The stronger view is that al-Khidr is a wali, not a prophet
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Your Eminence! What is the stronger view regarding al-Khidr (peace be upon him)? Is he a prophet or a messenger? And what is the authenticity of the claim that he is alive to this day and appears to some people from time to time, for many people have been misled by this story into believing that the awliya (close friends of Allah) have a status above the status of prophethy, to the point that some of their followers said:
The status of prophethy is in the barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection), above the messenger and below the wali
Please give us your ruling, may Allah reward you?
Your question about al-Khidr, whether he is a prophet or a messenger, is not the point of disagreement.The disagreement is whether he is a prophet or a wali, meaning: He is not a prophet, and the correct view is that he is not a prophet, and that Allah the Exalted gave him knowledge that Musa did not know, for the sake of a test and trial.Because Musa (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I do not know anyone on the face of the earth who is more knowledgeable than me, so Allah the Exalted wanted to make it clear to him that there are people on earth who are more knowledgeable than he is. He is more knowledgeable than Musa only in what Allah taught him regarding the story of the ship, the wall, and the soul he killed, and he is not more knowledgeable than him regarding the Shari'ah of Allah.
Furthermore, the stronger view is that he is not alive, but rather he died at his time like other people. If he were alive, it would have been obligatory for him to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and believe in him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was sent to all people. It is well known that he did not come to the Messenger, and none of the Companions said that he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). Also, it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (Indeed, at the end of a hundred years, no one will remain on the face of the earth from those who are on it today) So if it is assumed that he exists, he must have died.
In any case, the correct view, without any doubt in my opinion, is that al-Khidr has died, and that his death was like the death of people at that time.
Also, the correct view is that he is not a prophet, but rather he is a man to whom Allah gave knowledge in certain matters, so that it would become clear to Musa (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that there are people on earth who are more knowledgeable than he is in some matters.
As for whoever claims that the wali is better than the prophet, he is a disbeliever, because the prophets are the highest tier of the tiers of the children of Adam. Then, the prophet combines prophethy and wilayah (friendship with Allah), and the messenger combines messengership, prophethy, and wilayah. Those who say that the status of prophethy is in the barzakh, above the messenger and below the wali, are liars in that. The best tiers of the children of Adam are the prophets, and at their head are the messengers, and at the head of the messengers are the five of determined resolve, then after that the truthful ones, then the martyrs, then the righteous.
The status of prophethy is in the barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection), above the messenger and below the wali
Please give us your ruling, may Allah reward you?
Your question about al-Khidr, whether he is a prophet or a messenger, is not the point of disagreement.The disagreement is whether he is a prophet or a wali, meaning: He is not a prophet, and the correct view is that he is not a prophet, and that Allah the Exalted gave him knowledge that Musa did not know, for the sake of a test and trial.Because Musa (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I do not know anyone on the face of the earth who is more knowledgeable than me, so Allah the Exalted wanted to make it clear to him that there are people on earth who are more knowledgeable than he is. He is more knowledgeable than Musa only in what Allah taught him regarding the story of the ship, the wall, and the soul he killed, and he is not more knowledgeable than him regarding the Shari'ah of Allah.
Furthermore, the stronger view is that he is not alive, but rather he died at his time like other people. If he were alive, it would have been obligatory for him to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and believe in him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was sent to all people. It is well known that he did not come to the Messenger, and none of the Companions said that he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). Also, it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (Indeed, at the end of a hundred years, no one will remain on the face of the earth from those who are on it today) So if it is assumed that he exists, he must have died.
In any case, the correct view, without any doubt in my opinion, is that al-Khidr has died, and that his death was like the death of people at that time.
Also, the correct view is that he is not a prophet, but rather he is a man to whom Allah gave knowledge in certain matters, so that it would become clear to Musa (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that there are people on earth who are more knowledgeable than he is in some matters.
As for whoever claims that the wali is better than the prophet, he is a disbeliever, because the prophets are the highest tier of the tiers of the children of Adam. Then, the prophet combines prophethy and wilayah (friendship with Allah), and the messenger combines messengership, prophethy, and wilayah. Those who say that the status of prophethy is in the barzakh, above the messenger and below the wali, are liars in that. The best tiers of the children of Adam are the prophets, and at their head are the messengers, and at the head of the messengers are the five of determined resolve, then after that the truthful ones, then the martyrs, then the righteous.