Introduction to Khidr: Al Khidr is an important figure in Islam. In Dick Davis’ translation of the Shahnameh, he defines him as “a Qur’anic (and probably pre-Qur’anic) figure; in medieval legend the guardian of the waters of immortality.” The “Fountain of Life” is known as Āb-e Ḥayāt. In George Sale’s translation of the Qur’an (which is problematic and inaccurate, as you can read on the link), Sale writes, “Khizr, whether a prophet or a slave of God, obtained spiritual blessing by drinking of the water of life.” The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated that al-Khidr was named the ‘green man’ because, when he sat on barren land, the ground would turn green with vegetation.

1. A folio from a copy of the Falnama (Book of Omens). 2. A folio from an illuminated “Qisas al-Anbiya” or Stories of the Prophets (you can see copies of such manuscripts digitized at the New York Public Library Collections, the Library of Congress, and the Harvard Art Museum). 3. A miniature of Hazrat Khidr seen on twitter

Introduction to Khidr continued: Khidr is best known for his journey with Prophet Musa (Moses) in verses 65 – 82 of Surah Al-Kahf, the 18th surah (chapter) of the Qur’an. Khidr is also linked to a figure named Dhu al-Qarnayn (usually identified as Alexander the Great) who is discussed in Ayahs 83 – 101 of the same surah. In these verses Dhu al-Qarnayn/Alexander the Great travels to the land of the setting sun and to the land of the rising sun and builds a barrier to enclose Gog and Magog. Khidr is also linked to Prophet Elijah, with who he is said to have drank from the Water of Life with. The narrative of how the two achieved immortality is not mentioned in the Qur’an, but in some of the sources discussed below.

1. Gog & Magog from a 1717 Ottoman manuscript, 2. Iskandar building the wall from a 16th century Falnama (Book of Divinations), 3. The land of Gog & Magog from the 14th century Catalan Atlas, 4. Alexander building the wall in a 16th century Persian manuscript

Alexander Romance: During Antiquity and the Middle Ages, legends about Alexander the Great grew through the Alexander Romance genre. The text portrays Alexander “as a mythical adventurer as well as a military conqueror.” Originally written in Greek, the Alexander Romance went on to be adapted in many languages, including Armenian, French, English, Syriac. Yrja Thorsdottir writes that, “over time new legends were added to the Alexander Romance. These told of Alexander’s ascent into the sky in a carriage lifted by griffins, and his journey to the bottom of the sea in a submarine.” The first image below is the Ebstorf Map. The other images are of the Alexander in the Bathysphere/Diving Bell, compiled on this website.

Alexander Romance: Arabic versions of the Alexander Romance genre was found in the medieval Islamicate world. In his work Where the Two Seas Meet, Hugh Talat Halman states that, “one of the earliest Islamic versions of the Alexander Romance is transmitted from Wahb b. Munabbih (d. 829).” Other versions include the Qissat al-Iskandar, Qissat Dhulqarnayn, and Hadith Dhulqarnayn. In his 2014 article The Modern Literary (After)Lives of al-Khidr Shawkhat Toorawa’s tells us that, “in some versions of the Alexander Romance, after al-Khidr has dived into the Water of Life–which he found using a shining jewel brought from Paradise by the Prophet Adam–all the flesh on his body becomes ‘bluish-green and his garments likewise.'”

Sirat al-Iskandar: Z. David Zubwiyya states that al-Suri composed the Sīrat al-Iskandar (“Life of Alexander”) in the late 1200s (Suri cited the aforementioned Munabbih as his major source). Zuwiyya states that in Al-Suri’s version, “one distinguishing feature is the prominence given to Alexander’s companion and advisor Al-Khidr, who participates in all the adventures.” In one adventure, Alexander and Khidr travel to the Land of Darkness and reach the Fountain of Life, which Khidr drinks from and becomes immortal. Alexander does not gain access to the Fountain. Faustina Doufikar-Aerts writes in her 2003 article Sirat al-Iskandar that he, “received a reprimand from the angel Israfil (Seraphim) who does not allow him to set foot in the region of the angels.”

1. Alexander and Khidr Entering the Land of Darkness from the Book of Felicity, 2. the Land of Darkness (contemporary piece)

The Shahnameh of Ferdowsi: The Met writes that, “Alexander the Great features prominently in Persian literature and histories.” Ferdowsi lived from 940 to 1025 in Tus, Iran. Around the year 1000, he wrote the Shāh-nāmeh. In a 2018 lecture Andreas P. Parpas states that in the Shahnameh, “Al Khidr is Alexander’s vizier and closest friend. He discovers the fountain of life without telling Alexander. So, Alexander may have conquered the whole world, but he did not manage to become immortal.” Below is a section of the Shahnameh, translated by Dick Davis.

