Tarikh (al-Tabari) 228
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
[فِي اخْتِلَافِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فِي حَيَاةِ الْخَضِرِ وَمَوْتِهِ] وَقَدْ زَعَمَ قَوْمٌ أَنَّ الْخَضِرَ حَيٌّ إِلَى الْآنَ، وَاحْتَجُّوا بِأَحَادِيثَ لَا تَثْبُتُ، وَحِكَايَاتٍ عَنْ أَقْوَامٍ سَلِيمِي الصُّدُورِ، وَيَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمْ: لَقِيتُ الْخَضِرَ. فَأَمَّا الْأَحَادِيثُ: فَمِنْهَا مَا يُرْوَى عَنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ: أَنَّ الْخَضِرَ كَانَ مَعَ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ، وَأَنَّهُ سَبَقَ إِلَى الْعَيْنِ الَّتِي قَصَدَهَا ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ لَمَّا وَصَفَ لَهُ أَنَّ مَنْ شَرِبَ مِنْهَا خُلِّدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَشَرِبَ مِنْهَا فَأُعْطِيَ الْخُلْدَ لِذَلِكَ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: لَا أَعْلَمُهُ مَرْفُوعًا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، قَالَ: "يَلْتَقِي الْخَضِرُ وَإِلْيَاسُ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ فِي الْمَوْسِمِ، فَيَحْلِقُ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى رَأْسِ صَاحِبِهِ وَيَتَفَرَّقَانِ عَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْكَلِمَاتِ: "بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، لَا يَسُوقُ الْخَيْرَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَا يَصْرِفُ السُّوءَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا كَانَ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ، مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ". وَمِنْهَا مَا رُوِيَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ، أَنَّهُ، قَالَ: وُكِّلَ إِلْيَاسُ بِالْفَيَافِي، وَوُكِّلَ الْخَضِرُ بِالْبُحُورِ، وَقَدْ أُعْطِيَا الْخُلْدَ فِي الدُّنْيَا إِلَى الصَّيْحَةِ الْأُولَى، وَأَنَّهُمَا يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي كُلِّ مَوْسِمٍ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ. وعَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ يَحْيَى مَوْلَى عَوْنٍ الطَّفَاوِيِّ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ كَانَ مُرَابِطًا فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَبِعَسْقَلَانَ، قَالَ: بَيْنَا أَنَا أَسِيرُ فِي وَادِي الْأُرْدُنِّ إِذَا أَنَا بَرَجُلٍ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْوَادِي قَائِمٍ يُصَلِّي، فَإِذَا سَحَابَةٌ تُظِلُّهُ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ فَوَقَعَ فِي قَلْبِي أَنَّهُ إِلْيَاسُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ، فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَانْفَتَلَ مِنْ صِلَاتِهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ السَّلَامَ، فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ؟ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ شَيْئًا، فَأَعَدْتُ الْقَوْلَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا إِلْيَاسُ النَّبِيُّ، فَأَخَذَتْنِي رِعْدَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ خَشِيتُ عَلَى عَقْلِي أَنْ يَذْهَبَ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: إِنْ رَأَيْتَ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَدْعُوَ لِي أَنْ يَذْهَبَ عَنِّي مَا أَجِدُ حَتَّى أَفْهَمَ حَدِيثَكَ، فَدَعَا لِي بِثَمَانِ دَعَوَاتٍ، فَقَالَ: يَا بَرُّ يَا رَحِيمُ، يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، يَا حَنَّانُ يَا مَنَّانُ،...، فَذَهَبَ عَنِّي مَا كُنْتُ أَجِدُ، فَقُلْتُ: إِلَى مَنْ بُعِثْتَ؟ قَالَ: إِلَى أَهْلِ بَعْلَبَكَّ، قُلْتُ: فَهَلْ يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ الْيَوْمَ، فَقَالَ: مُنْذُ بُعِثَ مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ فَلَا. قُلْتُ: فَكَمْ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ؟ قَالَ: أَرْبَعَةٌ أَنَا وَالْخَضِرُ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَإِدْرِيسُ وَعِيسَى فِي السَّمَاءِ، قُلْتُ: فَهَلْ تَلْتَقِي أَنْتَ وَالْخَضِرُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ بِعَرَفَاتٍ، قُلْتُ: فَمَا حَدِيثُكُمَا؟ قَالَ: يَأْخُذُ مِنْ شَعَرِي وَآخُذُ مِنْ شَعَرِهِ، قُلْتُ: فَكَمِ الْأَبْدَالُ؟ قَالَ: هُمْ سِتُّونَ رَجُلًا، خَمْسُونَ مَا بَيْنَ عَرِيشِ مِصْرَ إِلَى شَاطِئِ الْفُرَاتِ، وَرَجُلَانِ بِالْمِصِّيصَةِ، وَرَجُلَانِ بِأَنْطَاكِيَةَ، وَسَبْعَةٌ فِي سَائِرِ الْأَمْصَارِ، تُسْقَوْنَ بِهِمُ الْغَيْثَ، وَبِهِمْ يُنْصَرُونَ عَلَى عَدُّوِهِمْ، وَبِهِمْ يُقِيمُ اللَّهُ أَمْرَ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ الدُّنْيَا أَمَاتَهُمْ جَمِيعًا. القول بأن الخضر كان في زمن النبي ﷺ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ نَبِيِّنَا ﷺ، وَرَوَوْا مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِثْبَاتَ حَيَاةِ الْخَضِرِ. وَمِنْ حَدِيثِ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْخَضِرِ، وَقَالَ: ادْعُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ. وَإِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، وَعُمَرَ، وَعُثْمَانَ، وَعَلِيًّا، وَابْنَ عُمَرَ أَثْبَتُوا وُجُودَهُ، وَأَنَّهُ رَآهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ. وَرَوَاهُ مَسْلَمَةُ، وَرَبَاحُ بْنُ عُبَيْدَةَ كِلَاهُمَا عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ. قَالُوا: وَرَآهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ التَّيْمِيُّ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ أَدْهَمَ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ. وَكُلُّ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثِ لَا تَثْبُتُ، وَالْحَدِيثُ الَّذِي ذَكَرْنَاهُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِيهِ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ الْعُقَيْلِيُّ: هُوَ مَجْهُولٌ. وَفِي الْحَدِيثِ الثَّانِي السَّلَّامُ بْنُ الطَّوِيلِ، قَالَ يَحْيَى: لَيْسَ بِشَيْءٍ. وَقَالَ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَالرَّازِيُّ، وَالنَّسَائِيُّ، وَالدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ: هُوَ مَتْرُوكُ الْحَدِيثِ. وَقَدْ رَوَى مَسْلَمَةُ بْنُ مِصْقَلَةَ، أَنَّهُ رَأَى إِلْيَاسَ وَجَرَى لَهُ مَعَهُ نَحْوُ مَا سَبَقَ. وَرُبَّمَا ظَهَرَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِشَخْصٍ فَكَلَّمَهُ، وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ بَعْضُ الْمُتَّهَمِينَ لِبَعْضٍ أَنَا الْخُضِرُ، وَأَعْجَبُ الْأَشْيَاءِ أَنْ يُصَدَّقَ الْقَائِلُ أَنَا الْخَضِرُ وَلَيْسَ لَنَا فِيهِ عَلَامَةٌ نَعْرِفُهُ بِهَا، وَقَدْ جَمَعْتُ كِتَابًا سَمَّيْتُهُ «عُجَالَةَ الْمُنْتَظِرِ بِشَرْحِ حَالِ الْخَضِرِ» وَذَكَرْتُ فِيهِ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثَ وَالْحِكَايَاتِ وَنَظَائِرَهَا، وَبَيَّنْتُ خَطَأَهَا، فَلَمْ أَرَ الْإِطَالَةَ بِذَلِكَ هَاهُنَا. قَالَ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ الْمُنَادِي -وَنَقَلْتُهُ مِنْ خَطِّهِ- عَنْ تَعْمِيرِ الْخَضِرِ وَهَلْ هُوَ بَاقٍ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَمْ لَا: فَإِذَا أَكْثَرُ الْمُغَفَّلِينَ مَغْرُورُونَ بِأَنَّهُ بَاقٍ مِنْ أَجْلِ مَا قَدْ رُوِيَ، وَسَاقَ بَعْضَ مَا قَدْ ذَكَرْنَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَمَّا حَدِيثُ أَنَسٍ فَوَاهٍ بِالْوَضَّاعِ، وَأَمَّا خَبَرُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَضَعِيفٌ بِالْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ، وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ الْحُسَيْنِ فَمَأْخُوذٌ عَنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِنَا مَرْبُوطٌ بِقَوْلِ بَعْضِهِمْ: إِنَّ الْخَضِرَ شَرِبَ مِنَ الْعَيْنِ الَّتِي قَصَدَهَا ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ، مَوْصُولٌ بِمَا قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي يَقْتُلُهُ الدَّجَّالُ، وَالْمُسْنَدُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ فَسَاقِطٌ لِعَدَمِ ثِقَتِهِمْ. وَخَبَرُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَكَلَا شَيْءٍ، وَخَبَرُ رِيَاحٍ كَالرِّيَاحِ، ثُمَّ مَدَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى السَّرِيِّ وَضَمْرَةَ عَفَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا. وَأَيْنَ كَانَ الْخَضِرُ عَنْ تَبْشِيرِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ؓ بِالْخِلَافَةِ. وَهَذِهِ الْأَخْبَارُ وَاهِيَةُ الصُّدُورِ وَالْأَعْجَازِ، لَا تَخْلُو فِي حَالِهَا مِنْ أَحَدِ أَمْرَيْنِ: إِمَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ أُدْخِلَتْ مِنْ حَدِيثِ بَعْضِ الرُّوَاةِ الْمُتَأَخِّرِينَ اسْتِغْفَالًا، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ الْقَوْمُ عَرَفُوا حَالَهَا فَرَوَوْهَا عَلَى وَجْهِ التَّعَجُّبِ، فَنُسِبَتْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَبِيلِ التَّحْقِيقِ. الخلد لا يكون لبشر قَالَ: وَالتَّخْلِيدُ لَا يَكُونُ لِبَشَرٍ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ: وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ الْخُلْدَ أَفَإِنْ مِتَّ فَهُمُ الْخَالِدُونَ [21: 34]. وَأَهْلُ الْحَدِيثِ يَتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ حَدِيثَ أَنَسٍ مُنْكَرُ الْإِسْنَادِ، سَقِيمُ الْمَتْنِ، بَيِّنٌ فِيهِ أَثَرُ الصَّنْعَةِ، وَأَنَّ الْخَضِرَ لَمْ يُرَاسِلْ نَبِيَّنَا وَلَمْ يَلْقَهُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مِمَّنْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ لَيْلَةَ الْإِسْرَاءِ، وَلَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ ذِكْرٌ فِي عَهْدِهِ بِالْبَقَاءِ، وَلَوْ أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِي عَدَدِ الْأَحْيَاءِ حِينَئِذٍ لَمَا وَسِعَهُ التَّخَلُّفُ عَنْ لِقَاءِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْهِجْرَةُ إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ: وَمَا أَعْجَبَ إِغْرَاءَ أَهْلِ الضَّعْفِ بِذِكْرِ الْخَضِرِ وَإِلْيَاسَ! وَالْمَعْنِيُّ مِنْهُمْ بِذَلِكَ الْمُنْتَسِبُونَ إِلَى رُؤْيَةِ الْأَبْدَالِ وَمُشَاهَدَةِ الْآيَاتِ. قَالَ: وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَنِي بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَرْبِيَّ ابْنَ إِسْحَاقَ سُئِلَ عَنْ تَعْمِيرِ الْخَضِرِ فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: هُوَ مُتَقَادِمُ الْمَوْتِ. قَالَ: وَرُوجِعَ غَيْرُهُ فِي تَعْمِيرِهِ، وَأَنَّ طَائِفَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ زَمَانِنَا يَرَوْنَهُ وَيَرْوُونَ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ أَحَالَ عَلَى غَائِبٍ حَيٍّ أَوْ مَفْقُودٍ مَيِّتٍ لَمْ يَنْتَصِفْ مِنْهُ، وَمَا أَلْقَى ذِكْرَ هَذَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ. قَالَ: فَإِنْ قِيلَ: هَذَا هَامَةُ بْنُ الْهَيْمِ وَزُرَيْبُ بْنُ بَرْثَمَلَا مُعَمَّرَانِ، قِيلَ: وَمَنْ صَحَّحَ لَهُمَا وِجَادَةً حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَهُمَا تَعْمِيرٌ؟! وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمَا مَعْرُوفَانِ لَكَانَ سَبِيلُهُمَا فِي التَّخْلِيدِ سَبِيلَ سَائِرِ الْبَشَرِ، بَلْ هَذَانِ حَدِيثَانِ دُسَّا إِلَى مُغَفَّلِينَ فَرَوَوْهُمَا بِلَا تَفَقُّدٍ وَلَا تَمْيِيزٍ. فَإِنْ قِيلَ: هَذَا هَارُوتُ وَمَارُوتُ وَإِبْلِيسُ بَاقُونَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ. قِيلَ: لَيْسَ هَؤُلَاءِ بَشَرًا، وَلَوْ كَانُوا بَشَرًا لَمَا نَصَّ الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى تَخْلِيدِهِمْ، وَلَمَا أَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ مُؤْمِنٌ. وَتَخْلِيدُ إِبْلِيسَ ثَابِتٌ بِقَوْلِهِ: فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ [15: 37 - 38]. وَتَخْلِيدُ الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِقَوْلِهِ: وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ [2: 102] وَهَذَا لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا عَلَى