Surah 18. Al-Kahf

I did not make them witnesses of the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor of the creation of their own selves;⁵⁶ and neither do I [have any need to] take as My helpers those [beings] that lead [men] astray.⁵⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "since they are but created beings, and not co-existent with Me, how can you take them for your masters?"-an allusion to the beings, real or imaginary, to which men ascribe divine qualities, either consciously or (as in the case of one's submission to the "whisperings of Satan") by subconscious implication.

Since God is almighty, all-knowing and self-sufficient, the belief that any being or power could have a "helping" share in His divinity, or could "mediate" between Him and man, causes the latter to go utterly astray.

I did not call them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation, nor do I take those who lead mankind astray as My supporters.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

I never called them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth or 'even' their own creation, nor would I take the misleaders as helpers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

I made them not to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation; nor choose I misleaders for (My) helpers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

I called them not to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth nor (even) their own creation: nor is it for Me to take as helpers such as lead (men) astray! ²³⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah wants man's good: how can He take Evil for His partner?

Hence, [bear in mind] the Day on which He will say, "Call [now] unto those beings whom you imagined to have a share in My divinity!"⁵⁸ - whereupon they will invoke them, but those [beings] will not respond to them: for We shall have placed between them an unbridgeable gulf.⁵⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "those partners of Mine whom you supposed [to exist]": see note [15] on 6:22 .

Or: "a gulf [or "a barrier"] of perdition": an allusion to the wide gulf of unreality that separates those sinners from the blasphemous figments of their imagination or, more probably, the gulf that separates them from the saintly persons whom they were wont to worship despite the fact that the latter had never made any claim to divine status (Zamakhshari and Razi in one of their alternative interpretations, with specific mention of Jesus and Mary).

On the Day of Judgement Allah will say to them: "Call on those whom you thought to be My partners." They will call them but will receive no answer; and We shall cause animosity between them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'beware of' the Day He will say, 'Call upon those you claimed were My associate-gods.' So they will call them, but will receive no response. And We will make them 'all' share in the same doom.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And (be mindful of) the Day when He will say: Call those partners of Mine whom ye pretended. Then they will cry unto them, but they will not hear their prayer, and We shall set a gulf of doom between them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

One Day He will say "Call on those whom ye thought to be My partners" and they will call on them but they will not listen to them; and We shall make for them a place of common perdition. ²³⁹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Some Commentators construe: "And We shall make a partition between them": i.e., the Evil ones will not even be seen by their misguided followers, much as the latter may go on calling on them.

And those who were lost in sin will behold the fire, and will know that they are bound to fall into it, and will find no way of escape therefrom.

  - Mohammad Asad

The criminals will see the fire and realize that they are going to fall into it; but will find no place to escape.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The wicked will see the Fire and realize that they are bound to fall into it, and will find no way to avoid it.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the guilty behold the Fire and know that they are about to fall therein, and they find no way of escape thence:

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And the Sinful shall see the Fire and apprehend that they have to all therein; no means will they find to turn away therefrom.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

THUS, INDEED, have We given in this Qur'an many facets to every kind of lesson [designed] for [the benefit of] mankind.⁶⁰ However, man is, above all else, always given to contention:

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. note [104] on {17: 89}, explaining my translation of mathal, in this context, as "lesson".

We have given all kinds of examples in this Qur'an to make the people understand this Message, but man is exceedingly contentious.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We have surely set forth in this Quran every 'kind of' lesson for people, but humankind is the most argumentative of all beings.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all manner of similitudes, but man is more than anything contentious.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We have explained in detail in this Qur'an for the benefit of mankind every kind of similitude: but man is in most things contentious. ²³⁹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If men had not cultivated the habit of contention and obstinacy, they would have found that the parables and similitudes of Scripture had fully met their difficulties, and they would gladly have obeyed the call of Allah.

for, what is there to keep people from attaining to faith now that guidance has come unto them, and from asking their Sustainer to forgive them their sins - unless it be [their wish] that the fate of the [sinful] people of ancient times should befall them [as well], or that the [ultimate] suffering should befall them in the hereafter?⁶¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "face to face" or "in the future" (Zamakhshari) - both these meanings of qubulan being comprised in the concept of "the hereafter" or "the life to come".

