Al-Kahf Verse 77

So they moved on until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for food, but the people refused to give them hospitality. There they found a wall ready to collapse, so the man set it right. Moses protested, “If you wanted, you could have demanded a fee for this.”

Then they went on until they came to the people of a town. They asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. They found there a wall that was about to collapse, but he repaired it. Moses said, “If you wished, you could have taken some payment for it.”

So they departed; until, when they reached the people of a city, they asked the people for food, but they refused to receive them hospitably. There they found a wall about to tumble down, and so he set it up. He said, 'If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken a wage for that.'

And so they travelled on. Then, when they came to a town and asked the inhabitants for food but were refused hospitality, they saw a wall there that was on the point of falling down and the man repaired it. Moses said, ‘But if you had wished you could have taken payment for doing that.’

Then the twain journeyed until when they came unto the people of a city, they begged food from the people thereof, but they refused to entertain the twain. Then they found therein a wall, about to fall down, and he set it upright. Musa said: hadst thou willed, thou mightest have taken therefor a hire.

Then they proceeded; until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said; "If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!"

Then the two went forth until when they came to a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to play host to them. They found in that town a wall that was on the verge of tumbling down, and he buttressed it, whereupon Moses said: "If you had wished, you could have received payment for it."

The two went on till they came upon some villagers, and asked the people for food, but they refused to entertain them. There they found a wall that was crumbling, which he repaired. Moses remarked: "You could have demanded wages for it if you liked."

So they both set out again; until they came to the people of a dwelling – they asked its people for food – they refused to invite them – then in the village they both found a wall about to collapse, and the chosen bondman straightened it; said Moosa, “If you wished, you could have taken some wages for it!”

So they went on until they came to the people of a town. They asked its people for food, but they refused to extend them any hospitality. There they found a wall which was about to collapse, so he erected it. He said, ‘Had you wished, you could have taken a wage for it.’

So they went on until when they came upon the people of a township, they asked its people for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall which was on the verge of tumbling down, and he (al-Khadr) restored it. (Moses) said: "If you had wished, you could have taken payment for it."

So both of them again set out till when they came upon the inhabitants of a town they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found therein (- the town) a wall which was on the point of falling down and he (- the divine being) repaired it. (Moses) said, `If you had wanted, you could have charged for it.´

So they (B) left/set out until when they (B) came (to) a village/urban city, they asked its people to be fed, so they refused/hated that they have them (B) as guests/help them , so they (B) found in it a wall wanting that to fall down/be wrecked, so he raised it, he (Moses) said: "If you wanted/willed you would have taken/received on (for) it a wage/fee ."

So they both set out again; until they came to the people of a dwelling – they asked its people for food - they refused to invite them – then in the village they both found a wall about to collapse, and the chosen bondman straightened it; said Moosa, "If you wished, you could have taken some wages for it!"

Said Moses, "If ever I ask you about anything after this, keep me not in your company. Now have you received a promise from me."

Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight. [Musa (Moses)] said: If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for it!"

He said: If I ask thee about anything after this, keep not company with me. Thou wilt then indeed have found an excuse in my case.

So they went on until when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he put it into a right state. (Musa) said: If you had pleased, you might certainly have taken a recompense for it.

So they twain journeyed on till, when they came unto the folk of a certain township, they asked its folk for food, but they refused to make them guests. And they found therein a wall upon the point of falling into ruin, and he repaired it. (Moses) said: If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken payment for it.

They continued on their journey again until they reached a town. They asked the people there for food, but no one accepted them as their guests. They found there a wall of a house which was on the verge of tumbling to the ground. The companion of Moses repaired that wall. Moses said, "You should have received some money for your labor."

So they departed and thereafter they came to the inhabitants of a village. They asked its inhabitants for some food, but they declined to host them. There, they found a wall about to fall down whereupon his companion restored it. He (Moses) said: 'Had you wished, you could have taken payment for that'

Then they both proceeded till when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he set it up straight. (Musa) said: "If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it!"

So they went on until they came to a town. They asked its people for food, but were refused hospitality. They found a wall in the town which was about to fall down. His companion buttressed it and Moses said, "Had you wished, you could have demanded payment for your labours."

So they set out. Until, when they reached the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. There they found a wall about to collapse, and he repaired it. He said, “If you wanted, you could have obtained a payment for it.”

So they set off, until, when they came to the folk of a [certain] town, namely, Antioch (Antkya), they asked its folk for food, they asked them for food by way of hospitality, but they refused to extend them any hospitality. They then found in it a wall, one hundred cubits high, about to collapse, that is, it was close to falling down because of its tilt; so he, al-Khidr, straightened it, with his [own] hands. He, Moses, said, to him, `Had you wished, you could have taken (a variant reading [for la-ttakhadhta] has la-takhidhta) a wage for it', some [sort of] payment, since they did not extend us any hospitality despite our need for food.

The Story of repairing the Wall

Allah tells;

فَانطَلَقَا



they both proceeded,

after the first two instances,

حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ

till when they came to the people of a town,

Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn Sirin that this was Al-Aylah.

According to the Hadith;

حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ لِيَامًا

When they came there, the people of the town were mean. i.e., miserly.

اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ

they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight.

means, he fixed it so it was standing upright properly.

We have already seen in the Hadith quoted above that he set it up with his own hands, supporting it until it was standing straight again, which is something extraordinary.

At this point,
.
قَالَ لَوْ شِيْتَ لَااتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا



(Musa) said;If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it!

meaning, because they did not entertain us as guests, you should not have worked for them for free