What I know Is That; “Allah Is With Me”

I believe  
Therefore,I see miracles  
Iman is an opened eye  
Preceding the arrival of lights

                                                          “I AM.”

This answer from Musa (Alaihis Salaam) seemed opposed to being tawadhu’ (in Humility). When someone from amongst the Bani Israel asked who the most ‘alim (knowledgeable) person on earth is, Musa responded, “I am”. However, it was because of this answer that Surat Al Kahf lays out 23 verses , narrating the lessons that Musa had to undergo afterwards. Uniquely, one more kalimah that sounds opposed to being tawadhu’ was placed in the list of verses. “You will find me, if Allah so will, (truly) patient…” This can found in the 69th verse.

Where is the place of its haughtiness? Compare the structure of Musa’s speech, thus the Mufassirs wrote, to the kalimah of Isma’il the son of Prophet Ibrahim. The moment he expressed his opinion to his father after finding out if he were to be slaughtered, Isma’il said, “You will find me, if Allah so will, amongst the patient.”

We can see that Isma’il saw himself as a small part from amongst the people who are bestowed patience. But Musa promised patience over his personal name. Moreover and unfortunately, in the story of Surah Al Kahf, he was not that patient. Musa found it hard to be patient as he had promised. Many eons later, in the recordings of Al Bukhari and Muslim, Muhammad (SAW) said about this tale of a journey, “If Musa was more patient, perhaps we could obtain more lessons.”
 

Wallahu A’lam. Maybe that was how the character of Musa supposed to be. Less tawadhu’ and not too patient because what he confronted was the most arrogant and tyrannical figure on earth, and even in history perhaps. His name was Fir’aun. It was not very fitting to confront someone like Fir’aun with an ocean of patience and a heart full of humility. Therefore Musa was Musa. Someone chosen by Allah to become His messenger sent for the arrogant Fir’aun and at the same time to lead the stubborn Bani Israel.

On that day, after his over-confident speech, Musa received a commandment to walk and find the point of meeting of the two seas. Musa departed accompanied by Yusya ibn Nun who would soon replace him to lead the lineage of Ya’qub. One day, Yusya saw the cooked fish that they had packed neatly for their provision, jumped out and found its way back to the sea. Initially, Yusya forgot to tell Musa about it. They only returned to the place after Musa asked about the provision due to the feeling of tiredness and hunger that wriggled into the stomach.

It was there that they met someone whom Allah mentioned as, “A servant amongst Our servants to whom We had given mercy from Us and had taught him from Us a certain knowledge.” It was from him that Musa learnt. Pleading to be taught from what Allah had given the teacher understandings. The name of the teacher was never mentioned in the Qur’an. It is from the hadith or tafseer that we are introduced to al-Khidhr.

We have become intimate with this story. There is a contract of learning between the two. “You will find me, if Allah so will, (truly) patient… nor shall I disobey you in any order!” Musa assured. "Do not ask me about anything until I myself speak to you concerning it," Khidhr advised. And in that legendary journey, Musa could not afford to restrain himself from questioning and tolerate the burden of Khidhr’s three actions. The damaging of the ship, the killing of a young man and the refusal of their plea for food that ended up with a burdensome job of erecting a wall that was about to collapse without asking for payment in return.

Alhumdulillah, we learn a lot from the story. We learn that in this life, choices are not always easy... while we still have to choose. Like the fishermen who owned the ship. Good ships would be confiscated by the tyrannical king but a bit of defect saved it right away. Something “perfect” would invite danger sometime. Therefore, in the time of less strength, a possession could still be grasped. It is written in the principle of fiqh, “Maa laa tudraku kulluhu, fa laa tutraku kulluh.. What we could not attain fully, do not abandon completely.”
We also learn that “killing” the seed of injury while it is still in germination is a wise choice. In some cases, often there are benefits gained while at the same time preventing that certain injury. Therefore, an action is prioritized in order to prevent danger. It is written in the principle of fiqh, “Dar’ul mafaasid muqaddamun ‘alaa jalbil mashaalih... Prevention of injury is prioritized over attaining merits.”

