Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:78

"He said, 'This is the parting between me and you.'"

This is an annexation of the source (the act of parting) to the adverbial of time/place, via metaphorical extension. Ibn al-Hajib holds that the annexation in such instances carries the meaning of "in." What is beneficial for you here has already been mentioned, so recall it. Ibn Abi Ablah read it as "firaqan bayni" (parting between me) with tanwin and accusative case for "bayni" as an adverb. The word "between" was repeated—even though it is not usually annexed to a plural—because one cannot coordinate with a genitive pronoun without repeating the preposition. Abu Hayyan stated: "The deviation from 'between us' is for the purpose of emphasis and to point toward the parting indicated by his previous statement, 'Do not accompany me.'" This framing is meaningful, as the subject of the news is the parting in terms of its conceptual existence in the mind, while the predicate is the parting in terms of its external occurrence—as has been said—or it refers to the present time; i.e., this time is the time of our parting. Alternatively, it refers to the third objection; i.e., this objection is the cause of our parting, just as you requested. Thus, the reason for specifying the parting at the third [incident] is evident.

The primary scholar said: This was the cause of the parting, and not the first two, because their outward appearance was clearly reprehensible, so he was excused [for objecting]. This is in contrast to the third instance, as one does not condemn kindness toward the wrongdoer; rather, it is praised. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the reason for this that Musa’s (peace be upon him) statement regarding the ship and the boy was for the sake of Allah the Almighty, whereas in this instance, it was for himself, out of a desire for worldly interest; thus, it became the cause of the parting. Al-Qushayri narrated something similar from some others, but this was rejected in al-Kashf on the grounds that it does not befit their lofty station, and perhaps the report from the scholar (Ibn Abbas) is not authentic.

It is reported in al-Bahr from the masters of meanings that these matters which occurred between Musa and al-Khidr serve as an argument against Musa (peace be upon him). For when he objected to the breaching of the ship, it was called out to him: "O Musa, where was your planning when you were thrown into the sea in a chest?" And when he objected to the killing of the boy, it was said to him: "Where was this rejection of yours when you struck the Copt and decreed his death?" And when he objected to the rebuilding of the wall, it was called out: "How does this compare to your lifting the stone for the two daughters of Shu’ayb (peace be upon him) without pay?"

I have seen in some books that al-Khidr (peace be upon him) said: "O Musa, you objected to me for breaching the ship, yet you cast down the tablets of the Torah so they shattered. You objected to me for killing the boy, yet you struck the Copt and decreed his death. You objected to me for building the wall without pay, yet you watered the sheep for the two daughters of Shu’ayb without pay. So, whoever does something like what I did shall not object to me." The outward reality is that none of this is authentic. The difference is clear between what proceeded from Musa (peace be upon him) and what proceeded from al-Khidr, and he [Musa] is too exalted to have such arguments used against the possessor of the Torah, as is not hidden.

Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman, and Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Abu Abdullah—I believe he is al-Malati—who said: When al-Khidr wished to part from Musa, he said to him: "Advise me." He replied: "Be beneficial and do not be harmful; be cheerful and do not be angry; turn away from contentiousness, do not walk without need, do not reproach a man for his sin, and weep over your own sin, O son of Imran." Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Yusuf ibn Asbat that he said: "It reached me that al-Khidr said to Musa when he wanted to part from him: 'O Musa, seek knowledge in order to act by it, not to speak of it.' And it reached me that Musa said to al-Khidr: 'Pray for me,' and al-Khidr said: 'May Allah the Almighty make His obedience easy for you.'" Allah the Almighty knows best the authenticity of that as well.

"I will inform you" Ibn Abi al-Waththab read it as sanabika, eliding the hamza of the ya (making it a pure sound). The sin is for emphasis because there is no delay in the informing; i.e., I will inform you certainly.

"of the interpretation of that which you could not bear with patience." The outward appearance is that this did not occur following a request from Musa (peace be upon him). It is said: When al-Khidr resolved to part from him, he took hold of his garments and said: "I will not part from you until you inform me of what allowed you to do what you did and called you to it." So he said, "I will inform you."

Al-Ta’wil (interpretation) is the returning of a thing to its final outcome. What is intended here is the final outcome and the consequence, as that is what is being informed of, rather than interpretation in the aforementioned sense. "That which" refers to the actions performed by al-Khidr (peace be upon him)—namely, breaching the ship, killing the boy, and rebuilding the wall. Their outcomes were the salvation of the ship from the usurping ruler, the protection of the boy’s parents from his evil along with the attainment of a better replacement, and the extraction of the treasure for the two orphans. In making the relative pronoun refer to Musa’s inability to be patient—rather than saying "the interpretation of what you did" or "the interpretation of what you saw" or the like—there is a type of insinuation toward him and a reproach. It is also permissible to say that this is to seek further focus and readiness on his part to receive what is to be presented to him. Sabran (patience) is the object of tastati’, and "to it" (’alayhi) is connected to it, and it was brought forward out of regard for the end-rhyme (fasilah).