Al Khidr (alternatively spelled in English as Khizr, Khader, Khudhur, Hızır) is an enigmatic figure in Islam. Professor Ali A Olomi describes Khidr as, “the mysterious teacher of prophets… associated with mystic dreams, the holy man who crosses confessional boundaries to become St. George.” In this thread Olomi continues, “believed to be an immortal miracle worker, he is a figure of power and awe. According to Ibn Ishaq, Al Khidr will remain alive until the end of days when the dajjal will kill him. Therefore he unites past, present, and future in his life. Al Khidr is associated strongly with dreams and dream divination. There are various popular folk prayers used to invoke a visitation from him, or to ascertain the answer to a question. He also is connected to Mercury and Pisces in astrological theories. He is attributed with Mercurial qualities while the connection to Pisces comes from the presence of a fish in his story that comes back to life.”

1. Victoria & Albert museum, 2. Victoria & Albert museum, 3. this twitter thread. 4. for sale on eBay

The authors of The Study Quran write, “Khidr is widely considered a prophet although some say he was just a righteous servant of God or an angel. Commentators put forward several arguments in support of Khidr’s being a prophet, however, including that he was given direct and unmediated knowledge from God. Some consider Khidr to have been alive at the time of the legendary Persian hero and King Afaridun and at the beginning of the time of Dhu’l-Qarnyan, as well as during the time of Moses. Khidr is said to have been granted a mercy from God… a kind of spiritual perfection that allows him to remain completely unencumbered by base matter, bestowing upon him perpetual life.” Below you can see various images of Al Khidr. In this article, Shatha Almutawa explores why he is often depicted as riding on a fish.

1. for sale on eBay, 2. this twitter post, 3. Victoria & Albert museum, 4. The Met

Khidr and Musa (Moses)

Al Khidr is best known for his interactions with Prophet Musa (Moses) in verses 65 – 82 of Surah Al-Kahf. Beyond the Qur’anic account, much of what we know about Khidr comes from other sources, including hadith. 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. Below are different English translations of ayahs 62 – 82 of Al-Kahf.

In his work Where the Two Seas Meet, Hugh Talat Halman writes that, “in the Qur’anic story of Moses and the long-lived ‘green man,’ Moses follows al-Khidr on a journey of teaching and companionship that repeatedly tests his patience. In that journey al-Khidr teaches Moses about the mysteries of death, divine justice, predestination, and divine mercy.” The authors of The Study Quran write that, “if this account is interpreted as symbolic narrative four the journey of the soul, the ship may then symbolize the body, which carries individuals across the sea of material existence… the hold of the body upon the soul may be ‘broken’ through spiritual exercises and asceticism. From a mystical perspective, the slain boy represents the soul that inclines towards evil and is ‘slain’ when one overcomes the anger and other negative passions within oneself. Khidr stopped to repair a wall that was leaning… and sought no compensation. Doing a good deed and then seeking worldly reward for it nullifies the spiritual merit of the good deed.” In the 15th century, an illustrated manuscript entitled “Mi‘rajnama”, meaning the Book of Ascension, was produced for the Timurid ruler Shahrukh. The first image below comes from that work and depicts the Prophet Muhammad and Moses. In 1358, Mahmud al-Bulgari wrote “Nahj al-Faradis,” meaning The Clear Path to Paradise. Al-Bulgari lived in the Golden Horde and the piece is considered one of the oldest Tatar literary monuments. The rest of the images below come from a particular manuscript of that work, created by al-Saraj and commissioned by Abu Sa’id Mirza, the ruler of the Timurid Empire, in 1465/6.