And from Khidhr we learn to be ikhlas (sincere). To not always relate the goodness we did with personal goals whose nature is momentary. To always remember our affairs with Allah, and let everybody be responsible towards Him. Always remember Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, the Sultan of Damascus who was influenced by fitnah imprisoned and tortured him. But when the shadows of destructions came roaring from the East, it was Ibnu Taymiyyah who the Sultan called right away to advance and lead the armies to the frontline. He was showered in blood confronting the onset of the Tartar torrent which was akin to the black cloud outstripping the dawn that wanted to sweep Damascus.

When the enemies were driven away, the town prison and tortures awaited him. When asked why he was willing, he said, “Whereas my concern is to conduct Jihad for the honor of Allah’s religion as well as the Muslims. And the tyranny of the Sultan is his affair with Allah.”

Iman and The Surprising Miracles

SubhanAllah, how much more ‘ibrah could we dig from the story of Musa and Khidhr. One after another. Hundreds of them. More perhaps. But let’s just stop here for a while. Let’s focus our inner eyes on this story. Let’s consider this story scrupulously from our toddling step in the way of love of the Mujahideen. Let’s ask the soul, in the way of love of the Mujahideen who is closer to the heart to be emulated?

Musa. Not his teacher.

Yes, because in the end of the story, the dear teacher admitted, “Wa maa fa’altuhuu min amrii... What I have done was not my affair, not my wish.” Khidhr was “only” a teacher created by Allah to be presented to Musa in small fragment of his life. To Khidhr, Allah gave all the understandings in an intact and complete way regarding the interconnection of lessons that he must unravel to a great Messenger of Allah, Musa (Alaihis Salaam). Thus the complete operational guidance in every action of Khidhr made him simply a “field operator” which is akin to an angel. Everything he did was not his affair, not his wish.

A number of people who called themselves Sufis claimed; this is Khidhr, who is more important than Musa. Khidhr dominated the knowledge of Hakikat whereas Musa had only reached the level of Shari’at. Therefore someone who had the hakikat uncovered to him, like Khidhr, is free from the regulations of the shari’at. Whatever occurs to the heart becomes the source of law with which they legitimize (make halal) and prohibit (make haram). He can harm other people’s possession. He can kill. He does things which are deviating in the interpretation of the general public and a heavy violation in the view of shari’at.

Imam Al Qurtubi, as cited by Ibnu Hajar Al ‘Asqalani, objected these interpretations. Firstly, there was no action of Khidhr which was against the shari’at. We have read earlier that all his actions were soon found to be in accordance with the principle of fiqh. In fact even in the matter of killing, Khidhr did not violate the shari’at because he was given the knowledge by Allah to prevent mungkar with his hands. How very distant was the noble roles of Khidhr with what the deviating Sufis are doing like drinking khamr, then their devotees said, “Once entering the mouth, the khamr turns to water!”

Not the same!

Secondly, as regard to Khidhr’s status, according to the jumhur ‘ulama, he was a Prophet from amongst the Prophets of the Bani Israel. Meanwhile Musa was a Naqib of the Naqib, the greatest Prophet guided to lead the Bani Israel, a Messenger who spoke directly to Allah, bearing the load of the Torah, and was even included in the special series of Rasul Ulul ‘Azmi along with Nuh, Ibrahim, ‘Isa and Muhammad.
Therefore Musa is far more important than Khidhr.

[Allah] said: "O Musa! I have chosen you above (other) men, by the mission I (have given you) and the words I (have spoken to you): take then the (revelation) which I give you, and be of those who give thanks." (Qur’an 7:144)

Thirdly, Allah commands us to emulate the Messengers whose stories in the Qur’an are intended for strengthening our souls in treading the path of love of the strugglers. It is possible for us to emulate those messengers especially the Ulul ‘Azmi Messengers because they possessed human characters. They were unlike the angels. Neither were they demigods. They, in their limitations as a human being, performed the extraordinarily heavy tasks.

