PART 16: VISITING THE GRAVES IS THE SUNNAH OF PROPHET [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] AND NOT GRAVE WORSHIP!

From Layman’s Desk-14.

Part 16– Tawassul/Istigatha continued…

We have no problem with asking someone to make dua’a for us but when it comes to asking the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) to make dua’a for us,  a minority sect indiscriminately throws such words as “Shirk” at us without even bothering that their action in fact boomerangs on them owing to which they themselves stand accused of “Shirk”. 

 According to Imam Ibn Hajr al Haithami, in the chapter on Intermediation “BESEECHING FOR HELP” or Intercession through the Prophet (Peace be upon him)”:  Amongst the evil deeds of Ibn Taymiyyah, something which nobody before him in this world proclaimed is his rejection of Istighatha (Beseeching for help) and Tawassul through Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  This Tawassul through Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) is Hassan (fair) in all conditions whether before his creation (i.e. him being sent to the world), after it (i.e. his death), also in this world and on Day of Judgment.

[Al-Jawhar al Munazzam fi Ziyaratil Qabril Muqarram, Page No. 171, Published by Dar ul Hawi, Beirut, Lebanon]

Sheikh ul Islam Imam al- Subki said: It should be known that Tawassul, "ASKING FOR HELP" and intercession through the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in the court of Allah is not only allowed but is "RECOMMENDED" It being Legal and recommended is a known fact for everyone who has understanding of deen, this is a deed of Prophets/Messengers, the salaf-as-Saliheen, the Ulama and general public of Muslims, none of them denied it nor in any time these deeds were called as bad except for when Ibn Taymiyyah (came in picture) and he started to reject them, his sayings made the weak get into confusion/dilemma, he did such a Bidah which nobody before him had done...

[Imam Taqi ud din as-Subki – Rahimuhulllah in his magnificent work called Shifa us Siqaam fi Ziyaratal Khayr al Anaam, Page No. 357]. 

The Proof for Tawassul for us comes from many Quranic verses and "ABSOLUTELY SAHIH AHADITH" as we have seen and more of which shall be mentioned later in this article.  Anyway, in our previous posts we adduced some telling pieces of evidence against the anti-Tawassul movement.  There we particularly resorted to the Salatul Haajah,  that was taught by the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) himself,   and its universal acceptance by the majority Muslim community.  When doing tawassul, the source of blessings (barakah) when asking Allah through an intermediary is Allah – not the intermediary.

We continue with the intermediation here but which is based on the famous Qur’anic verse:

We sent not an apostle, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of Allah. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful.(4:64) 

In explaining this verse, Hafidh Ibn Kathir (reh) said: 

"Allah guides the sinners and neglectful [`asi], if they do something sinful or corrupt, to come to the Prophet, take him as a means [wasilah], and ask forgiveness from Allah, and to ask the Prophet (s) to also request God's forgiveness for them. If they do this, God will forgive them, bless them and have mercy on them."

Many other scholars have explained this verse in a similar manner. We know that the Qur'an is for all centuries, not only for a specific time, as it is God's Word.  So all Muslims are under that order of God to come to Him through the means of the Prophet [wasilah].  Further, there are numerous other verses of Qur'an which give a similar meaning, but for now it suffices to mention only this.

Further, according to Hafidh Ibn Kathir:  Many have stated this tradition:  One of them is Ash-Shaykh Abū Mansūr As-Sabbagh who writes in his book al-Hikayat-ul-mashhurah that, according to ‘Utbi, once he was sitting beside the Prophet’s grave when a bedouin came and he said, “Peace be on you, O Allah’s Messenger. I have heard that Allah says: ‘(O beloved!) And if they had come to you, when they had wronged their souls, and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger also had asked forgiveness for them, they (on the basis of this means and intercession) would have surely found Allah the Granter of repentance, extremely Merciful.I have come to you, asking forgiveness for my sins and I make you as my intermediary before my Lord and I have come to you for this purpose.” Then he recited these verses: “O, the most exalted among the buried people who improved the worth of the plains and the hillocks! May I sacrifice my life for this grave which is made radiant by you, (the Prophet,) the one who is (an embodiment) of mercy and forgiveness.” Then the bedouin went away and I fell asleep. In my dream I saw the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  He said to me: O ‘Utbi, the bedouin is right, go and give him the good news that Allah has forgiven his sins.

[Ibn Kathir, Tafsir-ul-Qur'an al-azim Volume 004, Page No. 140, Under the Verse 4:64]

The above report is only shown to reveal the beautiful Aqida of Imam Ibn Kathir (rah) and he has declared it to be narrated by "JAMAAH" and considered it Hikayat al "MASHUR".   According to Tafseer Ibn Kathir Surah an-Nisa [4] ayah 64,  it is not shirk to call upon [du’a] the Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)  whilst he is in his grave. But since this statement defies their creed, the Wahhabis have expunged this from “Saheeh Tafseer Ibn Kathir”.  When when they say “Saheeh” they do not mean authentic, they mean that they have corrected Ibn Kathir’ (reh) tafseer as they deemed that what he mentioned was dalaalah [misguidance].  They don’t want any proof against them that would pose a serious challenge to, or rather demolish, their own creed.

 

Imam al-Nawawi (rah) mentions **Utbi's narration as proof  in chapter of visiting the grave of Prophet and the Remembrance made there, in his book called "al-Adhkaar":

He (Utbi) said: "As I was sitting by the grave of the Prophet, a Bedouin Arab came and said: "Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! I have heard Allah saying: "If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful" (4:64)..Then he recited these verses: “O, the most exalted among the buried people who improved the worth of the plains and the hillocks! May I sacrifice my life for this grave which is made radiant by you, (the Prophet,) the one who is (an embodiment) of mercy and forgiveness.” Then the bedouin went away and I fell asleep. In my dream I saw the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  He said to me: O ‘Utbi, the bedouin is right, go and give him the good news that Allah has forgiven his sins.

[Imam Nawawi in Kitab ul Adhkaar, Page No. 179, Published by Dar ul Ma'rifah, Beirut, Lebanon]. 

Imam An-Nawawi placed this narration below the chapter titled, “Chapter: Regarding Visiting the Grave of Rasulullah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and its Remembrances (adhkaar)”. The publisher “Dar-Al-Huda” from Riyadh, Saudia Arabia changed “Grave” to “Masjid” so as to make it seem one is not to visit the Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)’s grave.  We have already noted down some of the details in our earlier post on the subject. 

