Lost Verses 1. Al-Fatihah 2. Al-Baqarah 3. Ali 'Imran 4. An-Nisa 5. Al-Ma'idah 6. Al-An'am 7. Al-A'raf 8. Al-Anfal 9. At-Tawbah 10. Yunus 11. Hud 12. Yusuf 13. Ar-Ra'd 14. Ibrahim 15. Al-Hijr 16. An-Nahl 17. Al-Isra 18. Al-Kahf 19. Maryam 20. Taha 21. Al-Anbya 22. Al-Hajj 23. Al-Mu'minun 24. An-Nur 25. Al-Furqan 26. Ash-Shu'ara 27. An-Naml 28. Al-Qasas 29. Al-'Ankabut 30. Ar-Rum 31. Luqman 32. As-Sajdah 33. Al-Ahzab 34. Saba 35. Fatir 36. Ya-Sin 37. As-Saffat 38. Sad 39. Az-Zumar 40. Ghafir 41. Fussilat 42. Ash-Shuraa 43. Az-Zukhruf 44. Ad-Dukhan 45. Al-Jathiyah 46. Al-Ahqaf 47. Muhammad 48. Al-Fath 49. Al-Hujurat 50. Qaf 51. Adh-Dhariyat 52. At-Tur 53. An-Najm 54. Al-Qamar 55. Ar-Rahman 56. Al-Waqi'ah 57. Al-Hadid 58. Al-Mujadila 59. Al-Hashr 60. Al-Mumtahanah 61. As-Saf 62. Al-Jumu'ah 63. Al-Munafiqun 64. At-Taghabun 65. At-Talaq 66. At-Tahrim 67. Al-Mulk 68. Al-Qalam 69. Al-Haqqah 70. Al-Ma'arij 71. Nuh 72. Al-Jinn 73. Al-Muzzammil 74. Al-Muddaththir 75. Al-Qiyamah 76. Al-Insan 77. Al-Mursalat 78. An-Naba 79. An-Nazi'at 80. 'Abasa 81. At-Takwir 82. Al-Infitar 83. Al-Mutaffifin 84. Al-Inshiqaq 85. Al-Buruj 86. At-Tariq 87. Al-A'la 88. Al-Ghashiyah 89. Al-Fajr 90. Al-Balad 91. Ash-Shams 92. Al-Layl 93. Ad-Duhaa 94. Ash-Sharh 95. At-Tin 96. Al-'Alaq 97. Al-Qadr 98. Al-Bayyinah 99. Az-Zalzalah 100. Al-'Adiyat 101. Al-Qari'ah 102. At-Takathur 103. Al-'Asr 104. Al-Humazah 105. Al-Fil 106. Quraysh 107. Al-Ma'un 108. Al-Kawthar 109. Al-Kafirun 110. An-Nasr 111. Al-Masad 112. Al-Ikhlas 113. Al-Falaq 114. An-Nas Abrogated Verses

وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدٗا

and to warn those who have said, ‘God has taken a son.’

Contradicts the Bible
This verse is a direct polemic against the Christian confession of Jesus as the Son of God, warning of divine punishment for those who believe in this core biblical doctrine.

أَمۡ حَسِبۡتَ أَنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡكَهۡفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُواْ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا عَجَبًا

Or did you think that the companions of the cave and al-Raqīm were an amazing thing among Our signs?

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
The story of the 'Companions of the Cave' is lifted directly from the pre-Islamic Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Tafsir itself admits that Jewish rabbis and Meccan pagans tested Muhammad with this well-known 'wondrous tale' from ancient times, demonstrating its origins in local folklore rather than divine revelation.
10

إِذۡ أَوَى ٱلۡفِتۡيَةُ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةٗ وَهَيِّئۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا رَشَدٗا

(Remember) when the young men took refuge in the cave, and said, ‘Our Lord, grant us mercy from Yourself, and furnish the right (course) for us in our situation.’

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
Continuing the narrative of the 'Companions of the Cave,' the Quran presents the apocryphal Christian myth of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus as literal history. This indicates a reliance on surrounding Syriac legends that were orally transmitted in 7th-century Arabia.
11

فَضَرَبۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ فِي ٱلۡكَهۡفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدٗا

So We sealed up their ears in the cave for a number of years,

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
12

ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِنَعۡلَمَ أَيُّ ٱلۡحِزۡبَيۡنِ أَحۡصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓاْ أَمَدٗا

and then We raised them up (again), so that We might know which of the two factions would better count (the length of) time (they had) remained (there).

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
13

نَّحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ نَبَأَهُم بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ إِنَّهُمۡ فِتۡيَةٌ ءَامَنُواْ بِرَبِّهِمۡ وَزِدۡنَٰهُمۡ هُدٗى

We shall recount to you their story in truth: Surely they were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
19

وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِيَتَسَآءَلُواْ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡۖ قَالُواْ لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٖۚ قَالُواْ رَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ فَٱبۡعَثُوٓاْ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمۡ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ فَلۡيَنظُرۡ أَيُّهَآ أَزۡكَىٰ طَعَامٗا فَلۡيَأۡتِكُم بِرِزۡقٖ مِّنۡهُ وَلۡيَتَلَطَّفۡ وَلَا يُشۡعِرَنَّ بِكُمۡ أَحَدًا

So We raised them up (again) that they might ask questions among themselves. A speaker among them said, ‘How long have you remained (here)?’ Some said, ‘We have (only) remained (here) a day, or part of a day.’ Others said, ‘Your Lord knows how long you have remained (here). So send one of you with this paper (money) of yours to the city, and let him see which (part) of it (has the) purest food, and let him bring you a supply of it. But let him be astute, and let no one realize (who) you (are).

