Al-Kahf (The Cave)

80. “And as for the lad, his parents were believers, and we were afraid he would impose on them insolence and disbelief.”

81. “So we did intend that their Lord should change him for them for one better in purity and nearer in affection.”

In this verse, the Qur’an refers to the secret of the second event, i.e., the murder of the lad. It says:

“And as for the lad, his parents were believers, and we were afraid he would impose on them insolence and disbelief.”

However, that learned man killed a young boy and reasoned his action that if that boy had been continuing his life, he would have created a disgrace event for his faithful parents.

Then the Qur’an continues saying:

“So we did intend that their Lord should change him for them for one better in purity and nearer in affection.”

Explanations

1. The Arabic term /’irhaq/ means: ‘to impose a difficult task to anyone’.

2. An Islamic tradition indicates that, instead of that boy, Allah bestowed those couple of believers a daughter from whose progeny seventy prophets came into being.¹

3. Sometimes it happens that a child causes his parents to go astray and to pave the way of infidelity. On the contrary, sometimes the parents also drag the pure and godly nature of their child towards infidelity and deviated notions.

The holy Prophet (S) said:

“Every child naturally believes in One God, except that his parents change him.”2

4. A wise man does not do a vain, and his deed is based on wisdom and common good, although it may seem apparently wrong.

5. The saints of Allah both have responsibility and think about the future of people.

6. The substitution of the pious child in the place of that impious boy, is a manifestation of the Lordship of Allah.