وَأَمَّا ٱلْغُلَٰمُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ فَخَشِينَآ أَن يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَٰنًا وَكُفْرًا
Commentary:
As explained under 18:75 above غلام (youth) in a vision signifies, activity or buoyancy, power and ignorance; and the word قتل as also shown under the same verse means, diminishing or lessening the effect or vehemence of a thing. In view of the significance of these words, the killing of the youth would signify the lessening or diminishing the evil effects of ignorance, too much power and uncontrolled buoyancy.
The expression ابواہ (his parents) here means the human body and soul, because the parents or the source from which spring all moral qualities is the combination of the human body and soul which is man himself. So the killing of the youth in the vision signifies bringing under proper control unbridled human passions and lessening their vehemence and intensity. Thus the killing of the young man by the holy man of God so that he should not lead his parents to rebellion and disbelief, as seen in his vision by Moses, signifies that man has been gifted with great natural powers to perform the highest deeds of virtue and that in order to bring these powers into play, the faculties of activity, power and ignorance have been implanted in him. Man can fulfil the great object of his life by making use of these powers which spring from a combination of the human body and soul. But if these powers are not kept under proper control, they lead man to disbelief and transgression. These powers have been brought under proper control and their undue vehemence curbed by the commandments and ordinances which God has revealed to the Holy Prophet as signified by the killing of the young boy by the holy man in Moses’ Vision.
Ghulam (a youth), as stated above, in a dream or vision signifies ignorance, strength and wild impulses. "His parents" in the verse are the human body and soul, because the source (or the parents) from which spring all moral qualities is the combination of the human body and soul which are represented here as "believers" because, as taught by Islam, man by nature is inclined to virtue. These "believers" may be dragged into vice by the impulses represented as "youth." Islam eradicates these impulses and leaves man—the human body and soul combined, to develop along beneficent lines and thus to achieve the high purpose of human life.