Al-Jalalayn

Al-Jalalayn — Al-Jalalayn

So they set off making their way on foot along the coast of the sea until when they embarked on the ship which was carrying them he al-Khidr made a hole in it by destroying a plank or two on the starboard side with an axe after they had sailed into deep waters. Said he Moses to him ‘Did you make a hole in it to drown its people? li-tughriqa ahlahā ‘for you to drown its people’; a variant reading has li-yaghraqa ahluhā ‘so that its people might drown’. You have certainly done a dreadful thing’ that is a grave and reprehensible thing — it is reported that the water did not actually penetrate it.

Al-Jalalayn — Al-Jalalayn

He said ‘Did I not say that you would not be able to bear with me?’

Al-Jalalayn — Al-Jalalayn

He said ‘Do not take me to task on account of that which I forgot that is on account of the fact that I was not mindful of submitting to you in the matter and of refraining from showing disapproval of your actions and do not exhaust me do not charge me in this affair of mine with difficulty’ with hardship during my companionship of you in other words treat me throughout it with forgiveness and indulgence.

Al-Jalalayn — Al-Jalalayn

So they set off after leaving the ship making their way on foot until when they met a boy who had not yet reached puberty playing with other boys among whom his face was the fairest — and he al-Khidr slew him by slitting his throat with a knife while he lay down or by tearing his head off with his hand or by smashing his head against a wall all of which are different opinions the coordinating fā’ of fa-qatalahu ‘and he slew him’ is used here because it indicates that the slaying took place after the encounter; the response to idhā ‘when’ is the following statement qāla … — he Moses said to him ‘Have you slain an innocent soul that is a pure one that had not reached the age of legal responsibility a variant reading for zākiya has zakiyya one slain not in retaliation for another soul? in other words one that has not slain any soul. Verily you have committed an dreadful thing’ read nukran or nukuran that is to say an abomination.

Al-Jalalayn — Al-Jalalayn

He said ‘Did I not say to you that you would never be able to bear with me?’ laka ‘to you’ has been added to that same statement which was made before because this time there could not be any excuse for Moses’s impatience.