There is a similar report cited by Imam al-Qurtubi in his Tafseer:

Its related from Abu Sadiq (ra) that Imam Ali (ra) said: "Three days after burying the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) arab did came and did throw himself on the grave of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), took the earth and throw it on his head. He said: "Ya Rasulallah! (Peace Be Upon Him) You did speak and we did hear, you learned from Allah and we did learn from you. Between those things which Allah did send you, is following: (4:64) I am the one, which is a sinner and now I did came to you, so that you may ask for me." After that a call from the grave did came: "Theres no doubt, you are forgiven!"

[Tafsir al-Qurtubi, al-Jami li Ahkam al-Quran Volume 006, Page No. 439, Under the Verse, 4:64]

 

Imam Baihaqi has mentioned in Hadith Number 3880 in Shuab ul Iman, Volume 006, Page No. 60:   

 Abu Harb Hilali (r) narrates that one Arabi performed Hajj and then came to the door of Prophet’s Mosque. He tied his camel there and enter the mosque till he reached the grave of Prophet (Peace be upon him). He stood at the feet of Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said: Peace be upon you O Prophet, then he offered greetings to Abu Bakr and Umar (Ridhwan Allaho Ajmain), he then turned towards the Prophet again and said: O Messenger of Allah, May my parents be taken ransom for you, I have come in your court because I am filled with sins and mistakes, so that I can make you a waseela infront of Allah so that you can intercede for me, because Allah has said in his Book: And We have not sent any Messenger but that he must be obeyed by the Command of Allah. And, (O Beloved,) if they, having wronged their souls, had come to you imploring the forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) had also asked forgiveness for them, then (owing to this mediation and intercession) they would certainly have found Allah Most Relenting, Ever-Merciful. (Quran 4/64)" Then he turned towards a big group of Sahaba while saying: O best of those who are buried in deep""And from whose fragrance the depth and the height have become sweet" "May I be the ransom for a grave which thou inhabit" "And in which are found purity, bounty and munificence!"

In the same volume and book, Imam Baihaqi has reported: [Hadith Number 3879] Abu Ishaq al-Qarshi (r) narrates that there was a man with us in Madina. Whenever he used to see any bad deed which he was not capable of stop with his hand, he used to go to the grave of Prophet (Peace be upon him) and say: O the inhabitants of Qabr i.e. Prophet and Sahaba (Abu Bakr and Umar) and our helpers please look towards our state. 

The above reports and the others with their slight variation in wordings are graded as very famous, well established and well-known.  Some of the famous Islamic works where these are reported are: (See 1 below)

The sources also relate the report of Ibn Abi Fudayk, one of the early scholars of Madina and one of Shafi`i's shaykhs, who said: "I heard one of the authorities whom I have met say: "It has reached us that whoever stands at the Prophet's grave and recites: "Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet..." (33:56) and then says: "May Allah bless you, O Muhammad"  (sallallahu `alayka ya Muhammad) seventy times, an angel will call him saying: May Allah bless you, O So-and-so; none of your needs will be left unfulfilled."" Ibn Jama`a related it in Hidayat al-salik 3:1382-1383, Ibn al-Jawzi in Muthir al-gharam p. 487, Qadi `Iyad in al-Shifa', and Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman (#4169). 

Similarly the Hanafi faqih Kamal al-Din ibn al-Humam (d. 861 A.H.) said in Fath al-qadir (2:337), book of hajj, chapter on visiting the Prophet:

wa yas'alu allaha hajatahu mutawassilan ilallah bi hadrati nabiyyihi thumma qala yas'alu al-nabiyya sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam al-shafa`ata fa yaqulu ya rasulallah as'aluka al-shafa`ata ya rasulallah atawassalu bika ilallah.

Then let him ask Allah for his need, using Allah's Prophet as his means to Allah; (then he said): Let him ask the Prophet for his intercession and say: O Messenger of Allah, I am asking you for your intercession; O Messenger of Allah, I am using you as my means to Allah.

As it is seen, Rasulullah ('alaihi 's-salam) can be asked also after his death, as it was done when he was alive, to pray so that one's wishes might come true. 'Praying through Rasulullah' means 'asking him to pray'. He is alive in his grave and understands the demand of the person who asks from him.  In addition to the fact that wishes have come true through his praying and intercession, there is the fact that others' prayers sent through him before he was born, when he was alive or after his death have been accepted. On the Day of Resur-rection, he will intercede with Allahu ta'ala for his umma, and his intercession will be accepted. This fact has been reported as ijma' by Islamic scholars.

None of the Imams called it shirk or Bidah.  Also note that many scholars have cited the above report in "Manasik of Hajj and visiting the grave of Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and they have done Istadlal from it and none of the classical Imams called this incident as Shirk or Bidah, which proves beyond any shadow of doubt that great Imams of Ahlus Sunnah cited it as Proof and believed in Tawassul.  If there had been any hint of shirk in such practice then they would have never ignored to refute it let alone citing it in category of recommended deeds. 

It will be interesting to point out what Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah, a prolific writer and student of Ibn Taimiyyah,  wrote in Za’d al Ma’ad: 

 "there is no way to happiness and success in this life and the Hereafter except through the prophets. You cannot receive God's satisfaction except through their hands [wasilah]." And he continued, "It is known that the means [wasilah] to happiness and success in this life and the Hereafter is through the personages of the prophets and messengers themselves [bi dhawatihim]."  He adds, "Mediation (tawassul) through the prophets causes requests to be granted. And the granting of requests is by God." He continues, "Through mediation (tawassul) we receive blessings [ni'mat] from God. And the means to those blessings is itself a blessing from God. And no doubt the personages of the prophets and messengers is among the greatest of His blessings."  That is why it is permissible to say that the personages of the prophets are themselves intermediaries (wasilah) to God. He continues in his book, "It must be known that the biggest blessing and the greatest goodness and the greatest favor from God is the very existence of the personage of Muhammad (s), because he is the greatest prophet, the mercy for all human beings, the seal of the prophets and the intercessor of sinners.  And God has mentioned about the honor [shan] of the Prophet that God granted favors to the believers by sending Prophet Muhammad from among themselves."

He concludes, "It is confirmed that Prophet Muhammad (s) is `al-wasilat al-udhma fil dunya wal-akhirah.'--the greatest means and intermediary to God in this life and the Hereafter. And happiness and success will never be obtained except through him."  