Nothing can prevent men from believing and seeking the forgiveness of their Rabb now that Guidance has come to them, unless they are waiting for the fate of former peoples to overtake them or the scourge to be brought to them face to face.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And nothing prevents people from believing when guidance comes to them and from seeking their Lord's forgiveness except 'their demand' to meet the same fate of earlier deniers or that the torment would confront them face to face.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And naught hindereth mankind from believing when the guidance cometh unto them, and from asking for forgiveness of their Lord, unless (it be that they wish) that the judgment of the men of old should come upon them or (that) they should be confronted with the Doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And what is there to keep back men from believing now that Guidance has come to them nor from praying for forgiveness from their Lord but that (they ask that) the ways of the ancients be repeated with them or the Wrath be brought to them face to face? ²³⁹⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But man's obstinacy or contrariness asks or calls for a repetition of what happened to the wicked and those who rejected Faith in ancient times. Out of curiosity, or by way of challenge, they seem to court the Punishment and ask that it be brought to pass at once. But it will come soon enough, and then they will think it too early! Cf. xiii. 6 and n. 1810.

But We send [Our] message-bearers only as heralds of glad tidings and as warners - whereas those who are bent on denying the truth contend [against them] with fallacious arguments, so as to render void the truth thereby, and to make My messages and warnings a target of their mockery.

  - Mohammad Asad

We send the Rasools only to proclaim good news and to give warnings but with false arguments the unbelievers seek to defeat the Truth, through mocking at My revelations and My warnings.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We do not send the messengers except as deliverers of good news and warners. But the disbelievers argue in falsehood, 'hoping' to discredit the truth with it, and make a mockery of My revelations and warnings.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We send not the messengers save as bearers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve contend with falsehood in order to refute the Truth thereby. And they take Our revelations and that wherewith they are threatened as a jest.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We only send the Apostles to give glad tidings and to give warnings: but the Unbelievers dispute with vain argument in order therewith to weaken the truth and they treat My Signs as a jest as also the fact that they are warned! ²⁴⁰⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Prophets of Allah are not sent to humour us with dialectics or satisfy the vulgar curiosity for miracles or dark unusual things. There is no "crookedness" (xviii. 1) in their preaching. They come to preach the Truth,-not in an abstract way, but with special reference to our conduct. They give us the good news of salvation lest we despair in the presence of Sin, and to warn us clearly of the dangers of Evil. Vain controversies about words only weaken their mission, or turn it into ridicule. The ungodly have a trick also of treating the earnest preaching to them itself as a jest and ridiculing it.

And who could be more wicked than he to whom his Sustainer's messages are conveyed and who thereupon turns away from them, forgetting all [the evil] that his hands may have wrought?⁶² Behold, over their hearts have We laid veils which prevent them from grasping the truth, and into their ears, deafness; and though thou call them onto the right path,⁶³ they will never allow themselves to be guided.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., persevering in his unrighteous behaviour (Razi).

Lit., "to guidance".

Who is more unjust than the one who, when reminded of the revelations of his Rabb, turns away from them and forgets what his own hands have done? In regards to such people, We have cast veils over their hearts, so they do not understand this Qur'an, and have become hard of hearing. Call them as you may towards the guidance, they will never be guided.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And who does more wrong than those who, when reminded of their Lord's revelations, turn away from them and forget what their own hands have done? We have certainly cast veils over their hearts- leaving them unable to comprehend this 'Quran'- and deafness in their ears. And if you 'O Prophet' invite them to 'true' guidance, they will never be 'rightly' guided.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And who doth greater wrong than he who hath been reminded of the revelations of his Lord, yet turneth away from them and forgetteth what his hands send forward (to the Judgment)? Lo! on their hearts We have placed coverings so that they understand not, and in their ears a deafness. And though thou call them to the guidance, in that case they can never be led aright.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And who doth more wrong than one who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord but turns away from them forgetting the (deeds) which his hands have sent forth? Verily We have set veils over their hearts lest they should understand this and over their ears deafness. If thou callest them to guidance even then will they never accept guidance. ²⁴⁰¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Considering the power of sin, and how it gets hold of the hearts of men, and considering all the wrongs that men have done, it is the height of folly and injustice on their part to turn away from warnings which are given expressly for their good. But a stage of callousness is reached, when, by their own choice, they have rendered themselves impervious to Allah's Grace. At that stage a veil is put over their hearts and they are left alone for a time, that they may commune with themselves and perhaps repent and seek Allah's Mercy again. If they do not, it is their own loss. See next verse.

