How can Khidr punish a child before a crime is committed?

- In the parable of Khidr, we read that he killed a child. The reason given to Moses was that the child would become a heretic and lead them astray in the future.
- In other words, punishment before the crime is committed is in question?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Answer 1:

The young boy’s being killed by Khidr is just like Azrael’s taking lives with Allah’s permission. Allah commanded it and Khidr carried out the command.

It is understood from this journey, full of wisdom, that some of the events that people encounter in their daily lives, sometimes major disasters, have a visible aspect and a real behind-the-scenes aspect. Sometimes it is seen that great good comes out from behind events that are seen as evil. The following is stated in a verse of the Quran:

“Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.” (al-Baqara, 2/216).

The Messenger of Allah reports the following conversation during the journey about the knowledge of Khidr:

“A sparrow had a little water in its beak and landed on the ship. Khidr showed Musa the water in the beak and said, ‘My knowledge and your knowledge is as much as the water this bird took from the sea compared to Allah’s knowledge.” (Bukhari, Ilm, 44, (al-Anbiya, 27, Tafsiru Sura 18/2; Muslim, Fadail, 180; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, II, 311, V, 118; for information, see Ibn Kathir, Tafsirul-Quranil-Azim, İstanbul 1985, V,172-185)

Answer 2:

This issue took place on a level that transcended the mind, where a picture of the unknown and predestination was displayed. The judgments of this matter were evaluated according to the measures of the esoteric knowledge possessed by Khidr, who possessed the secret knowledge. The fact that he was given this special knowledge is clearly stated in the following verse: “So they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own Presence.” (al-Kahf, 18/65)

Khidr approached those incidents with his special, secret knowledge that Allah had bestowed upon him, evaluated his actions within the framework of “the lesser evil”, and explained the hidden side of the incidents to Moses in this way:

a. He explained the wisdom behind damaging the ark slightly as follows:

“As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force.” (see al-Kahf, 18/79).

b. He explained his reason for killing the child as follows:

“As for the youth, his parents were people of Faith, and we feared that he would grieve them by obstinate rebellion and ingratitude (to Allah and man). So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) And closer in affection. (see al-Kahf, 18/80-81).

Perhaps he observed with his secret knowledge that the harm that comes from the death of the child and the destruction of his temporary, mortal life in this world is much more preferable than the rebellion and unbelief of his future parents, which means the destruction of their lives in the hereafter; he probably approached the incident from this perspective.

c. He explained the reason for repairing the damaged wall he saw in the city of people who did not entertain them as follows:

“As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure.” (al-Kahf, 18/82).

He explained to Moses that he did all of them in accordance with the special, secret knowledge and inspiration that Allah had bestowed upon him as follows:

“A mercy (and favor) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord.” (The same verse; cf. Razi, the interpretation of the verses in question)

Answer 3:

Allah has three laws called “Qadar (Destiny), Qada (Decree) and Ata (Godsend)”:

Qadar: Everything that has happened, will happen and is happening is a program in divine knowledge.

Qada: The external reflection of this program, its appearance in the realm of existence by wearing an external body with its scientific nature. These two laws, emanating from knowledge and power, are sunnatullah / Allah’s law; they do not change. “He who drinks cold water after sweating becomes sick. He whose brain breaks into pieces dies. The patient whose kidney stones are removed will be free from pain.” 

Ata: It is the name of a deed that goes beyond the general scope of the aforementioned laws of qada and qadar that are valid in the universe and displays Allah’s special grace, bestowal and favor despite them. If we repeat the same examples, “People who do not get sick even though they drink cold water after sweating, who do not die even though their brains break into pieces and who somehow recover, who are relieved of pain even though they do not have kidney stones removed” are all reflections of the law of ata, which shows a view above the normal laws.

It is important to know that the issue in question takes place in alignment with qadar and qada because these two laws are considered together with the elements of the web of causes. That is, Allah’s knowledge knew that this child would be killed for this reason and He willed it to be staged in that manner as qada. Similarly, the fact that the ship was not seized was due to the fact that it was broken, waterlogged and worn out. That is sunnatullah and it does not change. Allah could have done it within the framework of the law of ata, but He did not. And no one has the right to question it - except to learn the wisdom behind it.

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