It may be stated here that the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) practised Tawassul himself as can be seen from the following:  

The Prophet used to say after the two rak`at of the Dawn prayer: “O Allah, Lord of Jibril, of Israfil, of Mika’il, and Lord of Muhammad the Prophet: I seek refuge in You from the Fire…”


Commenting on the above, Imam Kawthari says in his MAQALAT, page 410: "....Nawawi mentions in the Adhkar that it was narrated by Ibn al-Sani, and Ibn Hajar graded it hasan or fair as mentioned by Ibn `Allab in his Commentary on the Adhkar (Vol. 2 p. 139). Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Alawi al-Maliki said: “The specific mention of the above in his du`a is understood as tawassul, as if he were saying: “O ALLAH, I ASK YOU AND I SEEK AS MEANS TO YOU JIBRIL, ISRAFIL, MIKA’IL, AND MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET. Ibn `Allab referred to this in his commentary.”

Our Prophet (sal-Allâhu ’alaihi wasallam) always said in his prayers, “Allâhumma innî as-aluka bi-haqqi ’s-sâ’ilîna ’alaika,” which mean: “O my Allâhu ta’âlâ! I ask Thee for the sake of those people whom Thou hast given whatever they asked” and recommended to pray so.   In this case, he (s) was using those who ask God to be the intermediaries for his supplication.

Imam al-Hujjah al-Ghazali quotes in Ihya' the hadith sahih narrated by Imam Ibn Majah and declared strong by Imam Ibn Hajar, according to which Anas Ibn Malik (R) reports the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), making du'a by saying, "Allahumma, inni asaluKa bi-haqqi-s-sa'ilina ilayK." This du'a is also quoted as sahih by Imam Ibn Maja and Imam Abu Naim, and is authenticated by Imam Suyuti in Jami'u-l-Kabir.

According to Sunni scholars, intermediary to Allah  is integral to true belief and there is no contradiction in asking Allah both with or without an intermediary, although in reality there are always several kinds of intermediary present, beginning with one's own state, obedience, belief, acts, sincerity, etc. Only those with deficient knowledge or imperfect belief imagine that the person who asks Allah through an intermediary has associated another to his worship of Allah. The Prophet explained this to the Companions once and for all when he said to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq: "Help is not sought with me [i.e. in reality], help is sought with Allah." He did not say to Abu Bakr: Asking me is forbidden and constitutes association to Allah, but he explained to him that by the Prophet is but the most effective intermediary to asking Allah.  The hadith "Help is not sought with me" must therefore be interpreted in the light of the fact that asking for help applies to whoever the help comes from including in respect to causation and acquisition [i.e. secondary causes]; this is what the Arabic means and the Shari`a permits.  This meaning is supported by the hadith in Bukhari (Kitab al-Tawhid) touching on intercession on the Day of Resurrection, in which people sought help from Adam, then Musa, then Muhammad, on him be Allah's blessings and peace, and the latter replies: "I can do it."  It is essential to understand that it is not, in reality, the Prophet who is the ultimate object of supplication, nor is he the one who grants it, but he is the best means of forwarding it to Allah and for its being granted by Allah. This is clear in the Prophet's prayer to Allah, in his words, "through Your Prophet and the Prophets before me" and "through those who ask" in the following two hadiths:

On the authority of Abu Sa`id al-Khudri (R): He relates that the Messenger of Allah said: "The one who leaves his house for prayer and then says: "O Allah, I ask you by the right of those who ask you and I beseech you by the right of those who walk this path unto you that my going forth bespeak not of levity, pride nor vainglory nor done for the sake of repute. I have gone forth in the warding off your anger and for the seeking of your pleasure. I ask you, therefore, to grant me refuge from hell fire and to forgive me my sins. For no one forgive sins but yourself." Allah will accept for his sake and seventy thousand angels will seek his forgiveness."

It is narrated by Anas bin Malik. He said: When the mother of ‘Ali bin Abu Talib — Fātimah bint Asad bin Hāshim — died, Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) called on her and sat down by the head of the bed and said, “O dear mother, may Allah have mercy on you. After my mother, you were the one I regarded as my mother. When I was hungry you fed me to the point of saturation while you yourself remained hungry. Then you helped me put on clothes and instead of eating yourself, you gave me nice things to eat. You did all this for Allah’s pleasure and for a good reward in the Hereafter.” Then he (the Prophet) commanded to bathe her three times. When camphor water was brought, Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) poured some water into his hands. Then Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) took off his shirt and clothed her with it and used his own sheet of cloth as her coffin.Then Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) sent for Usamah bin Zayd, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and ‘Umar bin al-Khattab and the negro slave to dig up the grave. So they dug her grave. When they reached near the lahd, Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) dug it up and drew the soil out with his own hands. When he finished, Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) entered and lay down in (the grave), and said, “It is Allah Who controls life and death, and He is Ever living and will never die. (O Allah,) forgive my mother—Fatimah bint Asad— and help her answer properly at the time of questioning and through the mediation of Your Prophet (Muhammad) and the former prophets, make her grave capacious. Surely You are infinitely Merciful.” Then he repeated, “God is Great” four times (i.e. led the funeral prayer). Then he, ‘Abbas and Abu Bakr as-Siddiq lowered her into the grave.

[Tabarani Mu'jam Al-Ausat Volume 001, Page Number 67-68, Hadith Number 189.   Mahmud Sa‘id Mamduh graded it hasan (fair) in his [Raf‘-ul-minarah Page No.147-8]. (Tabarani Mu’jam al-Ausat Publish: Dar al Haramain, al-Qahira) 

[The Arabic transliteration is as follows:  “Ighfir li-ummî Fâtimata binti Asad wa wassi’ ’alaihâ madkhalahâ bi-haqqi nabiyyika wa ’l-anbiyâ’ illadhîna min qablî innaka arhamu ’r-râhimîn.” Which mean: “O Allâhu ta’âlâ! Forgive Mother Fâtimat binti Asad, her sins! Widen the place she is in! Accept this prayer of mine for the right [love] of Thy Prophet and of the prophets who came before me! Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful!”]

[It is related in Musnad Ahmad 3:21, Ibn Majah (Masajid), al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib 1:179, Ibn Khuzayma in his Sahih, Ibn al-Sani, and Abu Nu`aym. Ghazali mentions it in the Ihya and `Iraqi said: "It is hasan." Nawawi mentions only Ibn al-Sani's two chains in the Adhkar and says they are da`if (weak). However, Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani says it is hasan in al-Amali al-masriyya (#54) and also in the Takhrij of Nawawi's book, explaining that the latter neglected Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri's narration and omitted to mention Ibn Majah's. See Imam Kawthari's remarks on this hadith below]:

Imam al-Kawthari says about this hadith in his Maqalat (p. 410):

“It provides textual evidence whereby there is no difference between the living and the dead in the context of tawassul, and THIS IS EXPLICIT TAWASSUL THROUGH THE PROPHETS, while the hadith of Abu Sa`id al-Khudri, “O Allah, I ask You by the right of those who ask You” constitutes tawassul through the generality of Muslims, both the living and the dead.”

