Al-Kahf - An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an

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68. “And how can you be patient about what you have not got any comprehensive knowledge?”

69. “He (Moses) said: ‘Allah willing, you shall find me patient, and I shall not disobey you in any matter’,”

Khidr continued answering Moses when he told him how he would be patient upon an action that seemed apparently wrong to him, and while he was not aware of its innate and its reality.

The verse says:

“And how can you be patient about what you have not got any comprehensive knowledge?”

It is understood from this holy phrase that the purpose is not to prove that Moses (as) was absolutely impatient. But the purpose is that since Moses was unaware of the innate of the affairs that Khidr did, he could not be patient.

Thus, this holy verse indicates that the capacity of persons, concerning information, is different. Even Moses (as) cannot bear the things Khidr does. Therefore, in giving the cultural responsibilities to individuals, competencies should be known and weaknesses must be notified of.

Then, in the next verse, Moses (as), in answer to Khidr (as), said that he would find him truly patient if it be the will of Allah, and he should not disobey him in any thing.

The verse says:

“He (Moses) said: ‘Allah willing, you shall find me patient, and I shall not disobey you in any matter’,”

Thus, it is possible that, with the help of Allah and by means of patience, the necessary growth and development can be obtained, and also we must not forget the will of Allah for what we are going to do in future, and we should say: ‘If it be the will of Allah’.

However, some of the commentators have said that the effort of Moses (as) for earning knowledge shows that no one should refrain from earning knowledge even if he were a prophet and had reached the high standard of knowledge. Another matter is that no one must refrain from humility before the one who is more learned than him.

Moses (as) conditioned his patience to the Will of Allah, because he thought he might bear patience and in the meantime he did probable he could not be patient. Therefore, he conditioned his patience to the Will of Allah, so that if he had not been able to be patient, he would not have said a falsehood.