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The Divine Command Nature of Khiḍr’s Actions ​

Khiḍr said that he did not perform these actions on his own accord: “And I did not do it of my own accord,” meaning all his actions were by God’s command. This expression indicates that no authority was delegated to Khiḍr.(436) The pronoun in “I did it” refers to four matters: making a hole in the ship, killing the youth, rebuilding the wall of the two orphans, and the warning of separation to Moses. The general nature of this statement encompasses all four instances. However, the inclusion of the warning of separation under the heading “And I did not do it of my own accord” and the incorporation of this fourth matter with the other three matters are not equivalent. Yet the beginning and end of the story show that Moses’ coming was by special command, and Khiḍr’s acceptance was also by specific order, with both parts being limited to their beginning and end.

It should be noted that Khiḍr’s reception of commands for his esoteric actions came through the revelation of divine decree and knowledge (waḥy ḥukm wa ʿilm), not through inspirational revelation (waḥy ilhām fiʿl). Therefore, it differs from the divine revelation given to Moses’ mother.

Explanation

There are two types of divine revelation (waḥy):

  1. Revelation of decree and knowledge (waḥy ḥukm wa ʿilm).

  2. Revelation of inspired action (waḥy ilhām fiʿl).

At times, God grants practical revelation and unseen knowledge to individuals other than prophets and Imams, as seen in the case of Moses’ mother. The Qur’an states, “And We revealed to Moses’ mother,”(437) referring to an inspiration that led her to act. She did not claim to have received a command; rather, God cast this decision into her heart, guiding her through divine inspiration. This form of revelation is practical and operational, where a sudden divine inclination moves a godly person to take action. Similarly, the verse “And We revealed to them the doing of good deeds”(438) refers to this type of inspiration.

However, the revelation of divine law and knowledge operates on two levels. One pertains to outward rulings, clarifying God’s commands and prohibitions within the framework of religious law. The other concerns esoteric rulings, as exemplified by Khiḍr. His statement, “I did not do it of my own accord,” indicates that his actions were not self-driven but carried out by divine command. Khiḍr received this special esoteric ruling and directive directly from the Divine Essence.