Imam Ghazali (d.1111 c.e.) states in his IHYA, that the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) instructed Hadhrat Abu Bakr (R) to invoke in the following manner:  " O Allah, I pray to You by the help of Your Apostle Muhammad (sal Alllahu alayhi wasallam), Your friend Ibrahim, Moosa with whom You spoke, Your word and spirit 'Isa, the Torah of Moosa, the Injil of "Isa, Zabur of Dawood and Qur'an of Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)."

It is reported by ‘Amr bin Shu‘ayb that his grandfather says: we were present in the company of the holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) when messengers from Hawāzin tribe came and said: O Muhammad! We belong to the same origin and tribe, and the trouble we are facing is not hidden from you, therefore, have mercy on us. The holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) replied, “Opt for one of the two choices: either take away your property and wealth or have your women freed.” They opted for their women and children. Then the Messenger of Allah ((sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)added: as far as my share and the share of ‘Abd-ul-Muttalib and his children (in the spoils) is concerned, I have already given it to you. But when I have performed the noon prayer, you should all stand up and say:

"Through the means of the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) we seek help for our women and children from believers (or Muslims)"

The narrator says that when people had finished their prayer, they repeated the same words as the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) advised them.
[Reference: Nasā’ī, Sunan, book of hibah (gifts) 6:262-3].

It is crystal clear that the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) did teach supplication through Tawassul to his companions. 

According to a tradition reported on the authority of the Mother  of the Faithful, Aisha (R), the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) said:  "O Allah! Grant Islam respect  through Umar ibn Khattab." (Ibn Majah).

That was during the sixth year of the Prophethood.  After the aforesaid prayers of the Prophet Sal'am, Umar (R) embraced Islam.  His acceptance of Islam, according to ibn Mas'ood (R) was indeed Islam's victory.

Even during the battles, the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) used to invoke Wasila and praye to Allah for his help for the right of the poor aong the Muhajiroon (Emigrants), i.e. those who migrated from Makkah to Madina Munawwara to escape the oppression and tyranny of the polytheists. 

According to Sahih Bukhari, vol.9, Book 93, No.568: Narrated Abu Moosa: "Whenever a beggar or a person in need of something came to the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) he used to say (to his companions) 'Intercede (for him) and you will be interceded for that, and Allah will fulfill what He will through His Apostle's tongue."

Umar bin Khattab reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Worthy amongst the successors would be a person who would be called Uwais. He would have his mother (living with him) and he would have (a small) sign of leprosy. Ask him to beg pardon for you (from Allah). [Muslim, Book 31 - The book pertaining to the merits of the Companions Radiallahu Anhum Ajma'een, Hadith 6171] 

There can be no denying the fact that the Wasila of the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) makes a huge difference for the believers in both the worlds.

To continue, Insha Allah…

NASIR

**[Who is Al-’Utbi? He is Muhammad ibn Ubaydullah ibn ‘Amru ibn Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Amru ibn Utbah ibn Abi Sufyan Sakhr ibn Harb. He was from the most eloquent of men, a companion of narrations, and a narrator of literature. He reported from his father and from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah. Taqiyud-Din As-Subki reports the narration that we are soon to go over in his Shifaa’ As-Siqaam regarding the visiting of the grave of the Nabi (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). He reports this narration with his chain. ((See Futuhaat Ar-Rabbaaniyah 5/39 )]

(1):

*Nawawi, Adhkar, Mecca ed. p. 253-254, al- Majmu` 8:217, and al-Idah fi manasik al-hajj, chapters on visiting the grave of the Prophet;
*Ibn Jama`a, Hidayat alsalik 3:1384;

*Ibn `Aqil, al-Tadhkira;
*Ibn Qudaamah Al-Maqdisi in his magnum opus Al-Mughni, the great Hanbali work. He transcribed this narration beneath his chapter, “Chapter on Visiting the Grave of the Prophet.” ;
* al-Qurtubi, Tafsir of 4:64 in Ahkam al-Qur’an 5:265;
*Samhudi, Khulasat al-Wafa p. 121 (from Nawawi);
* Dahlan, Khulasat al-Kalam 2:247;
*Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir, in which he prefaces the narration with: “And a group [of scholars], amongst them Ash-Shaykh Abu Mansur As-Sabbaagh in his treatise “Ash-Shaamil” mentioned the well known story from Al-’Utbi…”,
and al-Bidayat wa al-nihayat 1:180;

* Abu al-Faraj ibn Qudama, al-Sharh al-kabir 3:495;
*al-Bahuti al-Hanbali, Kashshaf al-qina` 5:30;
*. Taqiyud-Din As-Subki reports the narration in his Shifaa’ As-Siqaam p. 52, regarding the visiting of the grave of the Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). He reports this narration with his chain. ((See Futuhaat Ar-Rabbaaniyah 5/39 ))
*Ibn al-Jawzi, Muthir al-gharam al-sakin ila ashraf alamakin p. 490;

*al-Baihaqi, Shu`ab al-iman #4178;

*Ibn `Asakir, Mukhtasar tarikh Dimashq 2:408;

* Ibn Hajar al- Haytami, al-Jawhar al-munazzam [commentary on Nawawi's Idah];
* Imam Al-Baaji reports this narration in his Sunan As-Saaliheen.
* Imam Ath-Tha’labi narrates it in his Tafsir
*Ibn al-Najjar, Akhbar al-Madina p. 147. A similar report is cited through Sufyan ibn `Uyayna (Shafi`i’s shaykh), and through Abu Sa`id al-Sam`ani on the authority of `Ali.

*Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muheet by Imam Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi (3/282, Dar al Fikr edition).

*Imam al-Mutaqi al-Hindi in Kanz ul Amaal (1/714 #10422). 

*Ibn ‘Asakir in Tahdhīb tarikh Dimashq al-kabir popularly known as Tarikh/Tahdhib Ibn ‘Asakir as quoted by Imam as-Subki in Shifa’-us-siqam fī ziyaat khayr-il-anam (pp. 46-7). 

Part 1: KHIZR (A.S.) - HIS MYSTERIOUS PERSONALITY AND AURA.

From the Layman's Desk- 3: KHIZR (ALAI HISALAAM) – HIS MYSTERIOUS PERSONALITY AND AURA - PART 1.



