Surah Al-Kahf 18:22
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ · Meccan · Verse 22 of 110
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
Translation
[Some] say, ‘The sleepers were three, and their dog made four,’ others say, ‘They were five, and the dog made six’- guessing in the dark- and some say, ‘They were seven, and their dog made eight.’ Say [Prophet], ‘My Lord knows best how many they were.’ Only a few have real knowledge about them, so do not argue, but stick to what is clear, and do not ask any of these people about them;
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'They will say, three, the fourth of them their dog... Say: My Lord knows best their number. So do not argue about them except with clear knowledge, and do not ask any of them about it.' al-Saadi and Ibn Ashur note the striking instruction: the Qur'an refuses to settle the trivial detail of how many sleepers there were, and instead commands us to stop arguing about what does not matter. Ask yourself: God deliberately leaves some questions open, the exact number, the precise where and when, and rebukes the urge to fight over them, redirecting energy to what actually benefits. So much of my mental and social life is consumed by exactly this: heated disputes over details that change nothing, points I insist on 'winning' though they bear no fruit. Where am I pouring my limited energy into arguing about the 'number of the sleepers', trivia dressed up as importance, instead of what God actually wants me to attend to?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Saadi, Ibn Ashur, al-Biqa'i.
Wording
This verse invites us to reflect on the nature of knowledge, speculation, and the appropriate stance of a believer when faced with matters beyond clear revelation. It directly addresses the differing opinions about the exact number of the People of the Cave.
The Voices of Conjecture
The verse begins by describing future or ongoing speculation: "سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٌۭ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌۭ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ" (They will say, "Three, their fourth being their dog," and they will say, "Five, their sixth being their dog"). The use of the future tense "سَيَقُولُونَ" (sa-yaqūlūna) implies that people will continue to delve into this topic, offering their theories. This early part of the verse then labels these initial two opinions as "رَجْمًۢا بِٱلْغَيْبِ" (guessing at the unseen). The word "رَجْمًا" (rajman) literally means "throwing stones," but it's used metaphorically here to mean speaking without knowledge, merely speculating about something hidden and unknown. It's like throwing words out blindly without any foundation or certainty.
A Subtle Confirmation
The verse then presents a third opinion: "وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌۭ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ" (and they will say, "Seven, and their eighth being their dog"). Notice the small but significant Arabic particle "و" (waaw, meaning "and") before "ثَامِنُهُمْ" (their eighth). While the first two opinions are immediately followed by the condemnation "guessing at the unseen," this third opinion is presented differently. Scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi highlight this *waaw* as a subtle clue. It's not just a conjunction; here, it emphasizes the firmness and certainty of this statement. It signals that this last count, unlike the previous two, is based on established knowledge, not mere conjecture. The absence of "guessing at the unseen" after this third number further reinforces its distinction.
The Ultimate Knowledge and the Chosen Few
Following this, Allah instructs the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: "قُل رَّبِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ" (Say, "My Lord is most knowing of their number; none knows them except a few"). The command "قُل" (Qul, Say) affirms Allah's exclusive and perfect knowledge. While people may speculate, Allah is "أَعْلَمُ" (A'lam, most knowing). The phrase "مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ" (None knows them except a few) then indicates that while Allah has full knowledge, He has chosen to reveal it to a select "few." Prominent companions like Ali ibn Abi Talib and Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, understood themselves to be among these "few" and affirmed the number seven.
A Principle for Engagement
The verse concludes with a crucial instruction: "فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًۭا وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًۭا" (So do not argue about them except with a superficial argument, and do not ask for a ruling about them from anyone among them).
"لَا تُمَارِ" (lā tumāri) means "do not engage in deep debate or contention." The instruction is to avoid prolonged, detailed arguments on such matters, especially with those who lack real knowledge. "مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًۭا" (mirā'an ẓāhirā) means a superficial argument, simply stating what has been revealed without getting drawn into intricate, fruitless discussions. Furthermore, "وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًۭا" (do not ask for a ruling about them from anyone among them) instructs not to seek information or clarification from those who are only speculating. This is because those who guess at the unseen cannot provide reliable knowledge, and the Prophet himself (and by extension, the believers) has received authentic knowledge from Allah.
Through these specific word choices and grammatical structures, the verse teaches us to respect the boundaries of revealed knowledge, to avoid engaging in futile debates, and to turn to Allah, the ultimate source of truth, for certainty in matters of the unseen.
Sources: al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
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Reflect on this verse
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