مُسْتَقْبَلِ الْأَيَّامِ. قَالَ: وَجَاءَ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ أَنَّهُمَا مَصْلُوبَانِ مُنَكَّسَانِ فِي بِئْرٍ بِبَابِلَ؛ لِأَنَّهُمَا اخْتَارَا عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى عَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ فَأُعْطِيَا مَا سَأَلَا. فَأَمَّا بَقَاءُ الدَّجَّالِ الْأَعْوَرِ فَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِالطَّوِيلِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ وُلِدَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، ثُمَّ يَحْيَا إِلَى نُزُولِ الْمَسِيحِ عِيسَى فَيَقْتُلُهُ. قَالَ: فَقَدْ صَحَّ لِمَا بَيَّنَّا أَنَّ الْخَضِرَ عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ نُصِبَ لِمُوسَى لِأَمْرٍ أَرَادَهُ اللَّهُ، وَقَدْ مَضَى لِسَبِيلِهِ، فَلْيُعْرَفْ ذَلِكَ، وَإِنْ سُمِعَ مِنْ جَاهِلٍ خِلَافُ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يُمَارَيَنَّ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمِرَاءَ فِي ذَلِكَ نَقْصٌ، زَادَنَا اللَّهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ فَهْمًا. هَذَا آخِرُ كَلَامِ أَبِي الْحُسَيْنِ الْمُنَادِي، وَمِنْ خَطِّهِ نَقَلْتُهُ. وَقَدْ رَوَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ النَّقَّاشُ: أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْبُخَارِيَّ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْخَضِرِ وَإِلْيَاسَ هَلْ هُمَا فِي الْأَحْيَاءِ؟ فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ وَقَدْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: "لَا يَبْقَى عَلَى رَأْسِ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّنْ هُوَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ". وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ [ آلِ عِمْرَانَ: 81 ]. فَأَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ كُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَلَى أَنْ يُؤْمِنَ بِمَنْ يَجِيءُ بَعْدَهُ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَيَنْصُرُهُ، فَلَوْ كَانَ الْخَضِرُ حَيًّا فِي زَمَانِهِ، لَمَا وَسِعَهُ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعُهُ، وَالِاجْتِمَاعُ بِهِ، وَالْقِيَامُ بِنَصْرِهِ، وَلَكَانَ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ مَنْ تَحْتَ لِوَائِهِ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ، كَمَا كَانَ تَحْتَهَا جِبْرِيلُ وَسَادَاتٌ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَة وَقُصَارَى الْخَضِرِ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، أَنْ يَكُونَ نَبِيًّا، وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ، أَوْ رَسُولًا، كَمَا قِيلَ، أَوْ مَلَكًا فِيمَا ذُكِرَ، وَأَيًّا مَا كَانَ، فَجِبْرِيلُ رَئِيسُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، وَمُوسَى أَشْرَفُ مِنَ الْخَضِرِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا لَوَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ الْإِيمَانُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَنُصْرَتُهُ، فَكَيْفَ إِنْ كَانَ الْخَضِرُ وَلِيًّا، كَمَا يَقُولُهُ طَوَائِفُ كَثِيرُونَ، فَأَوْلَى أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِي عُمُومِ الْبَعْثَةِ، وَأَحْرَى. وَلَمْ يُنْقَلْ فِي حَدِيثٍ حَسَنٍ، بَلْ وَلَا ضَعِيفٍ يُعْتَمَدُ، أَنَّهُ جَاءَ يَوْمًا وَاحِدًا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَا اجْتَمَعَ بِهِ، وَمَا ذُكِرَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ التَّعْزِيَةِ فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْحَاكِمُ قَدْ رَوَاهُ، فَإِسْنَادُهُ ضَعِيفٌ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ [On the scholars' disagreement regarding the life and death of al-Khiḍr] A group has claimed that al-Khiḍr is alive until now, and they have cited as evidence ḥadīths that are not established and accounts from people of sound hearts. One of them says: I