In the name of Allah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful.



There are certain questions commonly asked about Khizr (a.s.): Where does he live? Is he still alive? Is he a Prophet, or a Wali-Allah? Is his rank higher than Moses (Musa a.s.)?


Where does Khizr (a.s.) live?



According to Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyyudeen Abd al-Qadir Jilani ®, among the saints are those who during their sleep eat and drink from the food and drinks of the Paradise. They also see the contents of the Paradise. Among such saints are those who become free of any need for food and drink and who retreat from the creatures, become invisible to them, and live on earth without dying, such as Ilyas and Khizr (a.s.). Allah has a large number of them being a veil on this earth. They can see people, yet people cannot see them. The saints among them form a majority but the eminent represent only a minority – a few isolated individuals to whom everyone comes and draws near. The food and drinks of the angels is the remembrance and glorification of Allah and the recitation of “There is no god save Allah”. For these few individuals among the saints, this becomes their food.



According to the author of al-Insanu’l Kamil, Abd al-Karim Jili who was born exactly two hundred years after the passing away of the Saint of Jilan, the earth of the souls (ardu’l nafoos) was created by God as whiter than milk and sweeter than musk but when Adam walked in it after his Fall, it become dust-coloured except one region in the north which was never reached by any sinner. (Note: Adam a.s. cannot be called a “sinner”) This region is ruled by Khizr a.s. and inhabited by the men of the Unseen World (Rijalul Ghaib) who are exalted saints and angels of whom six classes are described which we need not mention here. According to Mathnavi, the Mithal World (i.e. the Alam-i-Ghayb or Alam-i-Mithal which is the World of Similitudes which is dimensional and characterized by colour like the world of dreams) is not open to the ordinary eyes. It has different sky and sun and also has clouds and rains of its own. But it is not the world which comes after death which is also called Mithal or Barzakh.

According to al-Tabari (i.442), he is believed to be living on an island, while according to Imam Bukhari (Tafsir Surah 18, Ch.3), he lives on a green carpet called "tinfisa" in the heart of the sea. 

According to some ‘Ulema, Khizr (a.s.) spends most of his time in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. Some local populace even point out that he had stayed for a long time in the citadel of Salah al-Din Ayyubi in the city of Alleppo in Northern Syria, and in Amman in Jordan.



Is Khizr (a.s.) still alive?

We are told by the famous exegete of Qur’an,  Ibn Kathir  in his Tareekh, that Khizr (a.s.) was the son of Adam (a.s.) who prayed to Allah that his son may be granted a long life till the Day of Judgment. Adam (a.s.) then gave his son the tidings of his long life and instructed him to bury him after his death. Much later, during the time of Noah (Nuh a.s.) when there was destruction by the floods, and Noah had sailed in his ark with a handful of believers that included Khizr (a.s.).



However, Ibn Kathir, holds  that Khizr (a.s.) was alive from the time of Adam to Moses (Musa a.s.) but not thereafter,  which  is not supported by the majority of Islamic scholars. Even during the time of Taba’tabi’een i.e. the generation that came after that of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (s), and after the generation of the Tabi’een who had seen the Companions, it was common knowledge that Khizr a.s. was alive and that his death will occur only during the time of Dajjal the false prophet, whose appearance is considered among the greater signs of the imminent Qiyamat or the Day of Judgment. Accordingly in Sahih Muslim (i.e. the authentic compilation of the Hadiths or prophetic traditions according to Muslim) we find the following hadith narrated b Abu Ishaaq who was from the Taba’tabi’een:



Dajjaal will kill a person once and then bring him back to life, then he will ask him, “Do you believe that I am God?” That person will reply, “No! I am convinced that you are the Dajjaal of which the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) informed us”. Dajjaal will throw him in his fire, which in reality will be Paradise.The narrator of this Hadith is Abu Is-haaq who says: It is commonly known that this person would be Khidr (Alay hissalaam). (Sahih Muslim, Chapter on Dajjaal).  Imam Nawawi,  who has written a commentary ('Sharh') on Sahih Muslim, provides  many references as well as the statements of scholars  to prove that Khizr (a.s.) is alive.  



Then in a Hadith narrated by Abu Sa’id (r), Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said: "Dajjal will come but it will be prohibited and impossible for him to enter Madina. He will set up a camp in a barren land outside Madina. One person who will be the best of persons will confront him by saying: "I bear witness that you are the very Dajjal about whom Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has informed us." Dajjal will say to his followers, "If I kill this person and then revive him, you people will still doubt me?" They will reply, "No." He will then kill this person, (according to another narration he will split this person in two) and thereafter revive him. This person will say, "I am totally convinced more than ever before that you definitely are Dajjal." Dajjal will attempt to kill this person again but his efforts will now be in vain. (According to a hadith, after this incident, Dajjal will not be able to harm anyone.) from: "Signs of Qiyamah" by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali. 



The above hadith is mentioned with two chains in Abu Yala’s Musnad, in Hakim’s Mustadrak, Ibn Majah’s Sunan, Nu’aym’s and al-Dani’s Kitab al-Fitnah coming from different chains, and thus strengthening one another regarding the matter. Al-Barzanji (d.1103) confirms citing Ibn ‘Abbas and Mamar and others that the person who will be killed is al-Khizr.  Another famous Muhaddith, Ibnus Salaah too states that according to the majority of Islamic scholars and others, Khizr (a.s.) is alive. 


According to the modern  Islamic scholar, G.F. Haddad,  it is confirmed by the hadith related from Abu 'Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah whereby the Holy Prophet (s) said: "It may be that one of those who saw me and heard my speech shall meet the Dajjal." This is narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (15:181) with a weak chain according to Shaykh Shu'ayb Arna'ut.  He points out that according to Imam al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan, the latter  said since it is also narrated from three other Companions, he thus graded the hadith itself "fair and single-chained (hasan gharib) as narrated from Abu 'Ubayda.



The strongest transmitted proofs about the life of al-Khizr (a.s.) are:



1. A report narrated by Imam Ahmad in al-Zuhd whereby the Holy Prophet (s) is said to have stated that Ilyas and al-Khiḍr meet every year and spend the month of Ramadan in Jerusalem.



2. The other report narrated by Ya'qub ibn Sufyan from the 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz whereby a man he was seen walking with was actually al-Khiḍr.   Imam Dhahbi mentions in his biography of this saintly Caliph, that  al-Khizr had come to give him the glad tidings of his becoming a ruler of the Muslim world. 