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
20

إِنَّهُمۡ إِن يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَرۡجُمُوكُمۡ أَوۡ يُعِيدُوكُمۡ فِي مِلَّتِهِمۡ وَلَن تُفۡلِحُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدٗا

Surely they – if they become aware of you – they will stone you, or make you return to their creed, and then you will never prosper.’

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
25

وَلَبِثُواْ فِي كَهۡفِهِمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مِاْئَةٖ سِنِينَ وَٱزۡدَادُواْ تِسۡعٗا

They remained in their cave for three hundred years and (some) add nine (more).

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
Historical Error
The Quran claims the youths slept for 309 years. Historically, the Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus—which this account adapts—places their sleep from the Decian persecution (c. 250 AD) to the reign of Theodosius II (c. 447 AD), a period of less than 200 years. The Quran's timeline contradicts the very historical legend it relies upon.

قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُواْۖ لَهُۥ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ أَبۡصِرۡ بِهِۦ وَأَسۡمِعۡۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا يُشۡرِكُ فِي حُكۡمِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا

Say: ‘God knows about how long they remained (there). To Him (belongs) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well He sees and hears! They have no ally other than Him, and He does not associate anyone in His judgment.’

Diacritical Difference (dots) - Change of Person
Diacritical Difference (dots) Change of Person
Original (Hafs)

يُشۡرِكُ

He does not associate

Variant Reading

تُشْرِكْ

do not associate

The verb changes from the 3rd person indicative 'He does not associate' (referring to Allah) to the 2nd person prohibitive/jussive 'do not associate' (a command addressed to the Prophet or the listener), by changing the prefix from 'ya' to 'ta' and the final vowel to a sukun.

Read by:

Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
This verse recounts the story of the 'Companions of the Cave', which is a direct adaptation of the pre-Islamic Syriac Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. The Quran presents this widespread 5th-century pious folklore as a literal, historical event.
36

وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةٗ وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَا مُنقَلَبٗا

nor do I think the Hour is coming. If indeed I am returned to my Lord, I shall indeed find a better (place of) return than this.’

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference - Singular to Plural / Plural to Singular
Graphical/Basic Letter Difference Singular to Plural / Plural to Singular
Original (Hafs)

مِّنۡهَا

than this

Variant Reading

مِّنۡهُمَا

than them both

The pronoun changes from the singular feminine 'ha' (referring to one garden) to the dual 'huma' (referring to both gardens).

Read by:

Bazzi, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Qalun, Qunbul, Warsh

44

هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡوَلَٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبٗا

In such a case protection (belongs only) to God, the True One. He is best in reward, and best in final outcome.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

ٱلۡوَلَٰيَةُ

protection

Variant Reading

ٱلۡوِلَٰيَةُ

authority

Changing the vowel on the first letter (waw) from a fatha to a kasrah shifts the meaning of the verbal noun from 'protection' or 'alliance' (walāyah) to 'authority' or 'dominion' (wilāyah).

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad

45

وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخۡتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَصۡبَحَ هَشِيمٗا تَذۡرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَٰحُۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مُّقۡتَدِرًا

Strike for them a parable of this present life: (It is) like water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and it becomes stubble which the winds scatter. God is powerful over everything.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Active to Passive / Passive to Active
Vowel Difference (harakat) Active to Passive / Passive to Active
Original (Hafs)

تَذۡرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَٰحُ

which the winds scatter

Variant Reading

تُذۡرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَٰحُ

scattered by the winds

The vowel change on the verb shifts it from the active voice ('which the winds scatter') to the passive voice ('scattered by the winds').

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad

وَيَوۡمَ نُسَيِّرُ ٱلۡجِبَالَ وَتَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَارِزَةٗ وَحَشَرۡنَٰهُمۡ فَلَمۡ نُغَادِرۡ مِنۡهُمۡ أَحَدٗا

On the Day when We shall cause the mountains to move, and you see the earth coming forth, and We gather them so that We do not leave any of them behind,

Diacritical Difference (dots) - Active to Passive / Passive to Active
Diacritical Difference (dots) Active to Passive / Passive to Active
Original (Hafs)

نُسَيِّرُ ٱلۡجِبَالَ

We shall cause the mountains to move

Variant Reading

تُسَيَّرُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ

the mountains are set in motion

The verb changes from the 1st person plural active 'We shall cause to move' (nusayyiru) to the 3rd person feminine passive 'are set in motion' (tusayyaru), which involves a change in the first letter's dots (Nun to Ta) and the internal vowels. Consequently, 'the mountains' changes grammatical case from the accusative object (al-jibāla) to the nominative subject (al-jibālu).

Read by:

Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Qunbul, Susi

51

۞مَّآ أَشۡهَدتُّهُمۡ خَلۡقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا خَلۡقَ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ ٱلۡمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدٗا

I did not make them witnesses of the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor of the creation of themselves. I am not one to take those who lead (others) astray (for) support.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change of Person
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change of Person
Original (Hafs)

كُنتُ

I am

Variant Reading

كُنتَ

were you

The vowel on the letter ta changes from a damma (u) to a fatha (a), shifting the pronoun from the first person singular ('I', referring to Allah) to the second person singular ('you', referring to the Prophet).

Read by:

Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan

52

وَيَوۡمَ يَقُولُ نَادُواْ شُرَكَآءِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَهُم مَّوۡبِقٗا

On the Day when He will say, ‘Call those who you claimed were My associates,’ they will call them, but they will not respond to them – (for) We have set between them a place of destruction.

Diacritical Difference (dots) - Change of Person
Diacritical Difference (dots) Change of Person
Original (Hafs)

يَقُولُ

He will say

Variant Reading

نَقُولُ

We say

The prefix letter changes from 'ya' (two dots below) to 'nun' (one dot above), shifting the verb from third person singular ('He will say') to first person plural ('We say').