Yet, [withal,] thy Sustainer is the Truly-Forgiving One, limitless in His grace. Were He to take them [at once] to task for whatever [wrong] they commit, He would indeed bring about their speedy punishment [then and there]:⁶⁴ but nay, they have a time-limit beyond which they shall find no redemption⁶⁵ -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "He would indeed hasten the punishment for them"-the implication being that He invariably allows them time to repent and mend their ways.

Cf. somewhat similar passages in 16:61 and 35:45 . The "time-limit" (maw'id) signifies, in this context, the end of the sinners' life on earth or - as in the next verse - the "point of no return" beyond which God does not allow them to sin with impunity.

Your Rabb is Most Forgiving, the Lord of Mercy. Had it been His Will to seize them for their sins, He would have hastened their punishment, but for that there is an appointed time, after which they will not find any refuge.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Your Lord is the All-Forgiving, Full of Mercy. If He were to seize them 'immediately' for what they commit, He would have certainly hastened their punishment. But they have an appointed time, from which they will find no refuge.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thy Lord is the Forgiver, Full of Mercy. If He took them to task (now) for what they earn, He would hasten on the doom for them; but their is an appointed term from which they will find no escape.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But your Lord is Most Forgiving Full of Mercy. If He were to call them (at once) to account for what they have earned then surely He would have hastened their Punishment: but they have their appointed time beyond which they will find no refuge. ²⁴⁰²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Min duni-hi: should we take the pronoun to refer to "the appointed time" or to "your Lord" mentioned at the beginning of the verse? Most Commentators take the former view, and I have translated accordingly. But I agree with those who take the latter view, and the better translation would be: "But they have their appointed time, and except with Allah, they will find no refuge." That means that even during the period allowed them, when they are left to wander astray as they have rejected Allah's Grace, Allah's Mercy is open to them if they will repent and return; but nothing but Allah's Mercy can save them.

as [was the case with all] those communities that We destroyed when they went on and on doing wrong:⁶⁶ for We had set a time-limit for their destruction.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "when [or "after"] they had been doing wrong" - i.e., persistently and for a long time.

All those nations whom We destroyed for their wrong doings were given respite and an appointed time for their destruction.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those 'are the' societies We destroyed when they persisted in wrong,¹ and We had set a time for their destruction.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the peoples of ’Ȃd and Thamûd.

And (all) those townships! We destroyed them when they did wrong, and We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Such were the populations We destroyed when they committed iniquities; but We fixed an appointed time for their destruction. ²⁴⁰³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The instances of exemplary Punishment in former times were also subject to this rule, that Allah gives plenty of rope to the wicked, in case they might turn, repent, and obtain His Mercy.

AND LO!⁶⁷ [In the course of his wanderings,] Moses said to his servant:⁶⁸ "I shall not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas, even I [have to] spend untold years [in my quest]!"

  - Mohammad Asad

The particle idh (which usually signifies "when", but is, I believe, properly rendered here as "lo!") often serves in the Qur'an to draw attention to a sudden turn in the discourse, without, however, involving a break in the continuity of thought. In this instance, it evidently marks a connection with verse {54} above ("many facets have We given in this Qur'an to every kind of lesson [designed] for [the benefit of] mankind"), and introduces an allegory meant to illustrate the fact that knowledge, and particularly spiritual knowledge, is inexhaustible, so that no human being- not even a prophet- can ever claim to possess answers to all the questions that perplex man throughout his life. (This idea is brought out fully in the last two verses of this surah.) The subsequent parable of Moses and his quest for knowledge (verses {60-82}) has become, in the course of time, the nucleus of innumerable legends with which we are not concerned here. We have, however, a Tradition on the authority of Ubayy ibn Ka'b (recorded in several versions by Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmidhi), according to which Moses was rebuked by God for having once asserted that he was the wisest of all men, and was subsequently told through revelation that a "servant of God" who lived at the "junction of the two seas" was far superior to him in wisdom. When Moses expressed his eagerness to find that man, God commanded him to "take a fish in a basket" and to go on and on until the fish would disappear: and its disappearance was to be a sign that the goal had been reached. - There is no doubt that this Tradition is a kind of allegorical introduction to our Qur'anic parable. The "fish" mentioned in the latter as well as in the above-mentioned hadith is an ancient religious symbol, possibly signifying divine knowledge or life eternal. As for the "junction of the two seas", which many of the early commentators endeavoured to "identify" in geographical terms (ranging from the meeting of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean at the Bab al-Mandab to that of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean at the Straits of Gibraltar), Baydawi offers, in his commentary on verse {60}, a purely allegorical explanation: the "two seas" represent the two sources or streams of knowledge - the one obtainable through the observation and intellectual coordination of outward phenomena ('ilm az-zahir), and the other through intuitive, mystic insight ('ilm al-batin) - the meeting of which is the real goal of Moses' quest.