3. A report narrated by ibn “Asakir from Abu Zur’a al-Razi stating that the latter met al-Khidr twice: once in his youth and again in his old age but that al-Khidr himself had not not changed.



Scholars inform us that Ibn Hajar declared the chain of the first fair and that of the second sound in Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 6:435) and that the above third report is cited by himself stating it to be sound. The hadith-master, Al-Sakhawi, too indicated in his biography of Imam Nawawi that the latter used to meet with Khizr (a.s.) and converse with him. There are also reports that Khizr (a.s.) met with Hazrat Ali ® by the Ka’ba and instructed him about a supplication that is very meritorious when recited after the obligatory prayers. The Sufis unanimously agree that Khizr (a.s.) is alive. Ibn al-Jawzi who belongs to the school of ibn Taimiyya does admit that Bilal al-Khawas met with al-Khizr and asked him what he thought of al-Shafi’i and was told that he is one of the Awtaad (Pillar-Saint) and when he asked about Ahmad ibn Hanbal he was told that he is a Siddiq. Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani says in his A’sabah that Khidr’s name is in the list of Companions of our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace).



According to Hafiz Ibn Taimiyya, what has been narrated in Musnad Al-Shafi’i and other books is that Khidr (a.s.)  did meet the Prophet (s).  It has been stated that the Holy Prophet (s) who was also a repository of ‘Ilm Ladunni did teach Khizr (a.s.) who was himself called the Tutor of the Prophets.  Khizr (a.s.) appearance at the funeral of the Holy Prophet (s) also appears  on record:



There are reports from al-Bayhaqi in his Dala'il an-Nubawwah that al-Khiḍr was present at the funeral of Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam), and was recognized only by Abu Bakr and Ali from amongst the rest of the companions, and where he came to show his grief and sadness at the passing away of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam).   Al-Khiḍr's appearance at Muhammad's (s) funeral is related as follows: A powerful-looking, fine-featured, handsome man with a white beard came leaping over the backs of the people till he reached where the sacred body lay. Weeping bitterly, he turned toward the Companions and paid his condolences. Abu Bakr and 'Ali said that he was Khiḍr. (Ibn al-Jazari 1994, p. 228.). Hearing the voice of al-Khizr (a.s.) during this time by the Ahle Bait is also mentioned by Imam Ghazali in his Ihya. In Hisn-e-Haseen (Fortified Stronghold) which is a collection of invocations and devotional utterances, by ibn Muhammad al-Jazri ash-Shaafi'i, it is stated that Khizr (a.s.) actually came to visit the Companions ® , after the Holy Prophet (s) had passed away but before the burial.  Even the Najdi  Shaykh ibn Abdul Wahaab writes, “After the death of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) a voice was heard, ‘O family of the Prophet, be patient and peace be upon you.’” [Mukhtaser Sirat-ur-Rasool, Chapter ‘Death of Prophet’]Then there are many reports of al-Khizr interaction with the Awliya-Allah as we shall see later. In fact, it is reported in the Ihya that whenever any thought occurred in the mind of al-Khizr that there was no Awliya-Allah whom he did not know, then he would come across one whom he never knew before.


The dissenting opinion that Khizr (a.s.) was not alive after the time of Moses is based on a hadith in Bukhari's compilations, where the Holy Prophet (may Allah Bless him and grant him Peace) said:  Of all the people alive on the earth today, none will be living in a hundred years' time.  This has been explained by Islamic scholars that it is possible that at that juncture of time Khizr (a.s.) was present  in a location other than this material world.  The second reason for the dissenting opinion is the supplication made by the Holy Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace)  on the occasion of the Battle of Badr:  “There are three hundred and thirteen people with me. If we do not triumph then no one will be left to worship you O Allah.”  On this basis, those who conclude that if Khidr (Alay hissalaam) were alive,  then he would have joined the Muslim army, increasing the total number of the participants to three hundred and fourteen.  This, too, is easily explained: First, according to scholars, there is not even a single hadith, either Sahih or Dhaeef, to lend support to this opinion.  Secondly, just as there were thousands of angels present during the said battle but all their names have not been mentioned, likewise, it is possible that Khizr (a.s.)'s name too has not been mentioned.  Then, he being a person from the Unseen World, there is no confirmation whether he did join or did not join the Battle.  Taking the worst-case scenario that Khizr (a.s.) did not join the Battle, this does not detract from the fact that he is not alive because we know that 'Isa (a.s.) too is alive in the heavens and despite the primordial covenant with Allah (Qur'an 3:81) to believe and help the Messenger  (i.e. Mohammed Mustafa sallalahu alayhi wassallam) who will come to confirm the Scriptures,   'Isa (a.s.) did not come down to help  does not mean that he broke that covenant made in the spiritual world.  So there is nothing inappropriate even if Khizr (a.s.) did not join the Battle of Badr.   Therefore, the minority opinion cannot stand in the face of the overwhelming majority evidence which suggests  that Khizr (a.s.) is alive and will remain so till the days of Dajjal whose appearance is foretold in the many prophetic traditions.   Lastly, Ibn 'Ata' Allah in Lata'if al-Minan (1:84-98) showed that there is consensus of opinion among the Sufis that al-Khidr is alive, thus rejecting any evidence to the contrary. 



Is Khizr (a.s.) a Prophet or a Wali?



According to some scholars Khizr (a.s.) is an angel in the human form and therefore not bound by the laws of Shariah, and the words “Abdan min Ibaadana,” used in the Qur’an, are no proof that he was a human being – since the word “Abd” has also been used for angels in the Qur’an, e.g. Surah Anbiya (21:26) and Surah Zakhuruf (14:19). In the prophetic traditions, the word “Rajul,” has been used for Khizr (a.s.) which is generally translated as “human being”. However, we find the word “Rajul” being used for the Jinn also, as in Surah Jinn (22:6): “And persons from among men used to seek refuge with persons from among Jinn.” This view is held by some scholars of the present and the past, including Ibn Kathir (1301-1373 c.e.).   According to Dr. Muhammad Tahir al-Qadri, Khizr (a.s.) is a Wali according to the  majority of  scholars.   



Before we proceed further let us look into the Holy Qur’an in this regard.



Now, when we come to the Holy Qur’an, we don’t find the name of Khizr (a.s.) just as we don’t find the names of many other prophets. However, in Surah Kahf of the Holy Qur’an a reference is made to him as “a slave of Ours unto whom We had given mercy from Us and had taught him knowledge from Our Presence.” who is “one of our slaves, unto whom we had taught knowledge peculiar to us” (wa 'allalnnahu min ladunna ilmy)(18:66). Moses sought Hazrat Khizr and some of these references are found in the Holy Qur’an right from verses 61 to 83. The allusion is clearly to Sayyidna Khizr Abu’l Abbas. The events mentioned in the Surah do not find any place in the Bible.



