Al-Khiḍr’s Response to Moses’ First Question

Al-Khiḍr repeated what he had said earlier in response to Moses’ request to accompany him, that “you cannot be patient and cannot bear my actions,” reminding him again by saying: “Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me?”

One of the questions and uncertainties in this story concerns the reason for Moses’ impatience. The brief answer is that his impatience was actually a virtue, because al-Khiḍr’s action outwardly contradicted the law of Moses’ religious code, and as he was responsible for preserving religious law, he had to inquire about the mystery behind al-Khiḍr’s action, so he should not have remained patient. Someone who does not know the secret behind an action is permitted to object, and others allow him to object and question. Religious zeal causes one to question an action that appears to lack religious justification, and Moses possessed great religious zeal. An example of his religious zeal is found in the story of his return from the appointed time when he observed his people worshipping the calf—he became extremely angry and sorrowful, threw down the tablets, grabbed his brother’s head, pulled him toward himself in anger and reproached him: “And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said: ‘Evil is what you have done in my absence… and he cast down the tablets and seized his brother’s head, dragging him toward himself.’”(238)

His specific warning about al-Khiḍr’s actions also stemmed from his religious zeal.