Verse: "If you wished, you could have taken (la-ttakhadhta / latazidhta) a wage for it" — Al-Kahf: 77.
Moses said this to Al-Khidr after he repaired the wall for free.
The two readings:
- La-ttakhadhta (tashdid — iftacala form): Hafs from Asim, Hamza, Khalaf
- Latazidhta (takhfif — fa'ila form): Nafi', Ibn Kathir, Abu Amr, Ibn Amir, Al-Kisa'i
Morphological and semantic difference:
- Ittakhadha (tashdid): To take something for oneself — deliberate acquisition and retention. "If you wished you could have kept a wage for yourself"
- Takhidha (takhfif): An ancient Arabic form meaning to acquire or earn. Al-Farra': "takhidhtu al-shay'" is an old Arabic expression meaning "I earned it." Emphasizes earning and acquisition
Context: Moses reproving Al-Khidr for repairing the wall without charge — you could have sought or earned a wage for this work.
Question: Which readers recite "latazidhta" (takhfif)? What does it mean?
Answer: Nafi', Ibn Kathir, Abu Amr, Ibn Amir, and Al-Kisa'i. Its meaning: "takhidha" is an ancient classical Arabic form meaning to earn and acquire.