Chapter :18 Section: Story of Musa and Al-Khidr Continues... Interpretation of why the Wall was repaired for no Charge

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In this Ayah there is a proof that the word Qaryah (village) may be used to refer to a city (Madinah), because Allah first says,

[حَتَّى إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ]

(till when they came to the people of a town (Qaryah)) [18:77], but here He says:

[فَكَانَ لِغُلَـمَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِى الْمَدِينَةِ]

(it belonged to two orphan boys in the town (Al-Madinah);) This is like the Ayat:

[وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِىَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَتْكَ]

(And many a town (Qaryah), stronger than your town which has driven you out We have destroyed) [47:13] and;

[وَقَالُواْ لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ ]

(And they say: "Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns (Al-Qaryatayn)'')[43:31] meaning Makkah and At-Ta'if. The meaning of the Ayah [18:82] is: "I repaired this wall because it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and underneath it was some treasure belonging to them.'' `Ikrimah, Qatadah and others said, "Underneath it there was some wealth that was buried for them.'' This meaning is apparent from the context of the Ayah, and is the view chosen by Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him).

[وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَـلِحاً]

(their father was a righteous man,) indicates that a righteous person's offspring will be taken care of, and that the blessing of his worship will extend to them in this world and in the Hereafter. This will occur through his intercession for them, as well as their status being raised to the highest levels of Paradise, so that he may find joy in them. This was stated in the Qur'an and reported in the Sunnah. Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas: "They were taken care of because their father was a righteous man, although it is not stated that they themselves were righteous.''

[فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا]

(your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure) Here will is attributed to Allah, the Exalted, because no one else is able to bring them to the age of full strength and puberty except Allah. In contrast, He said about the boy:

[فَأَرَدْنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْراً مِّنْهُ زَكَـوةً]

(So we intended that their Lord should exchange him for them for one better in righteousness) and concerning the ship:

[فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا]

(So I wished to make a defective damage in it,) And Allah knows best.


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