Surah 18 Al-Kahf — Ayah 22
سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٌۭ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌۭ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًۢا بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۖ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌۭ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ ۚ قُل رَّبِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ ۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَآءًۭ ظَٰهِرًۭا وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًۭا
അവര് (ജനങ്ങളില് ഒരു വിഭാഗം) പറയും; (ഗുഹാവാസികള്) മൂന്ന് പേരാണ്, നാലാമത്തെത് അവരുടെ നായയാണ് എന്ന്. ചിലര് പറയും: അവര് അഞ്ചുപേരാണ്; ആറാമത്തെത് അവരുടെ നായയാണ് എന്ന്. അദൃശ്യകാര്യത്തെപ്പറ്റിയുള്ള ഊഹം പറയല് മാത്രമാണത്. ചിലര് പറയും: അവര് ഏഴു പേരാണ്. എട്ടാമത്തെത് അവരുടെ നായയാണ് എന്ന് (നബിയേ) പറയുക; എന്റെ രക്ഷിതാവ് അവരുടെ എണ്ണത്തെപ്പറ്റി നല്ലവണ്ണം അറിയുന്നവനാണ്. ചുരുക്കം പേരല്ലാതെ അവരെപ്പറ്റി അറിയുകയില്ല. അതിനാല് വ്യക്തമായ അറിവിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലല്ലാതെ അവരുടെ വിഷയത്തില് തര്ക്കിക്കരുത്. അവരില് (ജനങ്ങളില്) ആരോടും അവരുടെ കാര്യത്തില് നീ അഭിപ്രായം ആരായുകയും ചെയ്യരുത്.
sayaqūlūna thalāthatun rābiʿuhum kalbuhum wayaqūlūna khamsatun sādisuhum kalbuhum rajman bil-ghaybi wayaqūlūna sabʿatun wathāminuhum kalbuhum qul rabbī aʿlamu biʿiddatihim mā yaʿlamuhum illā qalīlun falā tumāri fīhim illā mirāan ẓāhiran walā tastafti fīhim min'hum aḥadan
Word by word
- سَيَقُولُونَ sayaqūlūna They say
- ثَلَـٰثَةٌۭ thalāthatun (they were) three
- رَّابِعُهُمْ rābiʿuhum the forth of them
- كَلْبُهُمْ kalbuhum their dog
- وَيَقُولُونَ wayaqūlūna and they say
- خَمْسَةٌۭ khamsatun (they were) five
- سَادِسُهُمْ sādisuhum the sixth of them
- كَلْبُهُمْ kalbuhum their dog
- رَجْمًۢا rajman guessing
- بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۖ bil-ghaybi about the unseen
- وَيَقُولُونَ wayaqūlūna and they say
- سَبْعَةٌۭ sabʿatun (they were) seven
- وَثَامِنُهُمْ wathāminuhum and the eight of them
- كَلْبُهُمْ ۚ kalbuhum their dog
- قُل qul Say
- رَّبِّىٓ rabbī My Lord
- أَعْلَمُ aʿlamu knows best
- بِعِدَّتِهِم biʿiddatihim their number
- مَّا mā None
- يَعْلَمُهُمْ yaʿlamuhum knows them
- إِلَّا illā except
- قَلِيلٌۭ ۗ qalīlun a few
- فَلَا falā So (do) not
- تُمَارِ tumāri argue
- فِيهِمْ fīhim about them
- إِلَّا illā except
- مِرَآءًۭ mirāan (with) an argument
- ظَـٰهِرًۭا ẓāhiran obvious
- وَلَا walā and (do) not
- تَسْتَفْتِ tastafti inquire
- فِيهِم fīhim about them
- مِّنْهُمْ min'hum among them
- أَحَدًۭا aḥadan (from) anyone
Tafsir · Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Their Number
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.'