18:61
But when they reached the Junction, they forgot (about) their Fish, which took its course through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel.
Quranic Narrative:
In Sura 18, ayat (verses) 65–82 Al Kahf, Moses meets the Servant of God, referred in the Quran as “one of our slaves whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves”. Muslim scholars identify him as Nabi Khadra, although he is not explicitly named in the Quran and there is no reference to him being immortal or being especially associated with esoteric knowledge or fertility. These associations come in later scholarship on al-Khiḍr.
The Qurʾān recounts the story of Moses and the “Servant of God” at the meeting place of the two seas, commonly understood as the junction of two bodies of water described elsewhere in the Qurʾān as sources of salt and fresh water (Qurʾān 18:60–82). Moses asks permission to accompany the Servant so that he may learn from the knowledge God had granted him. The Servant warns Moses that their forms of knowledge differ and that Moses will likely be unable to remain patient regarding matters whose deeper meaning he does not yet understand. Moses nevertheless promises patience and obedience, and the two begin their journey together.
During the journey, they board a ship, and the Servant damages it. Moses, forgetting his promise, objects to this action, asking whether the vessel was harmed in order to drown its passengers. The Servant reminds him of his earlier warning, and Moses asks not to be reproached. Later, the Servant kills a young man, which again prompts Moses to protest in astonishment and distress. After being reminded once more of his inability to remain patient, Moses renews his promise that he will not question the Servant again. The two then arrive at a town where the inhabitants refuse them hospitality. There, the Servant repairs a crumbling wall without seeking any reward. Moses again questions the action, suggesting that at least some compensation could have been requested. At this point, the Servant announces that their companionship must end and explains the deeper meaning behind the events that had occurred.
The Servant clarifies that actions appearing troubling or unjust may, in reality, contain hidden mercy. The ship was damaged to protect it from a tyrannical king who was seizing every sound vessel by force. The boy was killed because his future behavior would have brought hardship and ingratitude upon his believing parents, and God intended to replace him with a child greater in purity, affection, and obedience. As for the wall, it concealed a treasure belonging to two orphaned children whose father had been righteous. By repairing the wall, the Servant ensured that the treasure would remain protected until the orphans were mature enough to claim it themselves. The account illustrates the limits of human understanding and the wisdom underlying divine decree (Qurʾān 18:60–82).