Is It True That Khidir Is Still Alive?

Khidir is a righteous servant mentioned by Allah SWT in Surah Al-Kahfi as a companion of Prophet Musa AS, from whom Musa sought to learn. Khidir required Musa to be patient, and Musa agreed. Khidir then asked, “How can you have patience about something which you do not have comprehensive knowledge?” Khidir was a servant granted mercy by Allah and knowledge from Him. As Musa continued walking with him, he saw the pious man make a hole in a boat. Musa then asked, “Did you make a hole in it to drown its passengers?” The rest of the story is mentioned in Surah Al-Kahfi. Musa was astonished by his actions until Khidir explained the reasons behind what he had done. At the end of his explanation, he said, “I did not do it of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those things over which you were unable to have patience.” Meaning, all those actions were solely by the will of Allah SWT. Some people say about Khidir, “He lived after Musa until the time of Isa, then the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW, and he is still alive now and will live until the Day of Judgement.” People have written stories, narrations, and fairy tales that Khidir met so-and-so, bestowed a kirqah (garment) upon so-and-so, and gave advice to so-and-so. The opinion that Khidir is still alive—as some people assume—is completely unjust. On the contrary, there are proofs from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, reason, and the consensus (ijma) among the scholars of this ummah that Khidir has passed away. I consider it sufficient to quote the explanation from the book Al-Manaarul Muniif fil Haditsish Shahih wa adh-Dha’if by Ibnul Qayyim. Ibnul Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned in the book the characteristics of fabricated hadiths (maudlu) that are not accepted in the religion. Among those characteristics are “hadiths that narrate about Khidir and his life.” All of them are false. There is not a single authentic hadith about it.