Transliteration:( Sa yaqooloona salaasatur raabi'uhum kalbuhum wa yaqooloona khamsatun saadisuhum kalbuhum rajmam bilghaib; wa yaqooloona sab'atunw wa saaminuhum kalbuhum; qur Rabbeee a'lamu bi'iddatihim maa ya'lamuhum illaa qaleel; falaa tumaari feehim illaa miraaa'an zaahiranw wa laa tastafti feehim minhum ahadaa (section 3) )
48.This means during the time of the Holy Prophet the people relating the story about the Companions of the Cave are in disagreement about its facts, i.e. each one is giving different figures concerning the number of these Companions.
49.Both these estimations are incorrect, i.e. they are neither three nor five.
50.This means the believers who speak after obtaining the information from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلمis not refuted by Allah Almighty. This tells us that this statement is correct and that the Companions of the Cave are seven in number (Roohul Mu'ani, Khazai-nul Irfaan).
51.This tells us that a few servants of Allah Almighty have been given the knowledge about the actual number of the inmates of the Cave.Â
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is certainly included in this. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas and Hazrat Alli (May Allah be pleased with them) say that they, too, are amongst those few to whom Allah Almighty has provided the knowledge in respect of the correct number of the Companions of the Cave (Tafseer Roohul Mu'ani and Khazainul Irfaan). The writer of Tafseer Roohul Bayaan has listed the names of these Companions differently.
52. This means do not enter any debate with these people on this subject to reveal their ignorance. Such debates are against the noble status of people possessing the purity of character. Limit your discussion to the details, which are explicitly described in the Holy QUR'AAN. From this we learn that Allah Almighty has given His Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلمa detailed account of the Companions of the Cave, but had prohibited him from revealing these details. This is because these opponents of Islam are not worthy of it.
53.Because he has been informed about it by Allah Almighty, it is not necessary for him to ask these enemies of Islam about matters concerning it.
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22. They say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; and they say they were five, the dog being the sixth, guessing at the unseen; and they say they were seven, and the dog being the eighth. Say: “My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few.” So debate not except with the clear proof. And consult not any of them (about the people of the Cave).
Allah tells us that people disputed over the number of the people of the Cave. The Ayah mentions three views, proving that there was no fourth suggestion. Allah indicates that the first two opinions are invalid, by saying,
(guessing at the unseen), meaning that they spoke without knowledge, like a person who aims at an unknown target — he is hardly likely to hit it, and if he does, it was not on purpose. Then Allah mentions the third opinion, and does not comment on it, or He affirms it by saying,
(and the dog being the eighth.) indicating that this is correct and this is what happened.
(Say: “My Lord knows best their number…”) indicating that the best thing to do in matters like this is to refer knowledge to Allah, because there is no need to indulge in discussing such matters without knowledge. If we are given knowledge of a matter, then we may talk about it, otherwise we should refrain.
(none knows them but a few.) of mankind. Qatadah said that Ibn `Abbas said: “I am one of the few mentioned in this Ayah; they were seven. ” Ibn Jurayj also narrated that `Ata’ Al-Khurasani narrated from him, “I am one of those referred to in this Ayah,” and he would say: “Their number was seven.” Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas said:
(none knows them but a few.) “I am one of the few, and they were seven.” The chains of these reports narrated from Ibn `Abbas, which say that they were seven, are Sahih, and this is in accordance with what we have stated above.
(So debate not except with the clear proof.) meaning, gently and politely, for there is not a great deal to be gained from knowing about that.
(And consult not any of them (about the people of the Cave).) meaning, `They do not have any knowledge about it except what they make up, guessing at the unseen; they have no evidence from an infallible source. But Allah has sent you, O Muhammad, with the truth in which there is no doubt or confusion, which is to be given priority over all previous books and sayings.’
(18:22) Some will say concerning them: “They were three and their dog, the fourth”; and some will say: “They were five, and their dog, the sixth” all this being merely guesswork; and still others will say: “They were seven, and their dog, the eighth.”[22] Say: “My Lord knows their number best. Only a few know their correct number. So do not dispute concerning their number, but stick to what is evident, and do not question anyone about them.”[23]
22. This shows that about three hundred years after this event, at the time of the revelation of the Quran, different stories had become current among the Christians about the sleepers of the cave, but generally these stories had no authentic source behind them. This was because that was not the age of the press in which authentic books might have been published. Therefore naturally the stories of events were carried from place to place by means of oral traditions, and with the passage of time many tales of fiction got mixed up with the real story.
23. This is meant to impress that the real thing in this story is not the number of the sleepers but the lessons it teaches. (1) A true believer should not on any account turn away from the truth and bow before falsehood. (2) A believer should not merely rely on the material means but on Allah. He should trust in God and follow the right way, even though the outward adverse circumstances might appear to be unfavorable. (3) It is wrong to suppose that Allah is bound by any so called law of nature, for He is able to do anything He wills even though that might seem to be against some common experience. He has the power to change any so called law of nature, whenever and wherever He wills and bring about any extraordinary supernatural thing. So much so that He can raise up anyone who might have been asleep for two hundred years, as if he had slept only for a few hours, without letting any change take place in his appearance, dress, health, indeed in anything, during the passage of time. (4) This teaches us that Allah has the power to bring to life all the generations past, present and future all together as asserted by the Prophets and divine Scriptures. (5) It teaches us that ignorant people have always been perverting the signs of Allah which are sent for the right guidance of the people. That is how the miracle of the sleepers of the cave, which had been shown as a proof of the Hereafter, had been turned into a means of shirk, as if they were some saints who had been sent only for this purpose.
It is obvious from the above mentioned real lessons, which one can learn from the story of the sleepers, that a wise man will pay his attention to these things and not divert it in search of their number, their names, the color of their dog and the like. Only those people, who have no interest for the reality but for superficial things, will spend their time and energy in making investigations about such things. That is why Allah instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him): You should not enter into useless and irrelevant discussions about such things even if other people try to involve you in them. Instead of wasting your time in such useless things, you should concentrate your attention only on your mission. That is why Allah has not Himself told their exact number lest it should encourage such people as are always hankering after useless things.
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