Lit., "young man" (fata) - a term applied, in early Arabic usage, to one's servant (irrespective of his age). According to tradition, it was Joshua, who was to become the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses.

Now tell them about the story of Khizr to whom Allah has given special knowledge. The Prophet Musa (Moses) was asked to go to him and learn from him. When Musa set out to meet him at an appointed place, he said to his young servant: "I will not give up my journey until I reach the junction of the two rivers, even if I have to spend ages in travel."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'remember' when Moses said to his young assistant, 'I will never give up until I reach the junction of the two seas, even if I travel for ages.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 It is reported in an authentic narration collected by Bukhâri that a man approached Moses after he gave a talk and asked him, “Who is the most knowledgeable person on earth?” Moses responded, “That would be me!” So Allah revealed to Moses that he should not have said this and there was in fact someone who was more knowledgeable than him. Moses was commanded to travel to meet this man, named Al-Khaḍir, at the junction of the two seas (which could be the northern part of Sinai between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, or the Southern part of Sinai where the Rea Sea splits into the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba).

And when Moses said unto his servant: I will not give up until I reach the point where the two rivers meet, though I march on for ages.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold Moses said to his attendant "I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travel." ^{2404 2405 2406}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This episode in the story of Moses is meant to illustrate four points. (1) Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Even so that wisdom did not comprehend everything, even as the whole stock of the knowledge of the present day, in the sciences and the arts, and in literature, (if it could be supposed to be gathered in one individual), does not include all knowledge. Divine knowledge, as far as man is concerned, is unlimited. Even after Moses received his divine mission, his knowledge was not so perfect that it could not receive further additions. (2) Constant effort is necessary to keep our knowledge square with the march of time, and such effort Moses is shown to be making. (3) The mysterious man he meets (xviii. 65 and n. 2411), to whom Tradition assigns the name of Khidhr (literally, Green), is the type of that knowledge which is ever in contact with life as it is actually lived. (4) There are paradoxes in life; apparent loss may be real gain; apparent cruelty may be real mercy; returning good for evil may really be justice and not generosity (xviii. 79-82). Allah's wisdom transcends all human calculation.

The most probable geographical location (if any is required in a story that is a parable) is where the two arms of the Red Sea join together, viz., the Gulf of 'Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez. They enclose the Sinai Peninsula, in which Moses and the Israelites spent many years in their wanderings.

Huqub means a long but indefinite space of time. Sometimes it is limited to 80 years.

But when they reached the junction between the two [seas], they forgot all about their fish, and it took its way into the sea and disappeared from sight.⁶⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "burrowing [into it]". Their forgetting the symbolic "fish" (see last third of note [67]) is perhaps an allusion to man's frequently forgetting that God is the ultimate source of all knowledge and life.

It so happened that when at last they reached the junction of the two rivers they forgot about the fish they were carrying, which made its way into the river, and disappeared.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But when they 'finally' reached the point where the seas met, they forgot their 'salted' fish, and it made its way into the sea, slipping away 'wondrously'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when they reached the point where the two met, they forgot their fish, and it took its way into the waters, being free.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But when they reached the Junction they forgot (about) their Fish which took its course through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. ^{2407 2408}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

literally, 'the Junction of (the space) between the two,' i.e., the point at which the two seas were united.

Moses was to go and find a servant of Allah, who would instruct him in such knowledge as he had not already got. He was to take a fish with him. The place where he was to meet his mysterious Teacher would be indicated by the fact that the fish would disappear when he got to that place.

And after the two had walked some distance, [Moses] said to his servant: "Bring us our mid-day meal; we have indeed suffered hardship on this [day of] our journey!"

  - Mohammad Asad

When they had passed on some distance, Musa asked his young servant: "Let us have our breakfast, really we are worn out with this travelling."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When they had passed further, he said to his assistant, 'Bring us our meal! We have certainly been exhausted by today's journey.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when they had gone further, he said unto his servant: Bring us our breakfast. Verily we have found fatigue in this our journey.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When they had passed on (some distance) Moses said to his attendant: "Bring us our early meal; truly we have suffered much fatigue at this (stage of) our journey." ²⁴⁰⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When they came to the Junction of the Seas, Moses forgot about the fish, and his attendant forgot to tell him of the fact that he had seen the fish escaping into the sea in a marvellous way. They passed on, but the stages now became heavier and heavier, and more fatiguing to Moses.