In the dark night he was mindful of God, and thought too of the water of life. He chose his most patient warriors to accompany him, packed provisions sufficient for forty days, and then set out impatient to see this wonder… He lodged his men within the town, then tried to find a capable and willing guide: Khezr was preeminent in all that land. Sekandar placed himself at his command And said to him, “I ask that you incline Your heart to this high enterprise of mine; If we can find life’s water we shall stay A long while in the world to watch and pray— The man who nourishes his soul, who gives His mind to God’s laws, does not die but lives. I have two seals that in the darkest night, When water’s near, will shine with brilliant light: Take one, go on ahead of us, and you Will guide and guard us there in all we do: The other seal I’ll keep with me, to show My soldiers where it’s safe and wise to go, And so we’ll see what God has hidden here.” Then, as the soldiers gradually drew near The stream of life, the plains rang with a cry Of “God is Great” that echoed in the sky. Then, for the next stage, Khezr said that they ought To leave behind them all the food they’d brought, And for two days and nights the soldiers went With mouths that never tasted nourishment; The road split into two the following day and in the dark Sekandar lost his way. Khezr journeyed on; his head reached Saturn’s sphere and when he saw life’s glittering stream appear he bathed his head and body there, and prayed to God, the only guardian he obeyed: He drank and rested, then went back again, and praised God as he crossed the empty plain.

Parpas also states, “on the island of Failaka, in Kuwait, there is a small shrine of prophet Al-Khidr. The inhabitants of the island believe that, on his way from Kerbala to Mecca every Tuesday night, the prophet stops by the shrine to rest. They also believe this is where Alexander and prophet Al-Khidr meet every Tuesday night. Pregnant women in Kuwait visit the shrine to make offerings and pray to the prophet to have a safe delivery and a healthy male child. This belief might come from the relation of the prophet in the Shahnameh.” While not mentioned in this translation, in visual depictions of the Shahnameh, Khidr is depicted as having reached the Fountain of Life alongside the Prophet Elijah.

1 late 16th century manuscript of the Shahnameh. 2. 15th century copy of the Shahnama. 3. a 16th century copy of the Shahnameh. 4. A 16th century copy of the Shahnama (with the angel Israfil visible)

The Khamsa by Nizami: Nizami lived from 1141 to 1209. He is considered the national poet of Azerbaijan. One of his works was the Khamsa, which is split into five poems, including one about Alexander called the Eskandar-Nâmeh. The poem includes the story of the search for the Fountain of Life. Although Alexander and Khidr begin the journey together, they are separated and only Khidr is successful.

In the Chapter “Sikandar Desires the Water of Life,” Nizami states…

In that assembly was an old man; when to him the turn of speech at last came, He suddenly opened his tongue respecting a wonder, (And) like the other chiefs kissed the ground, Saying:–“Of every land, the Dark Land is best, In which is a water, the life-giver… a pure fountain of limpid water. Everyone who drinks of that water of life takes his life from the life-devourer (death) of this world.”.. He inquired of him, saying:–“Where is that Dark Land?” The declarer declared, saying:–“From the right hand (beneath the North Pole).”

In the chapter “Sikandar’s going into the Zulmat in Search of the Water of Life,” Nizami states…

Sikandar gathered resolution for (going) to the Darkness; For in the Darkness the heart come to its place (of tranquility)… When Sikandar made the resolution of (going to) the Zulmat, He inclined to the abandoning of important affairs (world-seizing): Loosed the rein towards the Dark Land; Became concealed like the moon (eclipsed) in the mouth of Draco: Gave the order in that new road (of journeying) in such a way that the prophet Khizr was leader. The grey (khatlan) steed, the hastener (given by the Khakan of Chin), which he had beneath him,–to him, he gave, because he (Khizr) had the boldness of the lion… Gave him a jewel, which, within the (dark) cave (the Dark Land), Would become luminous for water-proving. To him he spoke, saying:–“… wherever the water of life reveals (its) splendour, for the gleaming jewel utters not a lie–drink.” At his order Khizr, moving with greenness, at the vanguard (in front), took up the step (proceeded quickly)…” The jewel, the illuminator, shone in his hand; Khizr looked down; what he sought, he found. That fountain appeared like silver, like a silver stream which strains from the middle of the rock (the mountain-mine). Not a fountain,–which is far from this speech; But if, verily, it were,–it was a fountain of light (not of water). How is the star in the morning-time? As the morning star is in the morning–even so it (the fountain) was. How is the undiminished moon at night? So it (the fountain) was that it was greater (in effulgence) than the (full) moon. As to motion, not a moment was it ease-taker, Like mercury in the hand of the paralytic old man. When Khizr caught acquaintance with (beheld) the fountain–by it, his eye caught illumination. He slighted and quickly plucked off his garments; Bathed head and body in that pure fountain: Drank of it as much as befitted; And became fit for eternal life. Verily, he washed that grey steed and made him sated; Put pure wine (the water of life) into the pure silver (the grey steed)… Through intelligence Khizr knew that Sikandar would be void (of a share) of the fountain.

