So Musa عليه السلام was travelling with his companion in search of Khadir عليه السلام whom Allah had commanded that he accompany in order to learn some valuable lessons. Now the companion of Musa عليه السلام , Allah referred to him as فتي, it literally means a young man. When this word is used as attributed to a particular person, it carries the sense of his attendant or servant because it is usually a young and strong man who is taken in for this kind of service in order that he could handle all sorts of jobs. Incidentally, it also happens to be an article of good Islamic etiquette that a servant or attendant should be addressed nicely, either by his name, or an appellation such as ‘young man.’ The ground rule is that even servants are not to be addressed as servants. It appears in the Hadith narratives that the name of this attendant was Yusha, son of Nun, son of Ifra’im, son of Yusuf عليه السلام. Some narratives identify him as the maternal nephew of Sayyidina Musa عليه السلام. But, no categorical decision can be taken in this matter. As for his name being Yusha ibn Nun, that much stands proved on the authority of sound narratives.

On that point, there are many who ask and who want to know where exactly is the place referred to as Majma al-bahrayn. This word literally means every such place where two waters meet – and it is obvious that they are many all around the world. Exactly which place is meant by ‘majma’al-bahrayn’ in this context? Since the Qur’an, and Hadith have not pinpointed it precisely, therefore, sayings of commentators differ in terms of traces and contexts. There are many different views on this and just to sight a few examples, according to Hadhrat Qatadah (rahimahullah), it signifies the meeting point of the seas of Faris (Persia) and Rum. Ibn ‘Atiyyah (rahimahullah) has identified a place near Azerbaijan. Some point out to the confluence of the Gulf of ‘Aqabah in Jordan and the Red Sea (Sharm ash-Shaykh). Some others have said that this place is located in Tanjah (Tangiers in North Africa). There are many opinions and Allah knows best. However, this much is clear that Allah had told Sayyidina Musa عليه السلام the fixed geographical location of this place towards which he had to make the journey.

On the journey Musa عليه السلام and his companion had reached a point where they had become exhausted from travelling. They stopped by a rock and they both sat down to rest, and this is where the fish which they were carrying had escaped making its way into the sea, which Allah relates in these words:

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا
But when they reached the junction between the two [seas], they forgot all about their fish, and it took its way into the sea and disappeared from sight. [Al Kahf 18: 61]