Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part III — Page 231
SUB-FOOTNOTE NUMBER ONE 231 the river. Again, it was revelation which God wanted to manifest to a resolute Prophet like Mūsā, by sending him to Khidr, whose name was Balyā son of Malkān, and regarding whose certain and categorical knowledge Allah the Almighty Himself said: فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِنَا وَ عَلَّمْنَهُ مِنْ لَدُنَا عِلْمًا 1 It was on the basis of this certain and categorical knowledge that Khidr did things in the presence of Hadrat Mūsā that seemed contra- dictory to Divine Law, such as damaging a boat, killing an innocent boy, and undertaking an unnecessary labour without any payment. It is obvious that Khidr was not a Prophet, or else he would have been among his own people and not wandering about in forests and on riverbanks. God Himself does not refer to him as a Prophet or Messenger, and yet He labels the knowledge Khidr was given as cer- tain and categorical, because ilm according to the terminology of the Holy Quran refers to definite knowledge. It is also apparent that if the knowledge Khidr possessed was not certain, it would not have been permissible for him to rely on his conjectures to do what was clearly against the Divine Law, undesirable, and, indeed, cardinal sins by the unanimous verdict of all Prophets. And, in that case, Hadrat Mūsā's coming to him would itself be a futile act. So when it is con- clusively proven that Khidr was indeed granted certain and categor- ical knowledge from God Almighty, then why should anyone who calls himself a Muslim and believes in the Holy Quran, think that no one from among ummat-e-Muhammadiyyah can equal Khidr in spiritual excellences. Of course they can. In fact, God has the power to bestow even greater spiritual bounties upon the chosen ones of this blessed ummah of Muhammad. 1. Then they both found one of Our servants upon whom We had bestowed Our mercy, and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourself (Sürah al-Kahf, 18:66). [Publisher]