Read by:

Khalaf, Khallad

55

وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَأۡتِيَهُمۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ أَوۡ يَأۡتِيَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ قُبُلٗا

Nothing prevented the people from believing, when the guidance came to them, and from asking forgiveness from their Lord, except that the customary way of those of old should come upon them, or the punishment come upon them head on.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

قُبُلٗا

head on

Variant Reading

قِبَلاٗ

face to face

The vowels change from 'qubulan' to 'qibalan', altering the nuance from 'head on' to 'face to face' or 'directly'.

Read by:

Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Qalun, Qunbul, Rawh, Ruways, Susi, Warsh

59

وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ أَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُمۡ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ وَجَعَلۡنَا لِمَهۡلِكِهِم مَّوۡعِدٗا

Those towns – We destroyed them when they did evil, and We set an appointment for their destruction.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

لِمَهۡلِكِهِم

destruction

Variant Reading

لِمُهْلَكِهِم

annihilation

The vowel change from a fatha (mahlik) to a damma (muhlak) shifts the derivation from a Form I verbal noun to a Form IV passive participle or noun of place/time, slightly altering the nuance from 'destruction' to 'annihilation'.

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad, Qalun, Qunbul, Rawh, Ruways, Susi, Warsh

وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبۡرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبۡلُغَ مَجۡمَعَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ أَوۡ أَمۡضِيَ حُقُبٗا

(Remember) when Moses said to his young man, ‘I shall not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas, or (else) I shall go on for a long time.’

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
Moses' quest for the 'junction of the two seas' introduces the Khidr narrative, which mirrors pre-Islamic legends. Specifically, it borrows from the Epic of Gilgamesh (Gilgamesh's journey to Utnapishtim at the mouth of the rivers) and the Alexander Romance, where Alexander searches for the Water of Life.
61

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجۡمَعَ بَيۡنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ سَرَبٗا

When they reached the junction of them, they forgot their fish, (for) it had taken its way into the sea, swimming off.

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
The story of Musa's servant forgetting a dead fish that miraculously comes back to life and escapes into the sea parallels a pre-Islamic legend found in the Syriac Alexander Romance. In the older myth, Alexander's cook Andreas washes a dried salted fish in the 'Water of Life,' causing it to revive and swim away, a motif the Quran adapts into the narrative of Musa.
63

قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَ إِذۡ أَوَيۡنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخۡرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ ٱلۡحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَنۡ أَذۡكُرَهُۥۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا

He said, ‘Did you see when we took refuge at the rock? Surely I forgot the fish – none other than Satan made me forget to remember it – and it took its way into the sea – an amazing thing!’

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
The servant's recounting of the fish reviving and swimming away into the sea ('atakhadha sabilahu fi l-bahri 'ajaban) directly mirrors the Syriac Alexander Romance where Alexander's cook inadvertently discovers the Spring of Life when a dried fish comes back to life. The Quran absorbs this popular late-antique folklore and retrofits it into the journey of Musa.
70

قَالَ فَإِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتَنِي فَلَا تَسۡـَٔلۡنِي عَن شَيۡءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ أُحۡدِثَ لَكَ مِنۡهُ ذِكۡرٗا

He said, ‘If you follow (me), do not ask me about anything, until I mention it to you.’

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

تَسۡـَٔلۡنِي

ask me

Variant Reading

تَسْـَٔلَنِّے

ever ask me

The variant adds the emphatic nun (nun al-tawkid) with a shadda, changing the vowel on the lam to a fatha. This shifts the meaning from a simple prohibition to a strong, emphatic one.

Read by:

Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Qalun, Warsh

71

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي ٱلسَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَاۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقۡتَهَا لِتُغۡرِقَ أَهۡلَهَا لَقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـًٔا إِمۡرٗا

So they both set out (and continued on) until, when they sailed in the ship, he made a hole in it. He said, ‘Have you made a hole in it in order to drown its passengers? You have indeed done a dreadful thing!’

Diacritical Difference (dots) - Grammatical Case Change
Diacritical Difference (dots) Grammatical Case Change
Original (Hafs)

لِتُغۡرِقَ أَهۡلَهَا

to drown its passengers

Variant Reading

لِيَغۡرَقَ أَهۡلُهَا

its people would drown

The verb changes from 2nd-person transitive (you drown) to 3rd-person intransitive (they drown) by altering the prefix dots (ta to ya) and vowels. This shifts 'its people' from being the object (ahlaha) to the subject (ahluha) of the verb, changing its grammatical case.

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad

74

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمٗا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسٗا زَكِيَّةَۢ بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٖ لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـٔٗا نُّكۡرٗا

So they both set out (and continued on) until, when they met a young boy, he killed him. He said, ‘Have you killed an innocent person, other than (in retaliation) for a person? Certainly you have done a terrible thing!’

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Graphical/Basic Letter Difference Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

زَكِيَّةَۢ

innocent

Variant Reading

زَٰكِيَةَۢ

inherently sinless

The Arabic word changes from the morphological form 'zakiyyah' to 'zaakiyah' with the addition of an alif and removal of shaddah. This shifts the meaning subtly from 'innocent' or 'pure' to 'inherently sinless'.

Read by:

Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Qalun, Qunbul, Ruways, Susi, Warsh

Theological Defect
Khidr's seemingly unjustified murder of a young boy (ghulam) presents a severe theological and moral defect, portraying God as commanding the preemptive killing of a child for crimes he has not yet committed. The Tafsir traditions, including Sahih Muslim, confirm the victim was a youth, raising profound issues of divine justice and fatalism where a child is executed due to God's foreknowledge of his future disbelief.
77

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهۡلَ قَرۡيَةٍ ٱسۡتَطۡعَمَآ أَهۡلَهَا فَأَبَوۡاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارٗا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُۥۖ قَالَ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ لَتَّخَذۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرٗا

So they both set out (and continued on) until, when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. They both found in it a wall on the verge of collapse, and he set it up. He said, ‘If you had wished, you could indeed have taken a reward for that.’