Precisely, the greatness of the Messengers is in their ability to respond with iman to the commandments where the wisdom was still unclear. With Iman. With Iman. It’s different from Khidhr who had been told the scenarios from the start till the end, what to be done – when teaching Musa-, as for the Messengers, they always have no clue on what they would encounter or receive after the order was carried out. They never knew what awaited ahead.

What they know was only; Allah was with them.

Nuh himself, who labored to build a ship on top of a hill, had to restrain anger when he was laughed at, bothered and troubled by his people. But, after nearly 500 years of carrying out the task, with followers that were almost never increasing, Nuh said with wisdom, with love, “Soon we will laugh at you the way you are laughing at us now.”

Yes. Nuh did not know that a big flood would spill out later, vociferously flowing down from between the splits in the sky and bursting from the crevices in the earth. Water raged from the fireplace of the bread makers, enclosed and filled the land as high as the mountain. Nuh had not known. What he knew was that he was ordered to build his ship. What he knew when he carried out the order of his Lord was that, Allah was with him. And it was sufficient for him.

Ibrahim who dreamt, also never knew what would happen the moment he truly slaughtered his beloved son Isma’il. The son who he had wanted desperately for a long time, who he had waited with hope and moist eyes in every dua, was suddenly decreed to be separated from himself. Earlier, they were already separated when he was born and left in the middle of the valley of Bakkah which had no trees, no animal and no owner. Now Isma’il must be killed. Not by any other but with his own hands.

The son who was submissive in taqwa was then laid down. And which father dares to open his eyes when he must slice the neck of a son with a knife? Which father dares to spill blood under the head which he used to caress while looking at the face? No. Ibrahim’s eyes were shut. And he did it! He did it even though he had known that a big sheep would soon replace the sacrifice. What he knew was that he was commanded by his God. What he knew was that he implemented the command of his Lord, therefore Allah was with him. And it was sufficient for him.

Musa also encountered a deadlock, he stumbled upon the Red Sea in the chase by Fir’aun’s regime. The Bani Israel he led was already noisy, stricken in panic. “We’ll sure be caught! We’ll sure be caught!”, they said. “No!” Musa yelled. “We’ll never be caught at all! Verily, my Lord is with me, and He will give me guidance.” The expected guidance then arrived. Musa was commanded to strike his staff over the sea. A logical reasoning without iman would say, “What’s the point? Better be used to hit Fir’aun’s head!” Yes, Musa also had not known that the sea would split apart afterwards. What he knew was that Allah was with him. And it was sufficient for him.

They are the genuine teachers, whose stories could make our back raised, our breasts relieved and our hearts beaming with delight. Whose fortitudes were illuminating bright and shining forth. Whose greatness came from a firm iman, overwhelming and overcoming the turbulence in the hearts and the intense desire of the self. In the way of love of the strugglers, the iman produces miracles. Then, the miracles strengthen the iman. All these feel the more beautiful because they happen in surprises. The believers do not know what fate has in store for them ahead when Allah commands:

“Go forth, whether light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew.” (Qur’an 9:41)

What they know is that, “Allah is with me, He will give me guidance.”

“O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah , you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.” (Qur’an 9:38)

Nuh had not known that a big flood would soon spill out
When on the mountain he built a ship and was laughed at
Ibrahim had not known that a sheep would take the place
When the knife nearly sliced the apple of his eye Musa had not known that the sea would split apart
When he was instructed to strike his staff over it
At Badr, Muhammad (SAW) prayed, his shoulders shook as he was sobbing
“If this force is defeated, You will never be worshipped again!”
And we learn, how great iman is!