Sahih al-Bukhari 3401
Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair:
I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses 
(the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses." Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's enemy (i.e. 
Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka`b told us that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Once Moses stood up and addressed 
Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, 'I.' Allah 
admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, 
'Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.' Moses 
said, 'O my Lord! How can I meet him?' 
Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will 
lose the fish.' Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, 
Yusha` bin Noon, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, 
and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a 
tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet (ﷺ) pointed 
out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his 
boy (servant), 'Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' 
Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy 
(servant) said to him, 'Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and 
none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an 
amazing way?.' So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, 'That was what 
we were seeking after.' So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. 
There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, 'How 
do people greet each other in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man asked, 'Moses of Bani 
Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah 
has taught you.' He said, 'O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught 
me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has 
taught you and which I do not know.' Moses asked, 'May I follow you?' He said, 'But you will not be 
able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to 
understand?' 
(Moses said, 'You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.') So, 
both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of 
the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board 
without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and 
dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. 
Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's 
Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.' Then 
suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked 
a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, 'What have you done? They took us on board charging us 
nothing; yet you I have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, 
you have done a dreadful thing.' Al-Khadir replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to 
remain patient with me?' Moses replied, 'Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be 
hard upon me for my fault.' So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left 
the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys. 
Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator 
pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, "Have you killed an 
innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al-Khadir 
said, "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?' Moses said "If I ask you about 
anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.' Then both of them 
went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they 
refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse 
(and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with 
his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, "These are 
the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet 
you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir said, 
"This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which 
you could not remain patient." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "We wished that Moses could have remained 
patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator 
said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we 
would have been told further about their case.")
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا الْبَكَالِيَّ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى صَاحِبَ الْخَضِرِ لَيْسَ هُوَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُوسَى آخَرُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَنَّ مُوسَى قَامَ خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَسُئِلَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ أَنَا‏.‏ فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَلَى، لِي عَبْدٌ بِمَجْمَعِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْكَ‏.‏ قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ وَمَنْ لِي بِهِ ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ أَىْ رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ لِي بِهِ ـ قَالَ تَأْخُذُ حُوتًا، فَتَجْعَلُهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ، حَيْثُمَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّ ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ فَهْوَ ثَمَّهْ ـ وَأَخَذَ حُوتًا، فَجَعَلَهُ فِي مِكْتَلٍ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ هُوَ وَفَتَاهُ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ، حَتَّى أَتَيَا الصَّخْرَةَ، وَضَعَا رُءُوسَهُمَا فَرَقَدَ مُوسَى، وَاضْطَرَبَ الْحُوتُ فَخَرَجَ فَسَقَطَ فِي الْبَحْرِ، فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا، فَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْحُوتِ جِرْيَةَ الْمَاءِ، فَصَارَ مِثْلَ الطَّاقِ، فَقَالَ هَكَذَا مِثْلُ الطَّاقِ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَتِهِمَا وَيَوْمَهُمَا، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُوسَى النَّصَبَ حَتَّى جَاوَزَ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ فَتَاهُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ، وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهِ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ، وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا، فَكَانَ لِلْحُوتِ سَرَبًا وَلَهُمَا عَجَبًا‏.‏ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي، فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا، رَجَعَا يَقُصَّانِ آثَارَهُمَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ مُسَجًّى بِثَوْبٍ، فَسَلَّمَ مُوسَى، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ وَأَنَّى بِأَرْضِكَ السَّلاَمُ‏.‏ قَالَ أَنَا مُوسَى‏.‏ قَالَ مُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ، أَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رَشَدًا‏.‏ قَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ، عَلَّمَنِيهِ اللَّهُ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَّمَكَهُ اللَّهُ لاَ أَعْلَمُهُ‏.‏ قَالَ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ قَالَ ‏{‏إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا * وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا‏}‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏إِمْرًا‏}‏ فَانْطَلَقَا يَمْشِيَانِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ، فَمَرَّتْ بِهِمَا سَفِينَةٌ، كَلَّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوهُمْ، فَعَرَفُوا الْخَضِرَ، فَحَمَلُوهُ بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، فَلَمَّا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ جَاءَ عُصْفُورٌ، فَوَقَعَ عَلَى حَرْفِ السَّفِينَةِ، فَنَقَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ نَقْرَةً أَوْ نَقْرَتَيْنِ، قَالَ لَهُ الْخَضِرُ يَا مُوسَى، مَا نَقَصَ عِلْمِي وَعِلْمُكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ مَا نَقَصَ هَذَا الْعُصْفُورُ بِمِنْقَارِهِ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ‏.‏ إِذْ أَخَذَ الْفَأْسَ فَنَزَعَ لَوْحًا، قَالَ فَلَمْ يَفْجَأْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ وَقَدْ قَلَعَ لَوْحًا بِالْقَدُّومِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى مَا صَنَعْتَ قَوْمٌ حَمَلُونَا بِغَيْرِ نَوْلٍ، عَمَدْتَ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِمْ فَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا، لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلاَ تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا، فَكَانَتِ الأُولَى مِنْ مُوسَى نِسْيَانًا‏.‏ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا مِنَ الْبَحْرِ مَرُّوا بِغُلاَمٍ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ، فَأَخَذَ الْخَضِرُ بِرَأْسِهِ فَقَلَعَهُ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ـ وَأَوْمَأَ سُفْيَانُ بِأَطْرَافِ أَصَابِعِهِ كَأَنَّهُ يَقْطِفُ شَيْئًا ـ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلاَ تُصَاحِبْنِي، قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ مَائِلاً ـ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا وَأَشَارَ سُفْيَانُ كَأَنَّهُ يَمْسَحُ شَيْئًا إِلَى فَوْقُ، فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ سُفْيَانَ يَذْكُرُ مَائِلاً إِلاَّ مَرَّةً ـ قَالَ قَوْمٌ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُطْعِمُونَا وَلَمْ يُضَيِّفُونَا عَمَدْتَ إِلَى حَائِطِهِمْ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ، سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ وَدِدْنَا أَنَّ مُوسَى كَانَ صَبَرَ، فَقَصَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَرِهِمَا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى، لَوْ كَانَ صَبَرَ يُقَصُّ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَرَأَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَمَامَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحَةٍ غَصْبًا، وَأَمَّا الْغُلاَمُ فَكَانَ كَافِرًا وَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي سُفْيَانُ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْهُ‏.‏ قِيلَ لِسُفْيَانَ حَفِظْتَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْمَعَهُ مِنْ عَمْرٍو، أَوْ تَحَفَّظْتَهُ مِنْ إِنْسَانٍ فَقَالَ مِمَّنْ أَتَحَفَّظُهُ وَرَوَاهُ أَحَدٌ عَنْ عَمْرٍو غَيْرِي سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا وَحَفِظْتُهُ مِنْهُ‏.‏