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

لَتَّخَذۡتَ

could indeed have taken

Variant Reading

لَتَخِذۡتَ

could have taken

Hafs reads with a shaddah on the taa' and a fatha on the khaa' (Form VIII verb 'ittakhadha', implying effort or emphasis). The variant reads with a single taa' (no shaddah) and a kasrah on the khaa' (Form I verb 'takhidha'). The Uthmani skeleton (rasm) is identical, but the diacritical marks shift the morphological form while retaining the same core meaning of taking.

Read by:

Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Qunbul, Rawh, Ruways, Susi

Competing Codex

Sahih Muslim 2380e

لَتَخِذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا

used to recite this

Hadith Context:

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ ‏{‏ لَتَخِذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا‏}‏ ‏.‏

Ibn 'Abbas has reported this hadith on the authority of Ubayy b. ka'b that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) used to recite this[omitted from the english translation: {latakhidhta 'alayhi ajran} (you could have surely taken a wage for it).]

79

أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتۡ لِمَسَٰكِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنۡ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكٞ يَأۡخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصۡبٗا

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the sea, and I wanted to damage it, (because) behind them (there) was a king seizing every ship by force.

Competing Codex
Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 2728

أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ

In front of them was a king

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، أَنَّ ابْنَ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يَعْلَى بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، يَزِيدُ أَحَدُهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ وَغَيْرُهُمَا قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ يُحَدِّثُهُ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ إِنَّا لَعِنْدَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مُوسَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ ‏{‏قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏}‏ كَانَتِ الأُولَى نِسْيَانًا، وَالْوُسْطَى شَرْطًا، وَالثَّالِثَةُ عَمْدًا ‏{‏قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا‏}‏‏.‏ ‏{‏لَقِيَا غُلاَمًا فَقَتَلَهُ‏}‏ فَانْطَلَقَا فَوَجَدَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ‏.‏ قَرَأَهَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ‏.‏

Narrated Ubai bin Ka`b:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Moses the Messenger of Allah," and then he narrated the whole story about him. Al-Khadir said to Moses, "Did not I tell you that you can have no patience with me." (18.72). Moses then violated the agreement for the first time because of forgetfulness, then Moses promised that if he asked Al-Khadir about anything, the latter would have the right to desert him. Moses abided by that condition and on the third occasion he intentionally asked Al-Khadir and caused that condition to be applied. The three occasions referred to above are referred to by the following Verses: "Call me not to account for forgetting And be not hard upon me." (18.73) "Then they met a boy and Khadir killed him." (18.74) "Then they proceeded and found a wall which was on the verge of falling and Khadir set it up straight"[omitted from the english translation: Ibn 'Abbas recited it: "In front of them was a king."]

Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 3401

أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ

There was a king in front of them who used to take every sound boat by force; and as for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers.

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبَكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُوسَى آخَرُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا‏.‏ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَلَى، لِي عَبْدٌ بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ‏.‏ قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ وَمَنْ لِي بِهِ ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ أَىْ رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ ـ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ حُوتًا، فَتَجْعَلُهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ، حَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّ ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّهْ ـ وَأَخَذَ حُوتًا، فَجَعَلَهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ، حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ، وَضَعَا رُءُوسَهُمَا فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى، وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فَخَرَجَ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ، فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا، فَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ، فَصَارَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ، فَقَالَ هَكَذَا مِثْلُ الطَّاقِ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَتِهِمَا وَيَوْمَهُمَا، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ، وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهِ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ، وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا، فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَلَهُمَا عَجَبًا‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي، فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا، رَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ، فَسَلَّمَ مُوسَى، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ‏.‏ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ، أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رَشَدًا‏.‏ قَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ، عَلَّمَنِيهِ اللَّهُ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ‏.‏ قَالَ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ قَالَ ‏{‏إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا * وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا‏}‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏إِمْرًا‏}‏ فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ، فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ، كَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ، فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ، فَحَمَلُوهُ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ جَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ، فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ، فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً أَوْ نَقْرَتَيْنِ، قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ يَا مُوسَى، مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ بِمِنْقَارِهِ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ‏.‏ إِذْ أَخَذَ الْفَأْسَ فَنَزَعَ لَوْحًا، قَالَ فَلَمْ يَفْجَأْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ وَقَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا بِالْقَدُّومِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى مَا صَنَعْتَ قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا، لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا، فَكَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا‏.‏ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا مِنَ الْبَحْرِ مَرُّوا بِغُلاَمٍ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ، فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَقَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ـ وَأَوْمَأَ سُفْيَانُ بِأَطْرَافِ أَصَابِعِهِ كَأَنَّهُ يَقْطِفُ شَيْئًا ـ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي، قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ مَائِلاً ـ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا وَأَشَارَ سُفْيَانُ كَأَنَّهُ يَمْسَحُ شَيْئًا إِلَى فَوْقُ، فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ سُفْيَانَ يَذْكُرُ مَائِلاً إِلاَّ مَرَّةً ـ قَالَ قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا عَمَدْتَ إِلَى حَائِطِهِمْ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ، سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ، فَقَصَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى، لَوْ كَانَ صَبَرَ يُقَصُّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَرَأَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي سُفْيَانُ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْهُ‏.‏ قِيلَ لِسُفْيَانَ حَفِظْتَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْمَعَهُ مِنْ عَمْرٍو، أَوْ تَحَفَّظْتَهُ مِنْ إِنْسَانٍ فَقَالَ مِمَّنْ أَتَحَفَّظُهُ وَرَوَاهُ أَحَدٌ عَنْ عَمْرٍو غَيْرِي سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا وَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْهُ‏.‏

Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair:I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf Al-Bakali claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses." Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka`b told us that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, 'I.' Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, 'Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.' Moses said, 'O my Lord! How can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish.' Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yusha` bin Noon, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet (ﷺ) pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), 'Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, 'Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.' So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, 'That was what we were seeking after.' So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, 'How do people greet each other in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man asked, 'Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.' He said, 'O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.' Moses asked, 'May I follow you?' He said, 'But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?' (Moses said, 'You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.') So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.' Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, 'What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.' Al-Khadir replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?' Moses replied, 'Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.' So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, "Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al-Khadir said, "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?' Moses said "If I ask you about anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.' Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitants for food but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, "These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir said, "This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case[omitted from the english translation: And Ibn 'Abbas recited: "In front of them was a king who seized every serviceable ship by force, and as for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers." Then Sufyan said to me, "I heard it from him twice and memorized it from him."]

Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 4725

وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا

And in front of them was a king who seized every serviceable ship by force

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ... وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ‏

Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair: ... Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "We wished that Moses could have been more patient so that Allah might have described to us more about their story[omitted from the english translation: And Ibn 'Abbas used to recite: "And in front of them was a king who seized every serviceable ship by force," and he used to recite: "And as for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers."]

Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 4726

أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ

In front of them (was) a king

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى... وَكَانَ وَرَاءَهُمْ، وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ ـ قَرَأَهَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ ـ يَزْعُمُونَ عَنْ غَيْرِ سَعِيدٍ أَنَّهُ هُدَدُ بْنُ بُدَدٍ، وَالْغُلاَمُ الْمَقْتُولُ، اسْمُهُ يَزْعُمُونَ جَيْسُورٌ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا...

Narrated Ibn Juraij: ... And there was a king in furor (ahead) of them" (18.79) And there was in front of them. Ibn `Abbas recited: 'In front of them (was) a king.' ... 'A king who seized every ship by force. (18.79)...

Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 4727

وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا

And in front (ahead) of them there was a king who used to seize every (serviceable) boat by force.

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنِي قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ... قَالَ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا

Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair: ... Ibn `Abbas used to recite:-- 'And in front (ahead) of them there was a king who used to seize every (serviceable) boat by force. (18.79) ...and as for the boy he was a disbeliever

Sahih Muslim 2380a

وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا

There was before them a king who used to seize every boat by force which was in order

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّاقِدُ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ الْمَكِّيُّ كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَرَ - حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبِكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ صَاحِبَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ سَمِعْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ قَامَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ مُوسَى أَىْ رَبِّ كَيْفَ لِي بِهِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ احْمِلْ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُ تَفْقِدُ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ وَهُوَ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ فَحَمَلَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ وَانْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يَمْشِيَانِ حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَفَتَاهُ فَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ - قَالَ - وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى كَانَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَكَانَ لِمُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتِهِمَا وَنَسِيَ صَاحِبُ مُوسَى أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا - قَالَ - وَلَمْ يَنْصَبْ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أُمِرَ بِهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا ‏.‏ قَالَ يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً مُسَجًّى عَلَيْهِ بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ أَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى ‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ الْخَضِرُ وَمُوسَى يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ فَكَلَّمَاهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمَا فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ فَعَمَدَ الْخَضِرُ إِلَى لَوْحٍ مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ فَنَزَعَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذَا غُلاَمٌ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَاكِيَةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الأُولَى ‏.‏ قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ ‏.‏ يَقُولُ مَائِلٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا فَأَقَامَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا وَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا لَوْ شِئْتَ لَتَخِذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يُقَصَّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ حَتَّى وَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ ثُمَّ نَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا ‏.‏ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا ‏.‏

