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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Faith and Reason Question 43: al-Khidr’s actions in the Qur’an Question: Regarding verse 80 of Surah al-Kahf, where Khidr (ع) explains his reason for killing the young boy- in view of the Divine principle of not recording evil deeds or punishing people for them before they have taken place, some questions arise… Although Allah (awj) knew that this youth would commit evil deeds in the future, why wasn’t he granted respite (in accordance with the Divine method) until he could witness his own evil deeds in the future?

Is this not predeterminism? Was that youth favored with Divine grace because of his believing parents, and since he died before performing those evil deeds, will he no longer be punished? Or since Allah (awj) knew that he would disobey Him in the future, will he be punished in the hereafter?

In view of the explanations that emerge from Qur`anic commentaries, traditions, and the context of the verses, the incident of killing that teenage boy (ghulam) was not a chance event or as a result of a conflict; rather, Khidr (ع) proceeded to kill him without any preliminary exchange of words.

So there is no possibility of there being any mental inclination or anger involved in this event, and the questioner’s mind comes to accept the fact that though there were no provoking or inciting factors involved, without doubt the killing had wisdom and special reason behind it. It did not follow from base desires.

The action was undertaken by someone about whom the Qur`an says, “One of Our servants whom We granted mercy from Ourselves and whom we granted knowledge from Ourselves ”[^1] one of Our servants whose hearts’ vessel We filled with Our exclusive mercy and whom We taught from Our select knowledge. So we can be certain that personal desire was not involved.

But in terms of its emotional wisdom and how it can be believed that such a person would undertake to kill a young man, an answer is required, which is presented as follows. It is understood from some traditions that when Prophet Musa (ع) saw this scene, he was profoundly shocked, and because he saw the killing as unjustified based on its outward appearance, he turned to Khidr (ع) and said, “Did you kill an innocent person who wasn’t worthy of death?