Al-Kahf (The Cave)

22. “Soon they will say: ‘(They were) three, the fourth of them was their dog’; and (some) say: ‘Five, the sixth of them was their dog’, guessing at the unseen, and (yet the others) say: ‘Seven, and the eighth of them was their dog’. Say: ‘My Lord knows best their number, none knows them but a few’. So do not dispute with them, except in outward disputation, and do not ask any one for a pronouncement about them.”

This verse points to some different ideas which exist among people about the Companions of the Cave. Among them is the idea about the number of them.

The holy verse in this concern says:

“Soon they will say: ‘(They were) three, the fourth of them was their dog’…”

Here is the belief of another group of the people:

“…and (some) say: ‘Five, the sixth of them was their dog’, guessing at the unseen, and (yet the others) say: ‘Seven, and the eighth of them was their dog’...”

The verse of the Qur’an implies that all of these words are some unreasonable statements that they say, and, save a small number of people, no one knows their correct number.

The verse says:

“…Say: ‘My Lord knows best their number, none knows them but a few’...”

Then, at the end of the verse, the Qur’an adds:

“…So do not dispute with them, except in outward disputation…”

That is, you should speak with them so logically and reasonably that your logic be manifested. And you should ask no one of the people of the Book about the number of the Companions of the Cave.

The verse says:

“…and do not ask any one for a pronouncement about them.”

Explanations

1. In the text of the verse the conjunction ‘and’ has not been mentioned upon the phrases “fourth of them” and “sixth of them”, but with the phrase “the eighth of them” the conjunction ‘and’ has been mentioned. It is, perhaps, for the reason that the attitude of their number being ‘three’ or ‘five’ had been offered by some ungodly people that Allah has rendered it into: “guessing at the unseen”. But the attitude of their number being ‘seven’ is from the side of the believers, the people of attention.

(This recent meaning is narrated from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) by the way of Ibn-‘Abbas).

That is why for these groups of people the Qur’an does not say “gussing at the unseen”, but, in order to respect them, between the number of: ‘the Companions of the Cave’ and ‘their dog’ there has occurred the conjunction ‘and’ in order to separate them from each other.

2. If the activities be valuable and human beings be with aim, their dependents and their belongings, even the animals accompanied them, should be counted, too, since being an animal and being unclean (najis) is not a reason for them to be counted valueless.

In this verse, the word ‘dog’ has been mentioned in three occurrences. The positive function of the ‘dog’ of the Companions of the Cave has been referred to in verse No.18 of the current Surah.