Al-Khizr

By Abdullah Qutbuddin

There is an Arabian Nights-like story in the Qur'an of an obviously symbolical journey that Moses made under the guidance of "one of Our servitors to whom We had granted mercy and knowledge",¹ that is to say a realized man. Three times the guide tested Moses by performing an apparently outrageous action, and three times Moses failed to restrain his indignation. The name of the guide is not given, but he is traditionally held to be the prophet Khizr, who is nowhere mentioned by name in the Qur'an.

What is remarkable about this is that Moses is recognised in the Qur'an as a great prophet, whereas on this occasion he appears as an obtuse pupil. The explanation seems to be that Moses is the prophet most associated with the law, and this story is meant to show the law or exoteric religion or outer orthodoxy to be an inferior, a pupil and unintelligent over against esoteric or initiatic guidance.

Guenon, whose knowledge of symbolism was extensive, equated Khizr with the equally enigmatic Biblical figure of Melchisedec. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, Christ is referred to as "Called of God, a high priest after the order of Melchisedec."² Just as Khizr is represented in the Qur'an as superior to Moses, so does the author of this Epistle represent Melchisedec as superior to Abraham, stating that Abraham paid tithes to him and he conferred his blessing on Abraham. Further, he is called "King of righteousness and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace."³ He is ranked higher than the Levitical priesthood, the descendants of Aaron. "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; he abideth a priest continually,"⁴

It is quite evident that what we have to do with here is not an individual but an esoteric order with direct spiritual realization which raises its members above human lineage and gives it higher authority than the exoteric orthodoxy of the regular priesthood. The writer of this epistle is obviously a Hebrew writing for Hebrews, and the implication for him of Christ's being a priest after the order of Melchisedec is, Christ's authority to override Jewish law and orthodoxy. There was as yet no Christian law and orthodoxy.

After Biblical times no more is heard of Melchisedec. In Islam, however, Khizr remained an important legendary figure. Sufism, though less rigid than the shariat of exoteric Islam, developed a law and orthodoxy of its own. Every Sufi aspirant had to be duly initiated to a tariqat or Sufi path by the validly appointed head of the order, successor to its whole chain of sheikhs. It was always recognised, however, that outside these orders there was the path of the afrad or solitary ones (singular fard) whose guide was Al-Khizr.

In our own day the spirit of guidance has almost dried up in Islam, as in the other religions, and it is well-nigh impossible to find a realized guide at the head of any tariqat. But the Compassionate always responds to men's aspiration, and we find today, in compensation, a less formal outpouring of Grace to those who seek. This is, therefore, the age of Al-Khizr. It is better to implore his guidance than to adhere to the formalities of a tariqat which has everything except the essential - the realization of its sheikh.
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1. Qur'an, XVII, 65-82.
2. Hebrews, V, 10.
3. Ibid., V11, 2,
4. Ibid., VII, 3.

There is a Hindu story which illustrates this. Before the Battle of Kurukshetra, at which the Bhagavad Gita was enunciated, both sides, in canvassing allies, believed that they had a right to call on Krishna, the Lord of Mathura, for support. He declared that one side could have his army while he himself, unarmed, would support the other. The Kauravas chose his army and Arjuna chose Krishna. It was Arjuna who won. Let those who cling to formal orthodoxy without a realised guide consider which they are choosing, Krishna or his army.