Transliteration:( Fantalaqaa hattaa izaa laqiyaa ghulaaman faqatalahoo qaala aqatalta nafsan zakiy yatam bighairi nafs; laqad ji'ta shai'an nukraa (End Juz 15) )
"Again both of them set out until they met a boy [164], whom he killed. Musa said, 'Have you killed an innocent person [165] who hasn’t killed anyone else? Indeed, you have committed a grave wrong [166].'"
The boy, handsome and well-built, was named Jaseewar and was seen playing with other children. Hazrat Khizr (on whom be peace) took him behind a wall and killed him, severing his neck.
This act, though shocking to Hazrat Musa, had a hidden divine wisdom that would only be revealed later. It was not done out of cruelty but from divinely granted knowledge.
Hazrat Musa emphasized the boy’s innocence, stating that he had committed no crime and was still a minor, not yet accountable under Shariah. His phrase “who hasn’t killed anyone else” indicates that even under Shariah, a mature and responsible person who murders unjustly could be subject to punishment, such as blood money (diyah).
Therefore, Hazrat Musa’s words reflect his concern for justice and his lack of awareness regarding the hidden reason behind Hazrat Khizr’s action.
Hazrat Musa, in the case of the ship, had said, “you have done a wrong thing,” but here he says, “a grave wrong,” indicating that taking a life is far more serious than damaging a ship.
A broken ship can be repaired, but a lost life cannot be restored—hence, the severity of this action appeared much greater to Musa, intensifying his objection.
74. Then they both proceeded till they met a boy, and he (Khidr) killed him. Musa said: “Have you killed an innocent person without Nafs Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!” 75. He said: “Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me” 76. He said: “If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.”
(Then they both proceeded,) means, after the first incident,
(till they met a boy, and he (Khidr) killed him.) It has been stated previously that this boy was playing with other boys in one of the towns, and that Al-Khidr deliberately singled him out. He was the finest and most handsome of them all, and Al-Khidr killed him. When Musa, peace be upon him, saw that he denounced him even more fervently than in the first case, and said hastily:
(Have you killed an innocent person) meaning, a young person who had not yet committed any sin or done anything wrong, yet you killed him
(without Nafs) with no reason for killing him.
(Verily, you have committed a thing Nukr!) meaning, something that is clearly evil.
(He said: “Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me”) Once again, Al-Khidr reiterates the condition set in the first place, so Musa says to him:
(If I ask you anything after this,) meaning, `if I object to anything else you do after this,’
(keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.) `you have accepted my apology twice.’ Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn `Abbas that Ubayy bin Ka`b said: “Whenever the Prophet mentioned anyone, he would pray for himself first. One day he said:
(May the mercy of Allah be upon us and upon Musa. If he had stayed with his companion he would have seen wonders, but he said, (`If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.’))”
(18:74) Then the two went forth until they met a lad whom he slew, whereupon Moses exclaimed: “What! Have you slain an innocent person without his having slain anyone? Surely you have done a horrible thing.”
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
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