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Is Al-Khidr an angel, a messenger, a prophet, or a wali (saint)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is apparent from the general wording of the Quran that Al-Khidr was a prophet. This is understood from the verses indicating that the mercy and divine knowledge bestowed upon him were through prophethood and revelation, especially His (Allah's) saying: "And I did not do it of my own accord" (Quran 18:82), which indicates that he acted by Allah's command, a command that is only known through revelation. Furthermore, killing innocent souls and damaging ships is not permissible except by Allah's command through revelation, and methods of warning are limited to revelation. This interpretation is supported by Moses's statement to Al-Khidr: "May I follow you on condition that you teach me some of that which you have been taught of sound judgment?" (Quran 18:66), and his humility towards him, which indicates Al-Khidr's prophetic status.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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