met al-Khiḍr. As for the ḥadīths: Among them is what is related from the People of the Book: that al-Khiḍr was with Dhu al-Qarnayn, and that he preceded to the spring which Dhu al-Qarnayn sought when it was described to him that whoever drank from it would be immortalized in this world; so he drank from it and was granted immortality for that reason. From Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: I do not know it except as marfūʿ to the Prophet ﷺ, he said: "Al-Khiḍr and Ilyās meet every year in the season of pilgrimage, and each of them shaves the other's head, and they part with these words: 'In the name of Allah; whatever Allah wills; no one brings good except Allah; in the name of Allah, whatever Allah wills; no one wards off evil except Allah; whatever Allah wills; whatever blessing there is, it is from Allah; whatever Allah wills; there is no might and no power except with Allah.'" Among them is what is related from al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, that he said: Ilyās was entrusted with the deserts, and al-Khiḍr was entrusted with the seas, and they were both granted immortality in this world until the first blast, and they meet every season in each year. From Dāwūd b. Yaḥyā, the mawlā of ʿAwn al-Ṭafāwī, from a man who was stationed as a frontier guard in Jerusalem and in ʿAsqalān, who said: While I was walking in the valley of the Jordan, suddenly there was a man standing in prayer in a corner of the valley, and a cloud shaded him from the sun. It occurred to my heart that he was the prophet Ilyās ﷺ. I went to him, greeted him, and he turned from his prayer and returned the greeting. I said: "Who are you, may Allah have mercy on you?" He did not reply to me at all. I repeated the question twice, and he said: "I am the prophet Ilyās." A severe trembling seized me, and I feared for my mind lest it depart. I said to him: "If you see fit, may Allah have mercy on you, to pray for me that what I feel may depart so that I can understand your speech." He prayed for me with eight supplications, saying: "O Righteous One, O Merciful, O Living, O Sustainer, O Compassionate, O Bestower,..." Then what I felt departed from me. I said: "To whom were you sent?" He said: "To the people of Baʿlabakk." I said: "Is revelation sent to you today?" He said: "Since Muḥammad ﷺ, the Seal of the Prophets, was sent, no." I said: "How many prophets are alive?" He said: "Four: I and al-Khiḍr on the earth, and Idrīs and ʿĪsā in heaven." I said: "Do you and al-Khiḍr meet?" He said: "Yes, every year at ʿArafāt." I said: "What is your conversation?" He said: "He takes from my hair and I take from his hair." I said: "How many are the abdāl?" He said: "They are sixty men: fifty between the trellis of Egypt and the bank of the Euphrates, two in al-Maṣṣīṣa, two in Antioch, and seven in the rest of the cities. Through them you are given rain, through them you are aided against your enemy, and through them Allah maintains the affairs of this world, until when He wills to destroy the world, He causes them all to die." The statement that al-Khiḍr was in the time of the Prophet ﷺ It has been related that he was in the time of our Prophet ﷺ, and they related from the ḥadīth of ʿAlī from the Prophet ﷺ the affirmation of al-Khiḍr's life. And from the ḥadīth of Anas, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to al-Khiḍr, and said: "Pray for the Messenger of Allah." And that Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and Ibn ʿUmar affirmed his existence, and that ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz saw him. Maslama and Rabāḥ b. ʿUbayda both related it from ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. They