His saying: "And those towns, We destroyed them when they did wrong, and We have set for their destruction a promised time."

12874 - From al-Abbas ibn 'Azwan, who attributed it [to the Prophet] regarding His saying: "And those towns, We destroyed them when they did wrong, and We have set for their destruction a promised time," he said: "Allah ordained the punishment when [the people] disobeyed, then He delayed it until its appointed time came, then He sent it forth."

His saying: "When Moses said to his young man, 'I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas...'"

12875 - From the path of Sa'id ibn Jubayr, he said: I said to Ibn Abbas: "Indeed, Nawf al-Bikali claims that Moses, the companion of al-Khidr, is not Moses, the companion of the Children of Israel." Ibn Abbas said: "The enemy of Allah has lied! Ubayy ibn Ka'b narrated to us that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: 'Moses stood up delivering a sermon to the Children of Israel, and he was asked: "Who is the most knowledgeable of the people?" He replied: "I am." So Allah admonished him because he did not attribute knowledge to Him, and Allah revealed to him: "Indeed, I have a servant at the junction of the two seas who is more knowledgeable than you." Moses said: "O Lord, how can I reach him?" He said: "Take a fish with you and place it in a container; wherever you lose the fish, that is where he is." So he took a fish and placed it in a container, then he set out, and his young man, Yusha' ibn Nun, set out with him until when they reached the rock, they laid their heads down and slept. The fish stirred in the container and escaped from it, falling into the sea, and it took its path in the sea as if through a tunnel. Allah held back the flow of the water from the fish, so it became like an arch over it. When he awoke, his companion forgot to inform him about the fish. They traveled the rest of their day and night, until the next morning, when Moses said to his young man: "Bring us our morning meal; indeed, we have suffered fatigue from this journey of ours." Moses did not find fatigue until he had passed the place which Allah had commanded him to go to. So his young man said to him: "Do you remember when we retreated to the rock? Indeed, I forgot the fish, and none made me forget it except Satan, that I should mention it; and it took its path in the sea in an amazing way." He said: "It was a tunnel for the fish, and an amazing thing for Moses and his young man." Moses said: "That is what we were seeking." So they retraced their footsteps. Sufyan said: Some people claim that at that rock there is the Spring of Life, and its water does not touch a dead person without him coming to life. He said: The fish had been eaten from, and wherever the water dripped upon it, it came to life. He said: They returned, retracing their footsteps until they reached the rock, and there was a man covered with a garment. Moses greeted him, and al-Khidr said: "And how can there be peace in your land?" He said: "I am Moses." He said: "Moses of the Children of Israel?" He said: "Yes. I have come to you so that you may teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught, for guidance." He said: "Indeed, you will not be able to have patience with me, O Moses. I possess some of the knowledge of Allah that He taught me, which you do not know, and you possess some of the knowledge of Allah that Allah taught you, which I do not know."'