Prophet al-Khiḍr: Between the Qur’anic Text and Islamic Contexts (By IRFAN A. OMAR)

Abstract

Khiḍr is not widely known or extensively theorized, even though he frequently appears in Muslim literature and has been embraced by several Muslim civilizations. Building on the extensive research and analysis of the enigmatic prophet Khiḍr by Patrick Franke and Talat Halman, Irfan A. Omar’s Prophet al-Khiḍr: Between the Qur’anic Text and Islamic Contexts contributes to correcting this oversight. By examining Khiḍr through a “wider frame of understanding”, Omar hopes to demonstrate the important intersectional connections between the Khiḍr narrative and other savior-sage type stories. This covers both symbolic and legendary viewpoints in addition to textual and literary representations (22) and to “examine Khiḍr’s diverse attributes as a celestial messenger entrusted with aiding the pious and truth-seekers, irrespective of time or location, status, or faith’’ (27). Omar’s efforts have given us a rich, widely portrayed, painstakingly detailed, composite, and colorful picture of the Khiḍr tale throughout Islamic history and genres.