The Sufis' statement regarding al-Khidr and Musa, and their preference of the wali over the Prophet

The questioner:
May Allah keep you safe. Regarding the story of al-Khidr and Musa. The Sufis claim that al-Khidr possesses the knowledge of reality, whereas Musa (peace be upon him) possesses the knowledge of the Shari'ah. Another division is made, stating that al-Khidr possesses the knowledge of the unseen, and Musa (peace be upon him) the knowledge of the apparent. From this, they claim that the awliya (close friends of Allah) have delved into a sea where the prophets stopped at the shore. I hope you will respond to this claim.

The Shaykh:
Yes, this is the misguidance of the corrupters. They say that the wali is better than the Prophet. They say that the wali is better than the Prophet because al-Khidr became more knowledgeable than Musa and perceived things that Musa did not perceive. Even one of their poets said: "The station of prophethood is a dwelling above the Messenger, and below the wali is above the Messenger, so he is below the wali." Thus, in their belief, the Prophet and the Messenger are below the wali. May Allah make their faces ugly. The prophets and messengers are the best of creation, and no one from creation equals them, ever, not in knowledge, not in religion, not in worship, not in jihad, and not in anything else. No one from creation reaches the station of the prophets and messengers. Whoever believes that someone is better than the prophets is a disbeliever, a disbeliever in Allah the Exalted. Yes, this is the first point. Second, it is said that al-Khidr is a Prophet, because these matters indicate his prophethood. They did not say that only a Prophet can know them. So al-Khidr is a Prophet among the prophets of Allah, and he is not merely a wali. Third, if al-Khidr is not a Prophet, but rather a righteous man and a wali among the awliya of Allah, then he is not better than Musa (peace be upon him). Musa, upon whom Allah revealed the Torah, and to whom He wrote the books of the Torah with His hand, and whom He spoke to without an intermediary, and who was named the one who spoke to Allah—al-Khidr cannot possibly be better than him, ever. Even if al-Khidr were a Prophet, he would not be better than Musa (peace be upon him). How then, when he is not a Prophet but merely a wali? As for these matters that al-Khidr knew and Musa did not know, they do not indicate that al-Khidr is superior to Musa.
Al-Khidr has knowledge, and Musa has knowledge. This is why, in Sahih al-Bukhari, it is stated that when Musa was with al-Khidr and a bird landed on the ship and pecked from the sea, from the water of the sea, he said: "O Musa, " So Musa has knowledge, and al-Khidr has knowledge, but Musa is better than al-Khidr and all the awliya and the righteous, because he is the one who spoke to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). And as you know, the message of Musa was not universal, so it cannot be asked why al-Khidr did not follow Musa. The message of Musa was not universal for the world, but rather specific to his people, the Children of Israel, the Children of Israel. The universal message is for our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Among the characteristics of our Prophet over all the prophets is that Allah sent him with a universal message to the jinn and mankind. This is one of his characteristics (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.