said: And Ibrāhīm al-Taymī, Ibrāhīm b. Adham, and Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal saw him. All of these ḥadīths are not established. The ḥadīth we mentioned from Ibn ʿAbbās contains al-Ḥasan b. Zayd; al-ʿUqaylī said: He is unknown. In the second ḥadīth is al-Sallām b. al-Ṭawīl; Yaḥyā said: He is worthless. Al-Bukhārī, al-Rāzī, al-Nasāʾī, and al-Dāraquṭnī said: He is rejected in ḥadīth. Maslama b. Miṣqala related that he saw Ilyās and had an experience with him similar to what preceded. Perhaps Satan appeared to a person and spoke to him, and perhaps one of those accused said to another: "I am al-Khadir." The most amazing thing is that the speaker who says "I am al-Khiḍr" is believed although we have no sign by which to recognize him. I have compiled a book which I titled "ʿUjālat al-Muntaẓir bi-Sharḥ Ḥāl al-Khiḍr" and mentioned in it these ḥadīths and accounts and their likes, and clarified their errors; I did not see fit to prolong it here. Abū al-Ḥusayn b. al-Munādī said—and I copied from his handwriting—concerning the longevity of al-Khiḍr and whether he is still in this world or not: Most of the heedless are deceived that he remains because of what has been related. He cited some of what we have mentioned, then said: As for the ḥadīth of Anas, it is feeble due to the fabricator; as for the report of Ibn ʿAbbās, it is weak due to al-Ḥasan b. Razīn; as for the statement of al-Ḥusayn, it is taken from non-members of our religion, tied to the saying of some of them that al-Khiḍr drank from the spring which Dhu al-Qarnayn sought, connected to what is said that he is the man whom the Dajjāl will kill. The report traced to the dhimmīs is dropped because of their lack of trustworthiness. And the report of Maslama is nothing, and the report of Riyāḥ is like winds, then Allah extended over al-Sarī and Ḍamra, may Allah pardon them both. And where was al-Khiḍr from giving the glad tidings of the caliphate to Abū Bakr and ʿUmar ؓ? These reports are feeble in their beginnings and endings, and in their state they are not free from one of two matters: either they were inserted into the ḥadīth of some later transmitters as delusion, or the people knew their condition and related them by way of amazement, then they were attributed to them by way of certainty. Immortality cannot be for a human being He said: Immortality cannot be for a human being because of the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: "We did not grant immortality to any human before you; so if you die, will they live forever?" [21:34]. The scholars of ḥadīth agree unanimously that the ḥadīth of Anas is rejected in its chain and defective in its text; the trace of fabrication is evident in it, and that al-Khiḍr did not correspond with our Prophet, did not meet him, and was not among those presented to him on the Night Journey. No mention reached him of his survival during his time. Had he been among the living then, it would not have been possible for him to refrain from meeting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and emigrating to him. He said: How astonishing is the temptation of the weak with mention of al-Khiḍr and Ilyās! Those meant by that are those who claim to see the abdāl and witness miracles. He said: Some of our companions informed me that Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī b. Isḥāq was asked about the longevity of al-Khiḍr, and he denied that, saying: He died long ago. He said: Another was consulted about his longevity, and that a group of the people of our time see him and relate from him. He said: Whoever refers to an absent living or missing dead person has not