The story of Moses and Khizr, based on prophetic traditions, in short is: Once Moses delivered a lecture in which he taught the people what God had taught him. During the lecture, a questioner asked him whether he found anyone lse more learned than him. He said, “No”. Then Allah was annoyed with him that he did not attribute the best knowledge to Him and then He revealed to him: “Yes, there is Our Servant at the junction of the two rivers who know more than thee.” Moses therefore asked for a way leading towards him. He was inspired that the way leading to him would be shown to him by a salted fish. He could not understand the reason why the salted fish would show him the way towards Hazrat Khizr. Moses and a young man, Yusha bin Nun (Joshua) set out in search of him. They took with them some cakes of barley, a salted fish in a basket and travelled till they reached a rock (Sakhra) but did not find a clue. So Moses went ahead and left his companion behind. The fish began to stir in water and the water assumed the form of an ark over the fish. The young man said that he should inform Allah’s Apostle. But he was made to forget and when they had gone beyond that place, Moses said to the young man: “Bring breakfast. We’ve been exhausted before the end of the journey. Actually, Moses was not exhausted up to the point where he was supposed to meet Hazrat Khizr and it was only after he had crossed that place that he felt exhausted. Then Joshua was reminded and said: “Did you not see that as we reached Sakhra I forgot the fish and it is Satan alone who has made me forgetful of it? It is strange that he has been able to find way in the ocean too.” He said: “This is what we sought for us.” They returned, retracing their steps, and his companion pointed to him the location where the fish had been lost. Moses began to search him there.



To continue with the story, suddenly Moses saw Khizr wrapped in a cloth and lying on his back. He said to him, “Assalaam Alaykum.”



He removed the cloth from his face and said: “Wa Alaykum Salaam. Who are you?”



He said: “I’m Moses of Bani Israil.”



He asked: “What brought you here?”



Surah Kahaf tells us further:



“Moses said unto him: May I follow thee, to the end that thou mayst teach me right conduct of that of which thou hast been taught?” (18:67)



“He said: Lo thou canst not bear with me. How canst thou bear with that whereof thou canst compass any knowledge?” (18: 68-69)



“He said: Allah willing, thou shalt find me patient and I shall not in ought gainsay thee.” (18:70)



“He said: Well, if thou go with me, ask me not concerning aught till I myself mention of it unto thee.” (18:71)



“So the twain set out till, when they were in the ship, he made a hole therein. (Moses) said: Hast thou made a hole therein to drown the folk threof? Thou verily hast done a dreadful thing.” (18:72)



“He said: Did I not tell thee thou couldst not bear with me?” (18:73)



“(Moses) said: Be not wroth with me that I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my fault.” (18:74)



“So the twain journeyed on till, when they met a lad, he slew him. (Moses said: What! Hast thou slain an innocent soul who hath slain no man? Verily thou hast done a horrid thing.” (18: 75)



“He said: Did I not tell thee that thou couldst not bear with me?” (18:76)



“(Moses) said: If I ask thee after this concerning aught, keep not company with me. Though hast received an excuse from me.” (18:77)



“So they twain journeyed on till, when they came unto the folk of a certain township, they asked its folk for food, but they refused to make them guests. And they found therein a wall upon the point of falling into ruin, and he repaired it. (Moses) said: If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken payment for it.” (18: 78)



“He said: This is the parting between thee and me! I will announce unto you the interpretation of that though couldst not bear with patience. As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the river* and I wished to mar it, for there was a king behind them who is taking every ship by force. And as for the lad, his parents were believers and We feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. And We intended that their Lord should change him for that for the one better in purity and nearer to mercy. And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father had been righteous, and they Lord intended that they should come to their full strength and should bring forth their treasure as a mercy from their Lord, and I did it not upon my own command. Such is the interpretation of that wherewith thou couldst not bear.” (18:79 to 83)



(*could be “sea”. Some scholars state that since Moses lived in Egypt for 20 years, the probable location of the meeting was the confluence of River Nile at Khartum (Sudan). We also find the word “ocean” being used in traditions. Some say that it was the confluence of sea of Greece and Sea of Persia)



Muhyuddin Ibn ‘Arabi (1165-1240 c.e.) in his Fusoos al Hikam has discussed about al-Khizr in the chapter entitled The World of Moses (see Wisdom of the Prophets/Bezels of Wisdom). Briefly, it appears that when Moses reproached al-Khizr for slaying the boy, Moses had not recalled then that prior to his prophethood, he had murdered an Egyptian (28:14-15), without any affliction of his soul. This was because he had done this under Divine impulsion and with approbation of God deep inside him but without his perceiving it. As we know all prophets are interiorly preserved from sin without their being conscious about it, and Moses was not acquitted until he had received a Divine revelation on the subject. Such was the state of al-Khizr who said that he had not done the killing out of his own initiative. When Moses fled, it was apparently fleeing out of fear but was in truth the love of salvation. Perforation of the boat seemed on the surface as destruction of the folks but was really to save them from oppression of a violent man. Just the way the throwing of infant Moses into the waters of Nile seemed on the surface as an act of violence but was in fact done by his mother to save his life from the cruel Pharoah, being reassured by Divine inspiration ( see Qur’an: 28.6) which she did not realize then but lived with the hope and confidence that God would him back to her. When al-Khizr had repaired the wall of the house belonging to two orphans without any payment, this was to draw Moses’s attention to his own conduct, i.e. when after fleeing from Egypt and reaching Median he had helped the two girls by drawing water from the well without asking for a payment but attributing the essence of good that he did to God alone by withdrawing into the shade (Divine Shade) and saying: “Oh my Lord, I am poor with regard to the blessings thou has bestowest on me,” (Qur’an 28:24) and thus qualified himself as a faqir or needy towards God.



