A Narratological Analysis of the Story of Moses and Khidr in the Qur'an Based on Todorov's Approach

The Qur’an employs Arabic linguistic structures and narrative forms to convey its divine messages effectively. This study analyzes the verbal aspect of the story of Moses and Khidr in Surah Al-Kahf (verses 60–82) using Tzvetan Todorov’s narratological framework. Focusing on four levels—mood, time, perspective, and tone—it examines order, duration, and frequency to demonstrate the narrative’s adherence to structural principles. Findings indicate that direct quotations enhance dramatic presence, temporal dislocations heighten suspense, and the interplay of external and internal perspectives reveals the contrast between apparent and hidden knowledge. The instructive and admonitory tone guides the audience toward contemplating divine wisdom. This analysis highlights the Qur’an’s narrative inimitability by bridging modern narratology with sacred texts. However, Todorov’s approach faces challenges in analyzing religious texts due to their divine nature, necessitating additional linguistic tools. The study offers a novel perspective for Qur’anic studies and suggests the applicability of Todorov’s model to other Qur’anic narratives for exploring their structural and semantic dimensions.