Reflections On Why He Didn't Wait

I always struggled to see how a mighty prophet like Musa (peace be upon him) could not keep his silence with Al-Khidr. It was only after listening to Shaykh Amin's brilliant exegesis of Al-Qasas that I began to see how difficult it must have been for Musa (A) to be patient through it all. The three incidents from the story of Al-Khidr are grave enough to weigh down any soul. But, they well may have been the most difficult upon Musa (peace and blessings be upon him).

I wonder how they weighed upon
A heart submitting, pure and strong,
Three incidents that seemed so wrong
Were but with knowledge filled.

A scuttled ship, a young boy slain,
It seemed the evil would not wane
Till came the act of kindness plain
That his companion willed.

I wonder if the silence broken
Every time his words were spoken
Came upon the wings of woken
Grace that healthy conscience milled.

Or did it come by higher grace
Or pragmatism in its place,
That brought his intellect to face
His burdens undistilled?

The scuttled ship: did he not see
The people that he hoped to free
From ignorance go to the sea,
A tyrant army killed?

The boy: was he himself not spared
The fate that other infants shared?
Did he not flee from Egypt scared
Because of blood he spilled?

The wall: did not his service tower
Years to meet a noble dower,
Knew the worth of every hour
Spent in labor skilled.

Indeed the tests of prophets are
The hardest of them all by far.