Al-Kahf 18:74
The Cave · Meccan · Juz 15 · Page 301
The Boy
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمࣰا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسࣰا زَكِيَّةَۢ بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسࣲ لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـࣰٔا نُّكۡرࣰا ٧٤
So they twain journeyed on till, when they met a lad, he slew him. (Moses) said: What! Hast thou slain an innocent soul who hath slain no man? Verily thou hast done a horrid thing.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
They went on until they met a boy, and he killed him. Moses said: “Have you killed an innocent soul?”
Insight
According to Elmalılı, most commentators say this was a boy not yet of age, though there is also a report that he was a youth of twenty.
Reflect
Don’t rush to judge by appearances.
This short note is based on Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır’s Turkish commentary and has not yet been reviewed by a scholar.
Elmalılı’s commentary
An English translation of Elmalılı’s full commentary is coming soon. Read the original Turkish ›