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Explanatory Note
As for the young man, his parents are true believers, and we feared lest he should cause them much grief by his overweening wickedness and unbelief. And so we desired that their Lord grant them in his stead [a son] of greater purity than him, and closer in loving tenderness. (Verses 80-81) This young man appeared at the time to be deserving of no punishment, but God revealed his true nature to the sage. We realize now that he harboured all the seeds of wickedness and unbelief which were bound to increase as he grew up. Had he lived, he would have caused his parents, believers as they were, too much trouble. He might have led them, out of love for him, to follow him in his wickedness. Hence, God directed His goodly servant to kill the boy in order to replace him with one who would be better and more dutiful.