Sa'id b. Jubair reported:I said to Ibn Abbas that Nauf al-Bikali was of the opinion that Moses (peace be upon him), the Apostle of Bani Isra'il, was not the same who accompanied Khadir, whereupon he said: The enemy of Allah tells a lie. I heard Ubayy b. Ka'b say: Moses (peace be upon him) stood up to give sermon to the people of Isra'il. He was asked as to who amongst the people has the best knowledge, whereupon he said: I have the best knowledge. Thereupon Allah was annoyed with him that he did not attribute (the best knowledge) to Him. He revealed to him: A servant amongst My servants is at the junction of two rivers who has more knowledge than yours. Moses said: How can I meet him? It was said to him: Carry a fish in the large basket and the place where you find it missing there you will find him. Thereupon Moses proceeded forth along with a young man (Yusha'). Joshua b. Nun and Moses (peace be upon him) put the fish in the basket and there went along with him the young man (Yusha') until they came to a certain rock and Moses and his companion went to sleep and the fish stirred in that basket and fell into the ocean and Allah stopped the current of water like a vault until the way was made for the fish. Moses and his young companion were astonished and they walked for the rest of the day and the night and the friend of Moses forgot to inform him of this incident. When it was morning, Moses (peace be upon him) said to the young man: Bring for us the breakfast for we are dead tired because of this journey, and they did not feel exhausted until they had passed that place where they had been commanded (to stay). He said: Don't you know that when we reached the Sakhra (rock) I forgot the fish and nothing made me forget it but Satan that I could not remember it? How strange is it that the fish found a way in the river? Moses said: That was what we had been aiming at. Then both of them retraced their steps until they reached Sakhra; there they saw a man covered with a cloth. Moses greeted him. Khadir said to him: Where is as-Salam in our country.? He said: I am Moses, whereupon he (Khadir) said: You mean the Moses of Bani Isra'il? He said: Yes. He (Khadir) said: You have a knowledge out of the knowledge of Allah which in fact Allah imparted to you and about that I know nothing and I have knowledge out of Allah's knowledge which He imparted to me and about that you do not know. Moses (peace be upon him) said to him: May I follow you so that you may teach me that with which you have been taught righteousness. He said: You will not be able to bear with me; how you will be able to bear that about which you do not know? Moses said: Thou wilt find me patient, nor shalt I disobey you in aught. Khadir said to him: If you were to follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I myself speak to you about it. He said: Yes. So Khadir and Moses set forth on the bank of the river that there came before them a boat. Both of them talked to them (the owners of the boat) so that they might carry both of them. They had recognised Khadir and they carried them free. Khadir thereupon took hold of a plank in the boat and broke it away. Moses said: These people have carried us without any charge and you attempt to break their boat so that the people sailing in the boat may drown. This is (something) grievous that you have done. He said: Did I not say that you would not bear with me? He said: Blame me not for what I forgot and be not hard upon what I did. Then both of them got down from the boat and began to walk along the coastline that they saw a boy who had been playing with other boys. Khadir pulled up his head and killed him. Moses said: Have you killed an innocent person who is in no way guilty of slaying another? You have done something horrible. Thereupon he said: Did I not say to you that you will not be able to bear with me? He (Moses) said: This (act) is more grievous than the first one. He (Moses) further said. If I ask you about anything after this, keep not company with me, then you would no doubt find (a plausible) excuse for this. Then they both walked on until they reached the inhabitants of a village. They asked its inhabitants for food but they refused to entertain them as their guests. They found in it a wall which had been bent on one side and was about to fall. Khadir set it right with his own hand. Moses, said to him: It is the people to whom we came but they showed us no hospitality and they did not serve us food. If you wish you can get wages for it. He (Khadir) said: This is the parting of ways between me and you. Now I wish to reveal to you the significance of that for which you could not bear with me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said. May Allah have mercy upon Moses! I wish if Moses could show patience and a (fuller) story of both of them could have been told. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said that the first thing which Moses said was out of forgetfulness. Then there came a sparrow until it perched on the wall of the boat and took water from the ocean. Thereupon, Khadir said: My knowledge and your knowledge in comparison with the knowledge of Allah is even less than the water taken by the sparrow in its beak in comparison to the water of the ocean, and Sa'id b. Jubair used to recite (verses 79 and 80 of Sura Kahf) in this way: There was before them a king who used to seize every boat by force which was in order, the boy was an unbeliever

80

وَأَمَّا ٱلۡغُلَٰمُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤۡمِنَيۡنِ فَخَشِينَآ أَن يُرۡهِقَهُمَا طُغۡيَٰنٗا وَكُفۡرٗا

As for the young boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would burden them both (with) insolent transgression and disbelief.

Competing Codex
Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 4725

وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا

and as for the boy, he was a disbeliever

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ... وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ‏

Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair: ... Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "We wished that Moses could have been more patient so that Allah might have described to us more about their story[omitted from the english translation: And Ibn 'Abbas used to recite: "And in front of them was a king who seized every serviceable ship by force," and he used to recite: "And as for the boy, he was a disbeliever and his parents were believers."]

Abdullah bin Abbas Read as Abdullah bin Abbas

Sahih al-Bukhari 4727

وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا

and as for the boy he was a disbeliever

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنِي قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ... قَالَ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا

Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair: ... Ibn `Abbas used to recite:-- 'And in front (ahead) of them there was a king who used to seize every (serviceable) boat by force. (18.79) ...and as for the boy he was a disbeliever

Sahih Muslim 2380a

وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا

the boy was an unbeliever

Hadith Context:

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّاقِدُ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ الْمَكِّيُّ كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَرَ - حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبِكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ صَاحِبَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ سَمِعْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ قَامَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ قَالَ مُوسَى أَىْ رَبِّ كَيْفَ لِي بِهِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ احْمِلْ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ فَحَيْثُ تَفْقِدُ الْحُوتَ فَهُوَ ثَمَّ ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ فَتَاهُ وَهُوَ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ فَحَمَلَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ حُوتًا فِي مِكْتَلٍ وَانْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يَمْشِيَانِ حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَفَتَاهُ فَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فِي الْمِكْتَلِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمِكْتَلِ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ - قَالَ - وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى كَانَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَكَانَ لِمُوسَى وَفَتَاهُ عَجَبًا فَانْطَلَقَا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمَا وَلَيْلَتِهِمَا وَنَسِيَ صَاحِبُ مُوسَى أَنْ يُخْبِرَهُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا - قَالَ - وَلَمْ يَنْصَبْ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي أُمِرَ بِهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا ‏.‏ قَالَ يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً مُسَجًّى عَلَيْهِ بِثَوْبٍ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ مُوسَى ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ أَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى ‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنَا عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَنِيهِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلاَ أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ الْخَضِرُ وَمُوسَى يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ فَكَلَّمَاهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمَا فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ فَحَمَلُوهُمَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ فَعَمَدَ الْخَضِرُ إِلَى لَوْحٍ مِنْ أَلْوَاحِ السَّفِينَةِ فَنَزَعَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى السَّاحِلِ إِذَا غُلاَمٌ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَاقْتَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَاكِيَةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا قَالَ وَهَذِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الأُولَى ‏.‏ قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ ‏.‏ يَقُولُ مَائِلٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ الْخَضِرُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا فَأَقَامَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا وَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا لَوْ شِئْتَ لَتَخِذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يُقَصَّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَجَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ حَتَّى وَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ ثُمَّ نَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَكَانَ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا ‏.‏ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا ‏.‏

