A Discussion of the Narrations

1) Moses’s Humility Before Khiḍr

From Isḥāq ibn ʿAmmār from Abū ʿAbdallāh (a.s.) who said: “…and they did not desire our knowledge as Moses desired from the scholar, and asked for his companionship to learn knowledge from him and to be guided. When he asked this of the scholar, the scholar knew that Moses would not be able to bear his companionship, would not endure it, and would not be patient with him. At that point, the scholar said: ‘And how can you be patient with that which you have not encompassed in knowledge?’ Moses replied to him, while being humble and seeking his sympathy to accept him: ‘You will find me, if God wills, patient, and I will not disobey any command of yours.’ Though the scholar knew that Moses would not be patient with his knowledge.”

Note: Although the general public cannot be included in the sphere of Moses and Khiḍr’s interaction, it is expected that the elite among scholars and rare individuals among the sages and mystics may gain access to the sacred presence of these infallible beings and learn some of the secrets and mysteries of their actions.

2) The Meaning of the Prohibited Question

From Abū al-Ḥasan al-Riḍā (a.s.)… Moses said: “You will find me, if God wills, patient, and I will not disobey any command of yours.” Khiḍr said: “If you follow me, then do not ask me…”

He means do not ask me about anything I do and do not deny it until I inform you about its explanation.

He said: “Yes.”(220)

Note: From this hadith, it appears that the core of Khiḍr’s requirement and Moses’s commitment was both to refrain from inquisitive questioning and from questioning in disapproval.