Said [the servant]: "Wouldst thou believe it?⁷⁰ When we betook ourselves to that rock for a rest, behold, I forgot about the fish - and none but Satan made me thus forget it!⁷¹ and it took its way into the sea! How strange!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "Didst thou see?" Although formulated as a question, this idiomatic phrase often expresses-as does its modern equivalent, "Would you believe it?"-no more than a sudden remembrance of, or surprise at, an unusual or absurd happening.

Lit., "made me forget it lest I remember it".

He replied: "You know! I forgot to tell you about the fish, which made its way miraculously into the river, when we were resting beside that rock. It was Shaitan who made me forget to mention this incident to you."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He replied, 'Do you remember when we rested by the rock? 'That is when' I forgot the fish. None made me forget to mention this except Satan. And the fish made its way into the sea miraculously.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Another possible translation: “The ˹salted˺ fish must have made its way into the sea. How strange!”

He said: Didst thou see, when we took refuge on the rock, and I forgot the fish and none but Satan caused me to forget to mention it, it took its way into the waters by a marvel.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He replied: "Sawest thou (what happened) when we betook ourselves to the rock? I did indeed forget (about) the Fish: none but Satan made me forget to tell (you) about it: it took its course through the sea in a marvelous way!" ²⁴¹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The attendant actually saw the fish swimming away in the sea, and yet "forgot" to tell his master. In his case the "forgetting" was more than forgetting. Inertia had made him refrain from telling the important news. In such matters inertia is almost as bad as active spite, the suggestion of Satan.

[Moses] exclaimed: "That [was the place] which we were seeking!"⁷² And the two turned back, retracing their footsteps,

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the disappearance of the fish indicated the point at which their quest was to end (see note [67]).

Musa said: "That is the place we were looking for," so they went back retracing their footsteps.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Moses responded, 'That is 'exactly' what we were looking for.'¹ So they returned, retracing their footsteps.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Moses was given a sign: when he and his assistant Joshua (or Yûsha’ ibn Nûn) lost their food (a salted fish), this would be the place where they would find the man of knowledge.

He said: This is that which we have been seeking. So they retraced their steps again.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Moses said: "That was what we were seeking after": so they went back on their footsteps following (the path they had come).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed grace from Ourselves and unto whom We had imparted knowledge [issuing] from Ourselves.⁷³

  - Mohammad Asad

In the Tradition on the authority of Ubayy ibn Ka'b (referred to in note [67]) this mysterious sage is spoken of as Al-Khadir or Al-Khidr, meaning "the Green One". Apparently this is an epithet rather than a name, implying (according to popular legend) that his wisdom was ever-fresh ("green") and imperishable: a notion which bears out the assumption that we have here an allegoric figure symbolizing the utmost depth of mystic insight accessible to man.

There they found one of Our servants (Khizr) whom We had blessed with special favor from Ourselves and whom We had given special knowledge of Our own.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There they found a servant of Ours, to whom We had granted mercy from Us and enlightened with knowledge of Our Own.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then found they one of Our slaves, unto whom We had given mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from Our presence.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So they found one of Our servants on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own presence. ^{2411 2412}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

One of Our servants: his name is not mentioned in the Qur-an, but Tradition gives it as Khidhr. Round him have gathered a number of picturesque folk tales, with which we are not here concerned. "Khidhr" means "Green": his knowledge is fresh and green, and drawn out of the living sources of life for it is drawn from Allah's own Knowledge. He is a mysterious being, who has to be sought out. He has the secrets of some of the paradoxes of Life, which ordinary people do not understand, or understand in a wrong sense, as we shall see further on. The nearest equivalent figure in the literature of the People of the Book is Melchizedek or Melchisedek (the Greek form in the New Testament). In Gen. xiv. 18-20, he appears as king of Salem, priest of the Most High God: he blesses Abraham, and Abraham gives him tithes.

Khidhr had two special gifts from Allah: (1) Mercy from Him, and (2) Knowledge from Him too. The first freed him from the ordinary incidents of daily human life; and the second entitied him to interpret the inner meaning and mystery of events, as we shall see further on.