Selected Exegesis

Moses’ third question to Khiḍr concerned the incident of their passage through a village where, due to hunger, they wished for the people there to host them. However, those people, lacking in aspiration, refused to host and welcome them. Nevertheless, when Moses and Khiḍr saw a wall on the verge of collapse during their journey through that place, Khiḍr undertook its reconstruction and restored it. This action also caused Moses to forget his commitment once again and say to him that if he had wished, he could have taken wages from them for rebuilding the wall.

Moses had told Khiḍr that if he asked any more questions after this, he would have no excuse and Khiḍr could end their companionship. Khiḍr responded to Moses saying that now was the time for complete separation between them, and that he would soon inform him of the taʾwīl (inner reality) and truth of what he had been unable to bear patiently.

The taʾwīl (inner meaning) of an event is the explanation of its ultimate purpose, and taʾwīl in Qur’anic usage means the reality upon which the existence of everything is established and to which it returns.