Khiḍr is a figure whom Allah has privileged. This opinion is based on the fact of his existence as an urgent topic in al-Qur’ān. Though al-Qur’ān mention him implicitly by term ‘abd, but most of interpreters agreed that it refers to Khiḍr even though they described it in different ways. The story of Khiḍr was recorded in Verse al-Kahfi Chapter 60-82. Those verses include dialectical meaning about Khiḍr’s story with Mūsa As. It was not a legend, but a real fact happened in the early generation of Israeli. The conversation between Khiḍr and Mūsa As. is a teaching about wisdom of life and moral-theology, so everyone recites al-Qur’ān cannot pass it since it is full of important messages from God to humankind.
To reveal the secret of Khiḍr’s story comprehensively, we must investigate it trough some paradigms of interpretation. Hence, we must involve interpretation from classic, middle and contemporary era. Classic interpretation could be represented by at-Ṭhabārī’s interpretation in Tafsīr Jami’ al-Bayān fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān and az-Zamakhsharī’s interpretation in al-Kashshāf, whereas interpretation from middle era was represented by al-Razī’s interpretation in Tafsīr al-Kabīr wa Mafātīh al-Ghāyb and Ibn Katsīr’s interpretation in Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-Aẓhīm, and contemporary interpretation was represented by Ṭanṭāwī Jawharī interpretation in Tafsīr al-Jawāhir fī tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-karīm and Ṭabāṭabā’ī’s interpretation in Tafsīr al-Mizān. Each of interpreters has explained their interpretation specifically as characteristics of their era. Classic interpreters revealed it from historical side and as a story among society. Besides, interpreters from middle era explained more about qur’ānic argumentations and development of interpretation; whereas contemporary interpreters explored the contextual meanings behind the story of Khiḍr.
Trough thematic study, this research can reveal all things related to Khiḍr in many perspectives. In broad outline, this research invented the status of Khiḍr as prophet and religious leader (walī), as human who lived in the same era with Mūsa As, and as a symbol. In any description about Khiḍr, there are meaningful teachings of life.