Some commentators and Islamic scholars find symbolisms in the story of the meeting between Moses and al-Khizr and a divine testing of Moses. Shafi’i in Maarif al-Qur’an says: Perhaps Joshua forgot due to the reason that his thoughts strayed away to his homeland since he was in a journey. According to Yusuf Ali, “Fish” is the fruit of secular knowledge, while according to some “Fish” is a way to knowledge, and the two oceans signify perfect knowledge or the combination of esoteric knowledge (of al-Khidr) and the exoteric knowledge (of Moses). Such wisdom is only attainable by the will, mercy and grace of Allah. As Yusuf Ali says: Overall, the episode of Khidr in the Qur’an is a reflection and representation of the paradoxes of life. Above all, it symbolizes the delicate balance between ‘patience and faith as they were enjoined” on Moses after he understood the meaning of those paradoxes explained to him by Khidr himself.   According to Dr. Tahir al-Qadri, where Dariya-e-Shariat and Dariya-e-Wilayat meet, there’s arises the Wilayah according to the principles of Irfani Tafseer.  The place where a dead fish became alive, i.e. where death finds life, there resides the real Wali: “jahaan maut ko hayaat mil jaaye wahaan wali asl rehta hai.” This proves the karamah of bringing dead to life by a Wali belonging to the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (s).  Again, existence of ilm-e-ladduni, or direct knowledge from Allah, is also proven from the Qur’an through the episode of Moses and al-Khizr.  The bottom line of the episode of Moses and Hazrat Khizr is Allah transcends all human calculations; that there are paradoxes in life; apparent loss may really be some gain; apparent cruelty may be real mercy; returning good for evil may really be justice and not generosity.


Not only a meaningful symbolism, this episode has gone on to form a basis of some jurisprudence too.  As, for example, when Ibn Abbas (r) was asked to give his opinion whether the children of enemy could be killed in war, he said that the Messenger of Allah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) never killed children.  Then Ibn Abbas (r) stated:  and thou shouldst not kill them unless thou knew what the companion of Moses (i. e. Khadir) knew about the boy he had killed. (Sahih Muslim: Book 19:4458).  We also learn from traditions that the king who used to seize the ships was Hudad bin Budad.  The boy who was killed was known as Haisur, and his parents were thereafter compensated with a girl.  (See Sahih Bukhari: Vol.6, Book 60:250)



Additionally, the above narration is supported by authentic traditions such as reported in, for example, Sahih Muslim, which has long hadiths in the Chapter entitled Kitaab al-Fazaail, and reported by Ubayy bin Ka’b who heard it directly from the Holy Prophet (s), Sa’d bin Jubair, Ibn Abbas, Utba b.Mas’ud, and Abu Ishaq are included among the narrators.  (Details can also be had from various hadiths in Sahih Bukhari, including: Vol.1, Book 3:74; Vol.3, Book 50:888; Vol.6, Book 60:249,250 and 251; Sahih Muslim: Book 30:5864 and 5867).  We also learn from the above narration that when a sparrow flew down on the boat and perched on the wall of the boat and took water in its beak from the ocean, Hazrat Khizr a.s., said: My knowledge and your knowledge in comparison with the knowledge of Allah is even less than the water taken by the sparrow in its beak in comparison to the water of the ocean. According to Holy Prophet (s), if Moses could have shown some patience, a fuller story of them would have been told.



It may be stated here that Khizr (a.s.) is a prophet since Allah has called him as “whom We had blessed.” (18:65) Therefore, in this Qur’anic verse the word that has been used, namely, “Rehma” is usually attributed to Prophets of Allah. Fakhrudin al-Razi in his Tafseer attributes the view that Khizr (a.s.) is a Prophet. The way Moses, who was one of the mightiest Messengers and Prophets of Allah, humbled himself before him for seeking righteous knowledge, as well as Allah’s Mercy and imparting knowledge from His presence to Khizr (a.s.) who receives direct illumination from Allah without human mediation, suggest that he is a Prophet of Allah.


Does Khizr (a.s.) rank higher than Moses (Musa a.s.)?



Allah the Exalted said: Each one of the believers believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers." and they say, "We hear nd we obey." We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord and to You is the return of all." (al-Qur’an: 2:285)


Therefore, no distinction between the prophets should be made. However, in the sight of Allah, He has exalted some over the others:


The prophets and messengers have different levels and degrees. Allah the Almighty stated: Those messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others he raised to degrees (of honor). (Ch 2:253) When the above verse speaks of Allah speaking directly to some, it's Moses.  Therefore, Moses holds a very high rank in comparison to Khizr (a.s.)., who was also blessed and given knowledge from His presence.  But his knowledge was different from the knowledge given to Moses.  It has been narrated in Imam Ghazali’s Ihya, that Moses asked al-Khizr why Allah has given him the knowledge of the Unseen.  Khizr replied: For giving up sins in order to incur the pleasure of Allah. He also advised Moses not to walk without necessity, to walk with a smiling face, be a benefactor rather than being an injurious person, not to laugh when not satisfied, not to accuse the sinners without sharing in their sins. “O son of Imran!” he said, “Weep for thy faults.”


According to Jili, Prophets like Muhammad (s) and Moses not only had the Prophecy of Saintship, i.e. Nubuwwatu’l Wilayat but also held Nubuwwatu’l Tashri, i.e. Prophecy of Institution, as they were sent to promulgate and establish a new religious code. However, Prophets such as Jesus and Hazrat Khizr having nothing more than the Prophecy of Saintship. The commentators have therefore held that the rank of Moses is higher than that of Khizr (a.s.). But that does not take us away from the fact that this conclusively proves that Hazrat Khizr (a.s.) is not an angel but that he belongs to the brotherhood of the Prophets many of whom have not been named or even referred to in the Qur’an, though Hazrat Khizr (a.s.) is on a better footing since an event pertaining to him has been related in the Holy Qur’an as shown above. In fact, as we noted before, Islamic tradition describes Khizr (a.s.) as the Tutor of Prophets, save and excepting the Holy Prophet (s) who taught Khizr (a.s.) since the Holy Prophet (s) too is a repository of knowledge (‘ilm ladunni) emanating from Allah.


Hazrat Khizr has special gifts from Allah: (1) Mercy from Him, and (2) Knowledge from him. The first freed him from the ordinary incidents of daily human life; while the second entitled him to interpret the inner meaning and mystery of events. Hazrat Khizr’s knowledge is fresh and green and drawn out from Allah’s own knowledge. He is a mysterious being who has to be sought out.  That going in search of a Wali is the Sunnah of the prophets is proven from the Qur'an and prophetic traditions, according to Dr. Muhammed Tahir al-Qadri.   He has the secrets of the paradoxes of life which ordinary people do not understand or understand it in a wrong sense.



We ask Allah ‘O Allah whatever we have said, if it is true accept it but if it is false we ask you to forgive us’. Amin! 


Allah and His Rasool (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) knows Best.


NASIR.



TO CONTINUE…