The Mercy You Didn’t See (Story of Musa AS & Khidr AS)
Notes and Reflections from Sheikh Dr. Omar Suleiman’s Talk
ICE BSD City, 16 August 2025
Last weekend, I attended the event of Sheikh Omar Suleiman in Indonesia. The theme was based on Surah Al-Kahf, especially the story of Musa AS and Khidr AS. What struck me most is how the surah isn’t just about history, but about how we deal with life’s hardest questions — especially when things don’t make sense.
The Parallels of Musa AS and Prophet Muhammad SAW
The story of Musa AS and Prophet Muhammad SAW share many similarities, (this shows that the Qur’an is truly for every era, and it will always relate to us and to any generation that comes after — first reflection after all).
Both were raised under oppression — Musa under the tyranny of Firaun, and the Prophet SAW under the hostility of Quraysh.
Both were known as Al-Amin, the trustworthy.
Revelation, too, shaped their lives in profound ways. Musa received the Taurat on Mount Tur, while the Prophet received the Qur’an in the solitude of Cave Hira.
Musa spoke directly with Allah on earth, while the Prophet SAW spoke to Allah during Isra’ and Mi’raj.
These parallels show us that their struggles, though centuries apart, were rooted in the same divine purpose: to guide humanity (read: us) back to Allah.
QS Al Kahf is protection of dajjal
One of the Prophet’s teachings was to memorise the first and last ten ayahs of Surah Al-Kahf as protection from Dajjal.
Why? Because Dajjal’s greatest weapon is deception. He makes people question their reality, just as today we see illusions — now it’s like AI can impact your psychology— blurring truth and falsehood, playing tricks on the human mind.
When Dajjal presents what looks like paradise, it is in fact hellfire. And when he presents what looks like hellfire, it is in fact paradise. The lesson is clear: escape his illusions, and remember that Allah’s wisdom is beyond what we see.
That’s why Surah Al-Kahf sits between Surah Al-Isra (Allah shows His power) and Surah Maryam (Allah shows His miracles). In Al-Kahf, Allah shows His wisdom. Together, they teach us that qadr isn’t just about Allah’s power, but also His wisdom.
In Al-Isra, Allah shows His power through the Night Journey. In Al-Kahf, Allah shows His wisdom through hidden stories (the ordinary people). In Maryam, Allah shows miracles granted to His Prophets. Together, these surahs remind us that Qadr is both power and wisdom, that we must believe in both.
Miracles for Prophets and Ordinary People
In Surah Maryam, Allah grants miracles to His chosen Prophets: Prophet Zakariya’s du’a answered with the gift of a child, Prophet Yahya; Maryam’s miraculous conception of Isa AS without a husband. These miracles, though blessings, were also tests of patience, responsibility, and faith.
Meanwhile, in Surah Al-Kahf, Allah shows miracles not for Prophets, but for ordinary believers: young men who sought refuge in a cave, a humble farmer tested with wealth, and a traveler like Musa who was taught wisdom through Khidr. This contrast teaches us that whether we are Prophets or ordinary people, trials and blessings are both part of Allah’s design.
Being a true slave of Allah means tawakkul. And tawakkul, when lived sincerely, often brings miracles in ways we do not expect.
As the message in the three surahs, Allah is the lord (rabbi) and we are the slave (‘abdu) — Allah is with you because you are abdullah (refer to the first ayah in every surah)
- a slave (ubudiyyah) = tawakkul, the fruit of tawakkul = miracle. Allah shows miracles as results of tawakkul.
- Allah gifts can be a blessing based on how you receive it. You have to believe in Allah for his design.
Three stories in Al Kahf
The surah presents three major narratives, each carrying timeless lessons:
- The first story in Al Kahf was Ashabul Kahf - sleepers of the cave — young men who fled persecution, asking Allah for rahmah (mercy) and rushd (guidance). This mirrors Musa’s meeting with Khidr, where he too sought mercy and guidance. Rushd, unlike Hidayah, is a natural, instinctive form of guidance that Allah places in the heart.
- The Two Neighbors — one rich and arrogant, the other poor but faithful. The wealthy man claimed superiority because of his possessions, but in reality, this was istidraj — blessings that lead one further from Allah instead of closer to Him.
- Adam AS and Shaytan — Shaytan questioned why Allah favored Adam, forgetting the blessings he had already received. The angels also questioned, but with humility. The difference was submission and patience. The lesson: trust Allah’s wisdom even when you don’t understand.
- “Allah knows better, just be patient. Submit to Allah, be tawakkul. “
The Hidden Mercy in Khidr’s Story
The story of Khidr is perhaps the most mysterious. His very name means “green,” symbolizing life and growth.
In a well-known narration, Musa AS was asked who was the most knowledgeable. He answered, “I am,” and was gently corrected because he didn’t say, “Allah knows best (Allahu a‘lam).” That’s the adab of knowledge: ultimate knowing belongs to Allah.
The journey to meet Khidr was part of that lesson—humility before the unseen, seeking teachers, and remembering that wisdom can arrive in ways that first look wrong, but are, in truth, mercy.
As Musa journeyed with Khidr, he struggled with what he saw: the breaking of a ship, the killing of a child, and the repairing of a wall in a town that had refused hospitality. Musa couldn’t understand it at first. To Musa, Khidr’s actions in the story appeared destructive.
The story of Khidr teaches one of the hardest truths of life: sometimes Allah doesn’t explain why things happen — and that should be okay. Out of His mercy, Allah shows us glimpses of hikmah (wisdom), but most of the time, we only see the surface.
None of the people in Khidr’s story understood the reasons for their tests. To them, what happened looked like loss or destruction. But in reality, Khidr’s actions — by Allah’s command — were acts of protection:
Damaging the ship was to save the sailors from a tyrant.
Taking the child’s life gave the righteous parents a chance at eternal reward (jannah) through their patience
Rebuilding the wall safeguarded the future of orphans, preserving their inheritance until they were ready.
On the outside, it looked like harm. In truth, it was mercy.
This pattern is not new. It’s the same wisdom behind what Prophet Ibrahim AS did when he built the Ka’bah — laying down foundations for a city (Makkah) and a legacy (the ummah of Prophet Muhammad SAW) that would come centuries later. What seemed small in the moment turned out to be world-changing.
None of the people involved knew the wisdom at the time. But Allah did. That’s the whole point.
Final remarks
Musa AS went through hardship from the very beginning of his life. Without understanding the Qadr of Allah, it would be easy for Musa to ask, “Why me?”
But Allah’s answer to Musa was:
“Wastana’tuka linafsi”
“I have prepared you for Myself.”
Every trial was preparation. Every difficulty shaped him for his mission. Allah had prepared Musa — for Allah.
And that is the best way for any journey to end: to return to Allah.
Because in the end, our knowledge is only a drop, while Allah’s wisdom is an endless ocean.
“If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord came to an end — even if We brought another like it for its aid.” (Al-Kahf: 109)
So, trust Allah. Allah knows best.
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The biggest lesson I took from this talk is that not every difficulty is meant to be understood in the moment. Some things are simply meant to be trusted. What looks like destruction may actually be protection. What feels like loss may actually be preparation.
The mercy of Allah is not always visible — but it is always there.
