Transliteration:( Ammas safeenatu fakaanat limasaakeena ya'maloona fil bahri fa arattu an a'eebahaa wa kaana waraaa' ahum malikuny yaakhuzu kulla safeenatin ghasbaa )
"As for the boat, it belonged to poor people [179] who worked at sea. I intended to make it faulty [180] because there was a king behind them who seized every intact boat by force [181]."
The boat belonged to poor laborers who worked at sea—either as workers rather than owners, or they were called poor out of sympathy and compassion, even if they owned the vessel. The wording “worked at sea” supports the interpretation that they labored on it for livelihood.
This verse does not conflict with the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa (on whom be peace) regarding the definition of ownership and poverty.
Hazrat Khizr (on whom be peace) said, “I intended to make it faulty,” deliberately not attributing the act of damage to Allah, out of respect and adab. Even though all actions were by Allah’s will, attributing defect to the Divine is avoided out of reverence.
This teaches the principle that negative or harmful outcomes, even when divinely permitted, are not directly linked to Allah’s name out of humility and piety.
The king, Jalandi bin Karkar, ruling Qurtaba (Spain), would confiscate every intact ship that passed. By creating a minor fault, Hazrat Khizr protected the boat from seizure, allowing the poor workers to keep and repair it later.
From this, several principles are derived:
Preventing greater harm through lesser harm is permitted in Shariah.
Using someone’s property without permission, if done for their own benefit and protection, is allowed when immediate consent is impractical.
Such actions are not only permissible but can be commendable, especially in situations involving public safety or personal protection.
Seizing property by force, even by a king, is usurpation (ghasb) and strictly prohibited in Islam. Any goods taken unjustly cannot be lawfully bought or sold, and such transactions are invalid.
This verse beautifully highlights that what may appear as harm may actually be divine mercy—a truth that is only unveiled with patience and insight.
79. “As for the boat, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king behind them who seized every boat by force.”
This is an explanation of what Musa found so hard to understand, and the appearence of which he condemed. Allah showed Al-Khidr the hidden reasons, so he said, “I damaged the ship to make it faulty, because they used to pass by a king who was one of the oppressors, who
(seized every boat), i.e., every good, sound boat
(by force.) `So I wanted to prevent him from taking this boat by making it appear faulty, so that its poor owners who had nothing else could benefit from it.’ It was also said that they were orphans.
(18:79) As for the boat it belonged to some poor people who worked on the river, and I desired to damage it for beyond them lay the dominion of a king who was wont to seize every boat by force.
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
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