Sa'id b. Jubair reported:I said to Ibn Abbas that Nauf al-Bikali was of the opinion that Moses (peace be upon him), the Apostle of Bani Isra'il, was not the same who accompanied Khadir, whereupon he said: The enemy of Allah tells a lie. I heard Ubayy b. Ka'b say: Moses (peace be upon him) stood up to give sermon to the people of Isra'il. He was asked as to who amongst the people has the best knowledge, whereupon he said: I have the best knowledge. Thereupon Allah was annoyed with him that he did not attribute (the best knowledge) to Him. He revealed to him: A servant amongst My servants is at the junction of two rivers who has more knowledge than yours. Moses said: How can I meet him? It was said to him: Carry a fish in the large basket and the place where you find it missing there you will find him. Thereupon Moses proceeded forth along with a young man (Yusha'). Joshua b. Nun and Moses (peace be upon him) put the fish in the basket and there went along with him the young man (Yusha') until they came to a certain rock and Moses and his companion went to sleep and the fish stirred in that basket and fell into the ocean and Allah stopped the current of water like a vault until the way was made for the fish. Moses and his young companion were astonished and they walked for the rest of the day and the night and the friend of Moses forgot to inform him of this incident. When it was morning, Moses (peace be upon him) said to the young man: Bring for us the breakfast for we are dead tired because of this journey, and they did not feel exhausted until they had passed that place where they had been commanded (to stay). He said: Don't you know that when we reached the Sakhra (rock) I forgot the fish and nothing made me forget it but Satan that I could not remember it? How strange is it that the fish found a way in the river? Moses said: That was what we had been aiming at. Then both of them retraced their steps until they reached Sakhra; there they saw a man covered with a cloth. Moses greeted him. Khadir said to him: Where is as-Salam in our country.? He said: I am Moses, whereupon he (Khadir) said: You mean the Moses of Bani Isra'il? He said: Yes. He (Khadir) said: You have a knowledge out of the knowledge of Allah which in fact Allah imparted to you and about that I know nothing and I have knowledge out of Allah's knowledge which He imparted to me and about that you do not know. Moses (peace be upon him) said to him: May I follow you so that you may teach me that with which you have been taught righteousness. He said: You will not be able to bear with me; how you will be able to bear that about which you do not know? Moses said: Thou wilt find me patient, nor shalt I disobey you in aught. Khadir said to him: If you were to follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I myself speak to you about it. He said: Yes. So Khadir and Moses set forth on the bank of the river that there came before them a boat. Both of them talked to them (the owners of the boat) so that they might carry both of them. They had recognised Khadir and they carried them free. Khadir thereupon took hold of a plank in the boat and broke it away. Moses said: These people have carried us without any charge and you attempt to break their boat so that the people sailing in the boat may drown. This is (something) grievous that you have done. He said: Did I not say that you would not bear with me? He said: Blame me not for what I forgot and be not hard upon what I did. Then both of them got down from the boat and began to walk along the coastline that they saw a boy who had been playing with other boys. Khadir pulled up his head and killed him. Moses said: Have you killed an innocent person who is in no way guilty of slaying another? You have done something horrible. Thereupon he said: Did I not say to you that you will not be able to bear with me? He (Moses) said: This (act) is more grievous than the first one. He (Moses) further said. If I ask you about anything after this, keep not company with me, then you would no doubt find (a plausible) excuse for this. Then they both walked on until they reached the inhabitants of a village. They asked its inhabitants for food but they refused to entertain them as their guests. They found in it a wall which had been bent on one side and was about to fall. Khadir set it right with his own hand. Moses, said to him: It is the people to whom we came but they showed us no hospitality and they did not serve us food. If you wish you can get wages for it. He (Khadir) said: This is the parting of ways between me and you. Now I wish to reveal to you the significance of that for which you could not bear with me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said. May Allah have mercy upon Moses! I wish if Moses could show patience and a (fuller) story of both of them could have been told. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said that the first thing which Moses said was out of forgetfulness. Then there came a sparrow until it perched on the wall of the boat and took water from the ocean. Thereupon, Khadir said: My knowledge and your knowledge in comparison with the knowledge of Allah is even less than the water taken by the sparrow in its beak in comparison to the water of the ocean, and Sa'id b. Jubair used to recite (verses 79 and 80 of Sura Kahf) in this way: There was before them a king who used to seize every boat by force which was in order, the boy was an unbeliever

Theological Defect
The justification for Khidr killing the boy—that God 'feared' (khashina) the child would grow up to burden his parents with disbelief and transgression—depicts God ordaining the execution of an innocent minor based on fatalistic predestination. Punishing a human being before any sin has been committed contradicts the Biblical nature of a just God who judges based on actual deeds, rather than preemptive elimination.
81

فَأَرَدۡنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُ زَكَوٰةٗ وَأَقۡرَبَ رُحۡمٗا

We wanted their Lord to give to them both in exchange (one) better than him in purity, and closer (to them) in affection.

Theological Defect
The divine rationale to 'exchange' the murdered boy for a better, more righteous child ('aqraba ruhman) reduces human life to a disposable commodity and portrays God's providence as brutally utilitarian. This narrative confirms fatalism, where an individual is predestined to disbelief and killed for it before maturity, nullifying free will and divine justice.

وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَن ذِي ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِۖ قُلۡ سَأَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡهُ ذِكۡرًا

They ask you about Dhū-l-Qarnayn. Say: ‘I shall recite to you a remembrance of him.

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
The figure of Dhul-Qarnayn ('The Two-Horned One') is widely recognized by historians and early Islamic exegetes as Alexander the Great, drawing heavily from the Syriac Alexander Legend composed shortly before the Quran. The Quran appropriates this Christianized folklore of a world-conquering hero who travels to the ends of the earth and builds a wall against apocalyptic tribes.

