فِيهَا وَتِدًا‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا ـ قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ مُنْكَرًا ـ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِي صَبْرًا كَانَتِ الأُولَى نِسْيَانًا وَالْوُسْطَى شَرْطًا وَالثَّالِثَةُ عَمْدًا قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا، لَقِيَا غُلاَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ ـ قَالَ يَعْلَى قَالَ سَعِيدٌ ـ وَجَدَ غِلْمَانًا يَلْعَبُونَ، فَأَخَذَ غُلاَمًا كَافِرًا ظَرِيفًا فَأَضْجَعَهُ، ثُمَّ ذَبَحَهُ بِالسِّكِّينِ‏.‏ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَمْ تَعْمَلْ بِالْحِنْثِ ـ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَرَأَهَا زَكِيَّةً زَاكِيَةً مُسْلِمَةً كَقَوْلِكَ غُلاَمًا زَكِيًّا ـ فَانْطَلَقَا، فَوَجَدَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ ـ قَالَ سَعِيدٌ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ـ وَرَفَعَ يَدَهُ فَاسْتَقَامَ ـ قَالَ يَعْلَى ـ حَسِبْتُ أَنَّ سَعِيدًا قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَاسْتَقَامَ، لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ـ قَالَ سَعِيدٌ أَجْرًا نَأْكُلُهُ ـ وَكَانَ وَرَاءَهُمْ، وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ ـ قَرَأَهَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ ـ يَزْعُمُونَ عَنْ غَيْرِ سَعِيدٍ أَنَّهُ هُدَدُ بْنُ بُدَدٍ، وَالْغُلاَمُ الْمَقْتُولُ، اسْمُهُ يَزْعُمُونَ جَيْسُورٌ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا، فَأَرَدْتُ إِذَا هِيَ مَرَّتْ بِهِ أَنْ يَدَعَهَا لِعَيْبِهَا، فَإِذَا جَاوَزُوا أَصْلَحُوهَا فَانْتَفَعُوا بِهَا وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ سَدُّوهَا بِقَارُورَةٍ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ بِالْقَارِ، كَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ، وَكَانَ كَافِرًا فَخَشِينَا أَنْ يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا، أَنْ يَحْمِلَهُمَا حُبُّهُ عَلَى أَنْ يُتَابِعَاهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ فَأَرَدْنَا أَنْ يُبَدِّلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْرًا مِنْهُ زَكَاةً لِقَوْلِهِ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً وَأَقْرَبَ رُحْمًا هُمَا بِهِ أَرْحَمُ مِنْهُمَا بِالأَوَّلِ، الَّذِي قَتَلَ خَضِرٌ وَزَعَمَ غَيْرُ سَعِيدٍ أَنَّهُمَا أُبْدِلاَ جَارِيَةً، وأَمَّا دَاوُدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَاصِمٍ فَقَالَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ إِنَّهَا جَارِيَةٌ‏"‏‏.‏
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4726
In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 248
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 250
  (deprecated numbering scheme)