1. Source, 2. Source, 3. Source, 4. Source, 5. Source, 6. Source, 7. Source – discussed here, 8. Source

Khidr and Dhu al-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great)

In verses 83 – 101 of Surah Al Kahf, Khidr is linked to a figure named Dhu al-Qarnayn:

They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Ⱬul-Qarnain. Say, “I will relate to you something of his narrative.” Surely We established him in the land, and gave him the means to all things. So he travelled a course, until he reached the setting ˹point˺ of the sun, which appeared to him to be setting in a spring of murky water, where he found some people. We said, “O Ⱬul-Qarnain! Either punish them or treat them kindly.” He responded, “Whoever does wrong will be punished by us, then will be returned to their Lord, Who will punish them with a horrible torment. As for those who believe and do good, they will have the finest reward, and we will assign them easy commands.” Then he travelled a ˹different˺ course until he reached the rising ˹point˺ of the sun. He found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it. So it was. And We truly had full knowledge of him. Then he travelled a ˹third˺ course until he reached ˹a pass˺ between two mountains. He found in front of them a people who could hardly understand ˹his˺ language. They pleaded, “O Ⱬul-Qarnain! Surely Gog and Magog are spreading corruption throughout the land. Should we pay you tribute, provided that you build a wall between us and them?” He responded, “What my Lord has provided for me is far better. But assist me with resources, and I will build a barrier between you and them. Bring me blocks of iron!” Then, when he had filled up ˹the gap˺ between the two mountains, he ordered, “Blow!” When the iron became red hot, he said, “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.” And so the enemies could neither scale nor tunnel through it. He declared, “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will level it to the ground. And my Lord’s promise is ever true.” On that Day, We will let them surge ˹like waves˺ over one another. Later, the Trumpet will be blown, and We will gather all ˹people˺ together. On that Day We will display Hell clearly for the disbelievers, those who turned a blind eye to My Reminder and could not stand listening ˹to it˺.

Dhu al-Qarnayn is typically identified as Alexander the Great, around whom many legends developed through the “Alexander Romance” genre. In these legends, Al-Khidr finds the Fountain of Life and becomes immortal, while Alexander does not. On account of his immortality, there are many places around the world that are associated with Al Khidr in some way. In Shawkhat Toorawa’s 2014 article “The Modern Literary (After)Lives of al-Khidr,” he writes that there is no agreement about al-Khidr’s full name, “but Baliya ibn Malikan is widely accepted by Qur’an commentators and narrators of Prophetic stories (qisas al-anbiya).” You can see images from manuscripts of Stories of the Prophets below.

1. Prophet on a Prayer Rug from a 16th century Qisas al-Anbiya, 2. 17th century Ottoman manuscript, 3. Zu’l-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) builds a wall to keep out the people of Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) in 14th century Central Asian manuscript,

Khidr and Ilyas (Elijah)

Khidr is also linked to Prophet Ilyas (Elijah), who is mentioned twice in the Qur’an: 6:85 and verses 123 – 130 of Surah As-Saffat:

And Elias was indeed one of the messengers. ˹Remember˺ when he said to his people, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺? Do you call upon ˹the idol of˺ Ba’l and abandon the Best of Creators—Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?” But they rejected him, so they will certainly be brought ˹for punishment˺. But not the chosen servants of Allah. We blessed him ˹with honourable mention˺ among later generations: “Peace be upon Elias.”

In her work Morning & Evening Invocations, Sheikh Dr Thaika Shu’aib writes that Ilyas, “drank the Water of Life and his domain is the oceans and seas, though his influence extends beyond. Scholars of tasawwuf are unanimous in their belief that both he and Al-Khidr are alive and give guidance to spiritual aspirants, with Allah’s permission. They spend Ramadan each year in Jerusalem, observing the fast. They then make the pilgrimage to Mecca.” Dr. Shu’aib provides a Greeting of Divine Glorification from Khidr and Ilyas, which you can see below.

Khidr and Idris (Enoch)

Enoch is mentioned in the Qur’an in 19:56 – 57 and 21:85 – 86. In Cyclopaedia of India Eastern and Southern Asia (Part 15, Volume 3), they claim that Khidr is associated with Elijah or with Enoch (Idris). This website includes a quote from Ibn Arabi, “Elijah (Elias) is Idris (Enoch) who was a messenger before Noah, and whom God elevated to a high place” and claims that Enoch and Khidr are one person. According to this website, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet said, “there are five chosen servants of Allah Most High who are ever alive. Two are in heaven: Isa and Idris; three are on earth: Khidr Ilyas, and Mahdi.” Below is an image of Idris from a manuscript of Qisas al-Anbiya by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim al-Nishapuri and a Christian depiction of his ascent to heaven.