been dealt fairly with him. Nothing but Satan has cast the mention of this among people. He said: If it is said: Hāma b. al-Haym and Zurayb b. Barthamalā are two long-lived ones, it is said: And who has verified for them a finding such that they have longevity?! Even if they were known, their way regarding immortality would be the way of the rest of humans. Rather, these are two ḥadīths inserted to heedless people, so they related them without investigation or discrimination. If it is said: Hārūt and Mārūt and Iblīs remain until the Day of Resurrection. It is said: Those are not humans. Had they been humans, the Qurʾān would not have stated their immortality, and no believer would have denied it. The immortality of Iblīs is established by His saying: "You are of those granted respite until the Day of the appointed time" [15:37-38]. The immortality of the two angels is established by His saying: "They do not teach anyone until they say: We are only a trial" [2:102]. This can only refer to future days. He said: It has come in exegesis that they are crucified upside down in a well in Babylon because they chose the punishment of this world over the punishment of the Hereafter, so they were given what they asked. As for the survival of the one-eyed Dajjāl, it is not long, because he was born in Madinah during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then he lives until the descent of the Messiah ʿĪsā, who will kill him. He said: It is thus established by what we have explained that al-Khiḍr is a servant of Allah's servants who was set before Mūsā for a matter Allah willed. He has passed on his way. Let that be known. If something contrary to that is heard from an ignorant person, do not dispute, for disputation in this matter is a deficiency. May Allah increase us and you in understanding. This is the end of the words of Abū al-Ḥusayn al-Munādī, and I copied it from his handwriting. Abū Bakr al-Naqqāsh related that Muḥammad b. Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī was asked about al-Khiḍr and Ilyās: are they among the living? He said: How could that be when the Prophet ﷺ said: "No one who is on the face of the earth today will remain after a hundred years." And Allah, Exalted is He, said: "And when Allah took the covenant of the prophets: Whatever I have given you of Book and wisdom, then a messenger comes to you confirming what is with you, you must believe in him and help him. He said: Do you affirm..." [Āl ʿImrān: 81]. So Allah took the covenant of every prophet to believe in whoever comes after him of the prophets and to help him. Had al-Khiḍr been alive in his time, it would not have been possible for him except to follow him, meet with him, and support him. He would have been among those under his banner on the day of Badr, as Jibrīl and masters among the angels were under it. And the utmost of al-Khiḍr, ﷺ, is that he was a prophet—which is the truth—or a messenger, as was said, or an angel, as was mentioned. Whatever the case, Jibrīl is the chief of the angels, and Mūsā is nobler than al-Khiḍr. Had he been alive, faith in Muḥammad and support for him would have been obligatory upon him. How much more if al-Khiḍr was a saint, as many groups say, then it is more fitting and more proper that he enter into the general sending. It has not been transmitted in a sound ḥadīth, nor even in a weak one that can be relied upon, that he came one single day to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or met with him. What is mentioned of the ḥadīth of condolence in this regard, even if al-Ḥākim related it, its chain is weak. And Allah knows best.
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