Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Interpretation of why the Boy was killed Ibn `Abbas narrated from Ubayy bin Ka`b that the Prophet said: «الْغُلَامُ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ الْخَضِرُ طُبِعَ يَوْمَ طُبِعَ كَافِرًا» (The boy Al-Khidr killed was destined to be a disbeliever from the day he was created.) It was recorded by Ibn Jarir from Ibn `Abbas. He said: فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ فَخَشِينَآ أَن يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَـناً وَكُفْراً (his parents were believers, and we feared he would oppress them by rebellion and disbelief) Their love for him might make them follow him in disbelief. Qatadah said, "His parents rejoiced when he was born and grieved for him when he was killed. If he had stayed alive, he would have been the cause of their doom. So let a man be content with the decree of Allah, for the decree of Allah for the believer, if he dislikes it, is better for him than if He were to decree something that he likes for him." An authentic Hadith says; «لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ قَضَاءٍ إِلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَه» (Allah does not decree anything for the believer except it is good for him.) And Allah says: وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ (and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you.) 2:216. فَأَرَدْنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْراً مِّنْهُ زَكَـوةً وَأَقْرَبَ رُحْماً (So we intended that their Lord should exchange him for them for one better in righteousness and nearer to mercy. ) A child who was better than this one, a child for whom they would feel more compassion. This was the view of Ibn Jurayj.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Interpretation of why the Wall was repaired for no Charge In this Ayah there is a proof that the word Qaryah (village) may be used to refer to a city (Madinah), because Allah first says, حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ (till when they came to the people of a town (Qaryah)) 18:77, but here He says: فَكَانَ لِغُلَـمَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ (it belonged to two orphan boys in the town (Al-Madinah);) This is like the Ayat: وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِىَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَتْكَ (And many a town (Qaryah), stronger than your town which has driven you out We have destroyed) 47:13 and; وَقَالُواْ لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ (And they say: "Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns (Al-Qaryatayn)")43:31 meaning Makkah and At-Ta'if. The meaning of the Ayah 18:82 is: "I repaired this wall because it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and underneath it was some treasure belonging to them." `Ikrimah, Qatadah and others said, "Underneath it there was some wealth that was buried for them." This meaning is apparent from the context of the Ayah, and is the view chosen by Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him). وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَـلِحاً (their father was a righteous man,) indicates that a righteous person's offspring will be taken care of, and that the blessing of his worship will extend to them in this world and in the Hereafter. This will occur through his intercession for them, as well as their status being raised to the highest levels of Paradise, so that he may find joy in them. This was stated in the Qur'an and reported in the Sunnah. Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas: "They were taken care of because their father was a righteous man, although it is not stated that they themselves were righteous." فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا (your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure) Here will is attributed to Allah, the Exalted, because no one else is able to bring them to the age of full strength and puberty except Allah. In contrast, He said about the boy: فَأَرَدْنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْراً مِّنْهُ زَكَـوةً (So we intended that their Lord should exchange him for them for one better in righteousness) and concerning the ship: فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا (So I wished to make a defective damage in it,) And Allah knows best. Was Al-Khidr a Prophet رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِى (as a mercy from your Lord. And I did them not of my own accord.) Meaning, `These three things that I did, come from the mercy of Allah for those we have mentioned, the crew of the ship, the parents of the boy and the two sons of the righteous man; I was only commanded to do these things that were enjoined upon me.' This is proof and evidence in support of those who say that Al-Khidr, peace be upon him, was a Prophet, along with the Ayah which we have already quoted: فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا (Then they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.) 18:65 Why he was called Al-Khidr Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet said concerning Al-Khidr؛ «إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ خَضِرًا لِأَنَّهُ جَلَسَ عَلَى فَرْوَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ، فَإِذَا هِيَ تَهْتَزُّ مِنْ تَحْتِهِ خَضْرَاء» (He was called Al-Khidr because he sat on a barren Farwah that turned white, then it turned green (Khadra') beneath him.) Imam Ahmad also recorded this from `Abdur-Razzaq. It was also recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari from Hammam from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّمَا سُمِّي الْخَضِرَ لِأَنَّهُ جَلَسَ عَلَى فَرْوَةٍ، فَإِذَا هِيَ تَهْتَزُّ مِنْ تَحْتِهِ خَضْرَاء» (He was called Al-Khidr because he sat on a barren Farwah and it turned green (Khadra') beneath him.) The meaning of Farwah here is a patch of withered vegetation. This was the view of `Abdur-Razzaq. It was also said that it means the face of the earth. ذَلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِـع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً (That is the interpretation of those (things) over which you could not be patient.) meaning, `this is the explanation of the things which you could not put up with or be patient with until I took the initiative of explaining them to you.' When he explained them and made them clear and solved the confusion, he used a milder form of the verb, تَسْطِـع (you could) When the matter was still confusing and very difficult, a more intensive form was used, سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً (I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to be patient with) 18:78. The intensity of the verbal form used reflects the intensity of the confusion felt. This is like the Ayah: فَمَا اسْطَـعُواْ أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ (So they (Ya`juj and Ma`juj) were not able to scale it) 18:97 which means ascending to its highest point, وَمَا اسْتَطَـعُواْ لَهُ نَقْبًا (nor are they able to dig through it) 18:97 which is more difficult than the former. The intensity of the verbal form used reflects the difficulty of the action, which has to do with the subtleties of meaning. And Allah knows best. If one were to ask, what happened to the boy-servant of Musa who appears at the beginning of the story but then is not mentioned The answer is that the objective of the story is what happened between Musa and Al-Khidr. Musa's boy-servant was with him, following him. It is clearly mentioned in the Sahih Hadiths referred to above that he was Yusha` bin Nun, who was the one who became the leader of the Children of Israel after Musa, peace be upon him.