Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) explains regarding the statement of Allah Almighty: «وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا» (18-al-Kahf:82) "And their father was a righteous man." Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: Sayyiduna Khidr (peace be upon him) protected those two children because of the righteousness of their father. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) did not mention that the two children were righteous.