Narrated Ubai bin Ka'b: The Prophet said,
"Once
the Prophet Moses stood up and addressed
Bani
Israel. He was asked, "Who is the most
learned
man amongst the people. He said, "I am the
most
learned." Allah admonished Moses as he did
not
attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah).
So
Allah inspired to him "At the junction of the
two
seas there is a slave amongst my slaves who
is
more learned than you." Moses said, "O my
Lord!
How can I meet him?" Allah said: Take a fish
in a
large basket (and proceed) and you will find
him
at the place where you will lose the fish. So
Moses set out along with his (servant) boy,
Yusha' bin Nuin and carried a fish in a large
basket till they reached a rock, where they
laid
their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish
came out of the basket and it took its way
into
the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing
thing for both Moses and his (servant) boy.
They
proceeded for the rest of that night and the
following day. When the day broke, Moses
said to
his (servant) boy: "Bring us our early meal.
No
doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in
this
journey." Moses did not get tired till he
passed
the place about which he was told. There
the
(servant) boy told Moses, "Do you remember
when we betook ourselves to the rock, I
indeed
forgot the fish." Moses remarked, "That is
what
we have been seeking. So they went back
retracing their foot-steps, till they reached
the
rock. There they saw a man covered with a
garment (or covering himself with his own
garment). Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir
replied
saying, "How do people greet each other in
your
land?" Moses said, "I am Moses." He asked,
"The
Moses of Bani Israel?" Moses replied in the
affirmative and added, "May I follow you so
that
you teach me of that knowledge which you
have
been taught." Al-Khadir replied, "Verily! You
will
not be able to remain patient with me, O
Moses! I
have some of the knowledge of Allah which
He
has taught me and which you do not know,
while
you have some knowledge which Allah has
taught
you which I do not know." Moses said, "Allah
willing, you will find me patient and I will
not
disobey you in aught. So both of them set
out
walking along the sea-shore, as they did not
have
a boat. In the meantime a boat passed by
them
and they requested the crew of the boat to
take
them on board. The crew recognized Al-
Khadir
and took them on board without fare. Then
a
sparrow came and stood on the edge of the
boat
and dipped its beak once or twice in the
sea. Al-
Khadir said: "O Moses! My knowledge and
your
knowledge have not decreased Allah's
knowledge
except as much as this sparrow has
decreased
the water of the sea with its beak." Al-Khadir
went to one of the planks of the boat and
plucked
it out. Moses said, "These people gave us a
free
lift but you have broken their boat and
scuttled it
so as to drown its people." Al-Khadir replied,
"Didn't I tell you that you will not be able to
remain patient with me." Moses said, "Call
me
not to account for what I forgot." The first
(excuse) of Moses was that he had
forgotten.
Then they proceeded further and found a
boy
playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold
of
the boy's head from the top and plucked it
out
with his hands (i.e. killed him). Moses said,
"Have you killed an innocent soul who has
killed
none." Al-Kha,dir replied, "Did I not tell you
that
you cannot remain patient with me?" Then
they
both proceeded till when they came to the
people
of a town, they asked them for food, but
they
refused to entertain them. Then they found
there
a wall on the point of collapsing. Al-Khadir
repaired it with his own hands. Moses said,
"If
you had wished, surely you could have taken
wages for it." Al-Khadir replied, "This is the
parting between you and me." The Prophet
added,
"May Allah be Merciful to Moses! Would that
he
could have been more patient to learn more
about
his story with Al-Khadir. "