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Dhul-Qarnayn Allah says to His Prophet , وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ (And they ask you) O Muhammad , عَن ذِى الْقَرْنَيْنِ (about Dhul-Qarnayn.) i.e., about his story. We have already mentioned how the disbelievers of Makkah sent word to the People of the Book and asked them for some information with which they could test the Prophet . They (the People of the Book) said, `Ask him about a man who traveled extensively throughout the earth, and about some young men who nobody knows what they did, and about the Ruh (the soul),' then Surat Al-Kahf was revealed. Dhul-Qarnayn had great Power إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (Verily, We established him in the earth,) means, `We have given him great power, so that he had all that kings could have of might, armies, war equipment and siege machinery.' So he had dominion over the east and the west, all countries and their kings submitted to him, and all the nations, Arab and non-Arab, served him. Some of them said he was called Dhul-Qarnayn (the one with two horns) because he reached the two "Horns" of the sun, east and west, where it rises and where it sets. وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً (and We gave him the means of everything.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others said, "This means knowledge." Qatadah also said, وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً (and We gave him the means of everything.) "The different parts and features of the earth." Concerning Bilqis, Allah said, وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ (she has been given all things) 27:23, meaning all things that monarchs like her are given. Thus too was Dhul-Qarnayn: Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means and power to conquer all areas, regions and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the earth and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Story of Dhul-Qarnayn Allah says to His Prophet , وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ (And they ask you) O Muhammad , عَن ذِى الْقَرْنَيْنِ (about Dhul-Qarnayn.) i.e., about his story. We have already mentioned how the disbelievers of Makkah sent word to the People of the Book and asked them for some information with which they could test the Prophet . They (the People of the Book) said, `Ask him about a man who traveled extensively throughout the earth, and about some young men who nobody knows what they did, and about the Ruh (the soul),' then Surat Al-Kahf was revealed. Dhul-Qarnayn had great Power إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ (Verily, We established him in the earth,) means, `We have given him great power, so that he had all that kings could have of might, armies, war equipment and siege machinery.' So he had dominion over the east and the west, all countries and their kings submitted to him, and all the nations, Arab and non-Arab, served him. Some of them said he was called Dhul-Qarnayn (the one with two horns) because he reached the two "Horns" of the sun, east and west, where it rises and where it sets. وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً (and We gave him the means of everything.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others said, "This means knowledge." Qatadah also said, وَآتَيْنَـهُ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ سَبَباً (and We gave him the means of everything.) "The different parts and features of the earth." Concerning Bilqis, Allah said, وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ (she has been given all things) 27:23, meaning all things that monarchs like her are given. Thus too was Dhul-Qarnayn: Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means and power to conquer all areas, regions and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the earth and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West) فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (So he followed a way.) Ibn `Abbas said that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted. فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (So he followed a way.) Mujahid said that he followed different routes, east and west. According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said: سَبَباً (a way) means, "A route through the land." Qatadah said, "It means he followed the routes and landmarks of the earth." حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ (Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun,) means, he followed a route until he reached the furthest point that could be reached in the direction of the sun's setting, which is the west of the earth. As for the idea of his reaching the place in the sky where the sun sets, this is something impossible, and the tales told by storytellers that he traveled so far to the west that the sun set behind him are not true at all. Most of these stories come from the myths of the People of the Book and the fabrications and lies of their heretics. وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ (he found it setting in a spring of Hami'ah) meaning, he saw the sun as if it were setting in the ocean. This is something which everyone who goes to the coast can see: it looks as if the sun is setting into the sea but in fact it never leaves its path in which it is fixed. Hami'ah is, according to one of the two views, derived from the word Hama'ah, which means mud. This is like the Ayah: إِنِّى خَـلِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ ("I am going to create a man (Adam) from dried clay of altered Hama'h (mud)) 15:28, which means smooth mud, as we have discussed above. وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْماً (And he found near it a people.) meaning a nation. They mentioned that they were a great nation from among the sons of Adam. قُلْنَا يذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْناً (We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness") means, Allah gave him power over them and gave him the choice: if he wanted to, he could kill the men and take the women and children captive, or if he wanted to, he could set them free, with or without a ransom. His justice and faith became apparent in the ruling he pronounced: أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ (As for him who does wrong,) meaning who persists in his Kufr and in associating others in worship with his Lord, فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ (we shall punish him,) Qatadah said, i.e., by killing him. ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَاباً نُّكْراً (and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible torment.) meaning a severe, far-reaching and painful punishment. This implies a confirmation of the Hereafter and the reward and punishment. وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ (But as for him who believes), meaning `who follows us in our call to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate,' فَلَهُ جَزَآءً الْحُسْنَى (he shall have the best reward,) meaning in the Hereafter, with Allah. وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْراً (and we (Dhul-Qarnayn) shall speak unto him mild words.) Mujahid said, `(words of) kindness.'