The Journey of Knowledge: Musa and Al-Khidr in Surah Al-Kahf
In Surah Al-Kahf, Allah tells the profound story of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) traveling humbly in search of knowledge to meet one of Allah’s righteous servants, Al-Khidr.
This story teaches us that even a prophet — one who receives divine revelation — still seeks deeper understanding. Allah refers to Al-Khidr as “one of Our slaves to whom We had given mercy from Us and had taught him knowledge from Our Own Presence” (Qur’an 18:65).
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
This title, ‘abd (slave of Allah), is the highest honor, showing that true knowledge leads to humility and servitude to the Creator.
The story also reflects two types of knowledge: ‘ilm al-wahy (knowledge of revelation), given to prophets like Musa, and ‘ilm al-haqiqah (knowledge of reality or divine wisdom behind events), granted to Khidr. Both are from Allah — revelation guides humanity through divine law, while reality unveils the hidden wisdom in life’s unfolding.
Together, they remind us that knowledge, in all its forms, is a trust from Allah that should draw us closer to Him in humility and awe.
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