A Discussion of the Narrations

1) The Story of the Killing of the Youth and Moses’ Objection

ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm said: Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Bilāl narrated to me from Yūnus who said: Yūnus and Hishām ibn Ibrāhīm disagreed about the sage whom Moses came to… So they wrote to Abū l-Ḥasan al-Riḍā (a.s.) asking him about this, and he wrote in response: …They disembarked from the ship and proceeded, then Khiḍr saw a youth playing among the children, beautiful of face like a piece of the moon, with two pearls in his ears. Khiḍr looked at him intently then took him and killed him. Moses jumped at Khiḍr and threw him to the ground, saying: “Have you killed an innocent soul without it having killed another soul?”(290)

Note: Setting aside the chain of transmission, the text also does not meet the conditions for acceptance, because the proper etiquette of Moses the Interlocutor toward someone from whom he was commanded to learn of the divine mercy and direct knowledge (ʿilm ladunnī) would not allow for such behavior.

2) Divine Command Rules Over Intellects

From al-Ṣādiq (a.s.): …Moses became angry and grabbed him by the collar(291) and said to him: “Have you killed a pure soul…?” Khiḍr said to him: “Indeed, intellects do not rule over God’s command—exalted be His mention—rather God’s command rules over them. So submit to what you see from me and be patient with it; for I knew that you ‘would not be able to have patience with me’”.(292)

Note: Revelatory rationality recognizes its need for divine guidance and shows complete humility at the threshold of verified revelation, just as it does not rely on narrations lacking either chain of transmission or textual validity.

3) Moses Being Veiled by Modesty

From Ibn ʿAbbās from Ubayy ibn Kaʿb: The Messenger of God (s.a.w.) recited this verse “You have received from me an excuse” and said: “God showed consideration for Moses’s modesty.”(293)

Note: Divine leaders feel modesty and shame from any unethical occurrence, even if it is merely leaving what is preferable.

4) The Consequence of Moses’ Lack of Patience

From Ubayy ibn Kaʿb who said: When the Prophet (s.a.w.) mentioned someone and prayed for them, he would begin with himself. One day he said: “May God’s mercy be upon us and upon Moses—had he remained with his companion he would have seen wonders(294), but he said: ‘If I ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion—you have received from me an excuse.’”(295)

Note: Praying for oneself has a decisive effect for others, because one who has previously received the Lord’s care and whose prayers are more readily answered due to divine proximity, their subsequent prayers for others become more effective. However, the continuation of Moses and Khiḍr’s companionship, being both God’s special mercy and His direct knowledge (ʿilm ladunī), two manifestations of divine lordship, would certainly have brought superior blessings as the outcome of this celestial companionship.