These manuscripts appear to depict this version of the narrative.

1. A folio of Nizami’s work at the Walters Art Museum. 2. Khizr discovering the Fountain of Life from a 15th century manuscript commissioned by Ismat al-Dunya. 3. A leaf from Nizami’s work, depicting Iskander.

According to this website, “Nizami goes on to relate another version according to the ‘account of the elders of Rum’; here the quest is undertaken by Ilyas and Khizr, who sit down by a fountain to eat their repast, consisting of dried fish; the fish falling into the waters, comes to life, and thus the seekers are made aware that they have found the Fountain of Life, from which both drink. Nizami attributes Iskandar’s failure to his eagerness, whereas in the case of Khizr ‘the Water of Life arrived unsought’, with reference to the fact that it is revealed indirectly by its effect on the fish, when Khizr has no suspicion that he has already reached it.” Nizami also states that the Qur’an and Firdausi give other accounts.

In the chapter “Sikandar’s going into the Zulmat in Search of the Water of Life,” Nizami states…

As to this account, the old men of Rum, Have recited this tale in another way, Saying:–Ilyas (Elias) was fellow-traveller with Khizr, To that fountain which was on the path. When they came, –with mutual salutation, They descended into that water of the fountain. At that fountain-head they spread the table-cloth; For a fountain renders food pleasant-tasting. On that bread, which was more fragrant than musk, Was a dry salted fish. From the hand of one of those two of auspicious beauty (externally and internally), The fish fell into the limpid water. In the water of turquoise colour, the endeavourer Endeavoured that he might bring the fish to his grasp. When the fish came into his hand it was alive; To the inquirer,–happy was the omen! He knew that that fountain, soul-refreshing, Came his guide to the water of life. He drank the water of life with joy; Obtained everlasting permanency in life. Verily, he acquainted his friend; So that he also drank water of that drinking-water.

Below you can see images from manuscripts that depict Khizr and Prophet Ilyās (Elijah) together.

1. A folio of Nizami’s work at the Walters Art Museum. 2. A folio from Nizami’s Khamsa at the National Museum of Asian Art, depicting Khidr and Ilyas at the Fountation of Life. 3. a 15th century copy of the Khamsa depicting Ilyas and Khizr at the Fountain of Immortality. 4. A 17th century copy of the Iskandarnamah 5. A late 15th century copy of the Khamsa by Nizami, produced in Herat 6. From this 19th century copy of the Khamsa

The Khamsa by Nizami: Barbara Brend writes that, “one of the most splendid manuscripts produced for the 16th century Mughal emperor Akbar is a richly illustrated copy of a classical Persian work.” The following is a quote from The Emperor Akbar’s Khamsa of Nizami:

“There is talk of the wonders of the world, and an old man tells him that under the North Pole is the Land of Darkness, where a spring, the Water of Life, confers protection on life of those who drink it. Iskandar sets out to find the Water of Life… the Prophet Khizr is to go in front of Iskandar’s grey horse, taking with him a jewel which will shine when it comes to the water. The jewel slips from Khizr’s hand and he discover below him a spring of silver water issuing from the naval of the rock, or rather a spring of light in constant motion. Khizr lays aside his clothes and bathes in the spring and drinks from it; he washes Iskandar’s horse and waters it. As he contemplates the spring, thinking that he will soon be able to show it to Iskandar, it vanishes, and so he understands that Iskandar is note destined to find it.”

Khamsa of Amir Khusrau: In 1298 the Indian poet Amir Khusrau wrote the Khamsa of Khusrau, emulating Nizami. “The fourth voluminous masnavi was Aina-e-Sikandari, which narrated the heroic deeds of Alexander the Great in 4500 verses.” The images below come from manuscripts of Khusrau’s work. They show Khizr and Ilyas at the Fountain of Youth, Alexander being lowered into the sea, Alexander visiting Plato, and Khizr visiting a pious man. In addition to being a poet, Amir Khusrau was a musician, sometimes called the Father of Qawwali. This song, performed by Sami Yusuf, “has been popular in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, based on a poem by Amir Khusro, later modified by the great Panjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah. The song’s lyrics honor and revere (but do not worship) ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, to whom virtually all Sufi orders trace their lineage, as well as the famous 12th century Sufi saint of Sindh, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.”

Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain: “Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain is a Malay epic describing fictional exploits of Alexander the Great (Iskandar), identified with Dhu al-Qarnayn (Zulkarnain), a king briefly mentioned in the Quran. The oldest existing manuscript is dated 1713.” You can see an image of it below.

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: According to this post, the image below depicts, “the prophets Elias and Khizr at the fountain of eternal life. School of Herat, about 1440. Royal Asiatic Society, London.” This website has a translation of the Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam:

They call you wicked, if to fame you’re known,
And an intriguer, if you live alone,
Trust me, though you were Khizr or Elias,
‘Tis best to know none, and of none be known.