18.70
Abbas - Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
(He said) Khidr said: (Well, if thou go with me) if you keep my company, O Moses, (ask me not concerning aught) about what I do (till I myself mention of it unto you) until I proceed to explain it to you.
He said ‘If you follow me then do not question me lā tas’alnī a variant reading has lā tas’alannī concerning anything that you might find objectionable in what I do according to your limited knowledge and be patient until I myself make mention of it to you’ in other words until I mention it to you with an explication of the reason for it. Moses accepted his precondition bearing in mind the respect which a student should exercise in the presence of a teacher.
'If you follow me, in the wayfaring along the path of perfection, then do not question me concerning anything, in other words, you must follow [my] lead and persevere along the journey with works, acts of self-discipline, [noble] character traits and exertions, and not demand realities or significations, until, the moment for that comes along and then, I [myself] make mention of it, that is, of that knowledge, to you', and inform you about the Unseen realities upon your disengagement through interactions belonging to the mould and to the heart.
Allah tells us what Musa said to that learned man, who was Al-Khidr. He was one to whom Allah had given knowledge that He had not given to Musa, just as He had given Musa knowledge that He had not given to Al-Khidr.
قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ
(Musa said to him: "May I follow you...'') This is a question phrased in gentle terms, with no sense of force or coercion. This is the manner in which the seeker of knowledge should address the scholar.
اتَّبَعَكَ
(I follow you) means, I accompany you and spend time with you.
عَلَى أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْداً
(so that you teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught) meaning, teach me something from that which Allah has taught you so that I may be guided by it and learn something beneficial and do righteous deeds. At this point,
قَالَ
(He said) meaning, Al-Khidr said to Musa,
إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْراً
(Verily, you will not be able to have patience with me!) meaning, `You will not be able to accompany with me when you see me doing things that go against your law, because I have knowledge from Allah that He has not taught you, and you have knowledge from Allah that He has not taught me. Each of us has responsibilities before Allah that the other does not share, and you will not be able to stay with me,'
(And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not) `For I know that you will denounce me justifiably, but I have knowledge of Allah's wisdom and the hidden interests which I can see but you cannot.'
قَالَ
(He said) meaning, Musa said:
سَتَجِدُنِى إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا
(If Allah wills, you will find me patient,) with whatever I see of your affairs,
وَلاَ أَعْصِى لَكَ أمْراً
(and I will not disobey you in aught.) means, `I will not go against you in anything.' At that point, Al-Khidr, upon him be peace, set a condition:
