[18].Surah Al-Kahf [The Cave]: Ayat 80-81

 

Ayat 80. "And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief.

Ayat 81. "So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and near to mercy.

[Tafseer] This seemed at first sight even a more cruel act than scuttling the boat. But the danger was also greater. Khidr knew that the youth was a potential parricide. His parents were worthy, pious people, who had brought him up with love. He had apparently gone wrong. Perhaps he had already been guilty of murders and robberies and had escaped the law by subtleties and fraud. See next note.  The son was practically an outlaw-a danger to the public and a particular source of grief to his righteous parents. Even so, his summary capital punishment would have been unjustified if Khidr had been acting on his own. But Khidr was not acting on his own: see the latter part of the next verse. The plural "we" also implies that he was not acting on his own. He was acting on higher authority and removing a public scourge, who was also a source of extreme sorrow and humiliation to his parents. His parents are promised a better-behaved son who would love them and be a credit to them.  

Hazrat Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) was asked about the observance of Saum (fasting) on the day of `Arafah. He said, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year.''

[Muslim Book 06, Chapter 33, Hadith # 2603]. 

Lesson : The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is called Yaum-`Arafah . On this day, pilgrims stop and stand in prayers at `Arafat which is the most important ritual of Hajj, so much so that Hajj is deemed incomplete without it. On that day, the pilgrims are engaged in the remembrance of Allah and prayers as that is their most important worship on that day. For this reason, Saum is not desirable for them, but for other people, Saum has a special merit. The importance and merit of this Saum can be judged from the fact that it expiates sins for two consecutive years: the previous year and the current year. But these sins relate only to the minor sins, not the major ones, or become a means of elevation of one's status.