Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:80

"As for the boy, he was..."

Al-Jahdari read: wa-kāna abawāhu muʾminayni (and his parents were believers), treating kāna as containing the ḍamīr al-shaʾn (the pronoun of the matter).

{We feared that he would burden them with transgression and disbelief} We feared that he would overwhelm his believing parents with transgression against them and ingratitude for their favors through disobedience and evil conduct, thereby bringing evil and affliction upon them. Or, that his transgression and disbelief would be coupled with their faith, resulting in a believer and a disbeliever living in the same house. Or, that he would infect them with his disease and lead them astray with his misguidance, causing them to apostatize, transgress, and disbelieve after having believed.

Al-Khidr feared this only because Allah, the Exalted, informed him of the boy's state and revealed to him the secret of his affair. His command to kill him was like removing a source of corruption he knew would occur during the boy's life.

In the reading of Ubayy: fa-khāfa rabbuka (your Lord feared). The meaning is: your Lord disliked [the outcome], with the dislike of one who fears the evil consequence of a matter, so He changed it. It is also possible that His saying {We feared} is a narration of the speech of Allah, meaning: "We disliked," similar to His saying: {To grant you} (Maryam: 19).

It is read: yubdiluhumā (with a shadda).

{Purity} (zakātan): Cleansing and freedom from sins. {Affection} (ruḥman): Mercy and tenderness.

It is narrated that they were blessed with a daughter who married a prophet, and she gave birth to a prophet through whom Allah guided a nation. It is also said she gave birth to seventy prophets. Others say: He replaced them with a believing son like them. It is said the names of the two boys were Aṣram and Ṣarīm. The killed boy was named al-Ḥusayn.

There is disagreement regarding the {treasure}:

• It is said: Buried wealth of gold and silver.
• It is said: A tablet of gold inscribed with:
  • "I am amazed at one who believes in destiny, how can he grieve? I am amazed at one who believes in provision, how can he toil? I am amazed at one who believes in death, how can he rejoice? I am amazed at one who believes in the Reckoning, how can he be heedless? I am amazed at one who knows the world and its fickleness toward its people, how can he find tranquility in it? There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
• It is said: Scrolls containing knowledge.
• The apparent meaning, due to its generality, is that it was wealth.

Qatada said: The treasure was lawful for those before us and forbidden for us, just as the spoils of war were forbidden for them and made lawful for us. He intended the verse: {And those who hoard gold and silver} (al-Tawbah: 34).

{And his father was righteous} This is a consideration of the father's righteousness and a preservation of his right in his children. Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq said: There were seven generations between the two boys and the father for whose sake they were protected.

It is narrated that al-Husayn ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) said to a Kharijite during a discussion: "By what did Allah protect the two boys?" He replied: "By the righteousness of their father." He said: "My father and grandfather are better than him." The man replied: "Allah has informed us that you are a contentious people."

{As a mercy} An object for the sake of which the action was done (mafʿūl lahu), or an infinitive (maṣdar) governed by "Your Lord intended," because it carries the meaning of "He had mercy on them."

{And I did not do it of my own accord} I did not do what you saw based on my own judgment or opinion; I only did it by the command of Allah.