during the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He remains alive to this day and has not yet emerged; he was on one of the islands of the sea.

Whatever answer is given concerning him also applies to al-Khidr: namely, that the word “earth” may not have been included in this report, or that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, may have meant ordinary, known human beings. Those whose circumstances depart from the ordinary would then fall outside its general scope, just as the jinn do, even if the wording encompasses both jinn and human beings. Exceptions of this kind to such general wording are frequent and customary. And Allah knows best.