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغۡرِبَ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغۡرُبُ فِي عَيۡنٍ حَمِئَةٖ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوۡمٗاۖ قُلۡنَا يَٰذَا ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمۡ حُسۡنٗا

until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and he found next to it a people. We said, “Dhū-l-Qarnayn! Either punish (them) or do them (some) good.”

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Graphical/Basic Letter Difference Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

حَمِئَةٖ

muddy

Variant Reading

حَامِيَةٖ

hot

Hafs reads the word as 'hami'ah' (muddy), whereas the variant reads it as 'hamiyah' (hot), shifting the description of the spring from its muddy composition to its high temperature.

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad, Shu'bah

Historical Error
The Quran claims Dhul-Qarnayn traveled to the physical setting place of the sun (maghriba al-shamsi) and found it setting in a 'spring of dark mud' (ayn hami'ah), reflecting a prescientific, flat-earth cosmology. Early Tafsir, such as Al-Tabari and Ibn Abbas, interpreted this literally, exposing a profound scientific and geographic error in the text's understanding of the solar system.
Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
The motif of Alexander the Great traveling to the end of the world and finding the sun setting in a fetid, muddy sea is directly lifted from the pre-Islamic Syriac Alexander Legend. The Quran reproduces this mythological geography as literal historical fact.
88

وَأَمَّا مَنۡ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَلَهُۥ جَزَآءً ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُۥ مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا يُسۡرٗا

But as for the one who believes, and does righteousness, for him (there is) the good payment, and we shall speak to him something easy from our command.”

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Grammatical Case Change
Vowel Difference (harakat) Grammatical Case Change
Original (Hafs)

جَزَآءً

payment

Variant Reading

جَزَآءُ

repayment for

Hafs reads 'jazā'an' in the accusative case (mansub) with tanween, acting as tamyeez or hal. The variant reads 'jazā'u' in the nominative case (marfu') with a single damma, forming a genitive construction (idafah) with the following word 'al-ḥusnā'.

Read by:

Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Qalun, Qunbul, Shu'bah, Susi, Warsh

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطۡلِعَ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطۡلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ لَّمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتۡرٗا

until, when he reached the rising (place) of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had not provided any shelter from it.

Historical Error
Dhul-Qarnayn reaching the literal 'rising place of the sun' (matli'a al-shamsi) where people have no shelter from it continues the scientifically flawed flat-earth cosmology. The Quran presents the sun as a physical object moving close to the earth's surface, which historically and astronomically is entirely erroneous.
93

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيۡنَ ٱلسَّدَّيۡنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوۡمٗا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفۡقَهُونَ قَوۡلٗا

until, when he arrived (at the place) between the two barriers, he found on this side of them a people hardly able to understand (his) speech.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

يَفۡقَهُونَ

understand

Variant Reading

يُفۡقِهُونَ

make others comprehend

The change in vowels shifts the verb from Form I 'yafqahūna' (to understand) to Form IV causative 'yufqihūna' (to make someone understand). In Hafs, they cannot understand speech; in the variant, they cannot make their speech understood by others.

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad

قَالُواْ يَٰذَا ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِ إِنَّ يَأۡجُوجَ وَمَأۡجُوجَ مُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَهَلۡ نَجۡعَلُ لَكَ خَرۡجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجۡعَلَ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَهُمۡ سَدّٗا

They said, “Dhū-l-Qarnayn! Surely Yajūj and Majūj are fomenting corruption on the earth. Shall we pay tribute to you on (the condition) that you construct a barrier between us and them?”

Borrowed Mythology & Plagiarism
The narrative of Dhul-Qarnayn building a massive barrier of iron and brass to contain Gog and Magog (Yajuj and Majuj) is a direct plagiarism of the Syriac Alexander Legend. In the 6th-century Christian apocrypha, Alexander similarly builds a wall in the Caucasus mountains to hold back apocalyptic Huns, a local myth the Quran canonizes as historical truth.
96

ءَاتُونِي زُبَرَ ٱلۡحَدِيدِۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيۡنَ ٱلصَّدَفَيۡنِ قَالَ ٱنفُخُواْۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُۥ نَارٗا قَالَ ءَاتُونِيٓ أُفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡهِ قِطۡرٗا

Bring me blocks of iron!” – Until, when he had made level (the gap) between the two cliffs, he said, “Blow!” – Until, when he had made it a fire, he said, “Bring me (blocks of brass)! I will pour molten brass over it.”

Historical Error
The description of a massive, insurmountable barrier made of solid iron blocks and molten brass (qitran) blocking a mountain pass is a verifiable historical and geographical error. Modern satellite mapping and geographical exploration have found no such colossal metal wall on Earth, demonstrating this is a mythical tale rather than a factual historical event.
98

قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّيۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُۥ دَكَّآءَۖ وَكَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّي حَقّٗا

He said, “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes, He will shatter it. The promise of my Lord is true.”’

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Graphical/Basic Letter Difference Change Meaning (general semantic shift)
Original (Hafs)

دَكَّآءَ

shatter

Variant Reading

دَكًّا

rubble

Hafs reads 'dakkā'a' (دَكَّاءَ) ending with a hamza, acting as a noun or adjective meaning a shattered state or leveled plain. The variant reads 'dakkan' (دَكًّا) without a hamza but with tanween, acting as a verbal noun (masdar) meaning crushing or rubble.

Read by:

Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Qalun, Qunbul, Rawh, Ruways, Susi, Warsh

Failed Prophecy
The promise that Dhul-Qarnayn's metal wall would hold back Gog and Magog until the Day of Judgment is contradicted by the lack of any geographical evidence for such a wall or tribes. Since no such physical barrier exists, the apocalyptic prophecy attached to it is rendered physically and historically void.