Al-Kahf: (71 - 73) So they set out until...

Know that when Moses and that learned man agreed upon the aforementioned condition and set out, they reached a place where they needed to board a ship. They boarded it, and the learned man proceeded to damage the ship.

I suggest that he intended to pierce the hull of the ship so that, due to this damage, the ship would become visibly flawed. This flaw would prevent the ship from sinking quickly with its passengers. At that point, Moses said to him: {Did you sink it to drown its people?}

There are two points of discussion regarding this verse:

Hamzah and Al-Kisa'i recited it as: {أعزة أهلها} (Did you sink its people?) with an open yaa, attributing the drowning to the people themselves. The rest recited: {لتغرق أهلها} (to drown its people), addressing Moses, meaning: "You intend to drown the people of this ship."

When Moses (peace be upon him) witnessed this apparent reprehensible act, he forgot the prior agreement. For this reason, he said what he said. Those who challenge the infallibility of the Prophets (peace be upon them) use this verse to argue in two ways:

1. Argument: It is established by proof that the learned man was a Prophet. Moses (peace be upon him) then said: {Did you sink it to drown its people?} If Moses is truthful in this statement, it proves that a great sin was committed by that Prophet. If he is lying, it proves that Moses (peace be upon him) committed falsehood.
2. Argument: Moses committed himself not to object to the learned man, and firm covenants were made to this effect. Yet, he violated those covenants, and this is a sin.

The Response to the First Argument: When Moses (peace be upon him) witnessed an act outside the norm, he spoke these words, not because he believed the man had committed an ugly deed, but because he desired to know its nature and cause. Sometimes, something strange whose cause is unknown is described using strong language when the matter becomes serious. The poet says:

The Response to the Second Argument: Moses acted based on forgetfulness. Furthermore, the Almighty recounted that when the learned man violated the condition, he only said: {Did I not tell you that you would never be able to have patience with me?}

At this point, Moses apologized, saying: {Do not blame me for what I forgot}—meaning, I forgot your instruction, and there is no blame upon one who forgets. {and do not overburden me in my affair with hardship} (or difficulty).

Rahqahu means to overwhelm him. Arhaqahu iyyahu means: Do not overwhelm me with difficulty in following you. That is, do not make following you difficult by demanding strict adherence and questioning; rather, make it easy for me by overlooking and refraining from detailed inquiry.

It is also recited as {عسراً} (with two ḍammās).

< {So they set out until when they met a boy, he killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing!" * He said, "Did I not tell you that you would never be able to have patience with me?" * [Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have certainly reached from me an excuse."} > 7

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