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Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 22 (18:22)

ٱلْكَهْف

سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًۢا …

Quran 18:22 is ayah 22 of Surah Al-Kahf (“The Cave”), a Meccan surah of 110 ayahs. It is in Juz 15, on page 296 of the Madani Mushaf.

18:22
سَيَقُولُونَثَلَٰثَةٌرَّابِعُهُمْكَلْبُهُمْوَيَقُولُونَخَمْسَةٌسَادِسُهُمْكَلْبُهُمْرَجْمًۢابِٱلْغَيْبِ ۖوَيَقُولُونَسَبْعَةٌوَثَامِنُهُمْكَلْبُهُمْ ۚقُلرَّبِّىٓأَعْلَمُبِعِدَّتِهِممَّايَعْلَمُهُمْإِلَّاقَلِيلٌ ۗفَلَاتُمَارِفِيهِمْإِلَّامِرَآءًظَٰهِرًاوَلَاتَسْتَفْتِفِيهِممِّنْهُمْأَحَدًا٢٢
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

They [i.e., people] will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and they will say there were five, the sixth of them being their dog - guessing at the unseen; and they will say there were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog. Say, [O Muḥammad], "My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument and do not inquire about them among [the speculators] from anyone."(22)

Word by word

  1. سَيَقُولُونَsayaqūlūnaThey say
  2. ثَلَٰثَةٌthalāthatun(they were) three
  3. رَّابِعُهُمْrābiʿuhumthe forth of them
  4. كَلْبُهُمْkalbuhumtheir dog
  5. وَيَقُولُونَwayaqūlūnaand they say
  6. خَمْسَةٌkhamsatun(they were) five
  7. سَادِسُهُمْsādisuhumthe sixth of them
  8. كَلْبُهُمْkalbuhumtheir dog
  9. رَجْمًۢاrajmanguessing
  10. بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۖbil-ghaybiabout the unseen
  11. وَيَقُولُونَwayaqūlūnaand they say
  12. سَبْعَةٌsabʿatun(they were) seven
  13. وَثَامِنُهُمْwathāminuhumand the eight of them
  14. كَلْبُهُمْ ۚkalbuhumtheir dog
  15. قُلqulSay
  16. رَّبِّىٓrabbīMy Lord
  17. أَعْلَمُaʿlamuknows best
  18. بِعِدَّتِهِمbiʿiddatihimtheir number
  19. مَّاmāNone
  20. يَعْلَمُهُمْyaʿlamuhumknows them
  21. إِلَّاillāexcept
  22. قَلِيلٌ ۗqalīluna few
  23. فَلَاfalāSo (do) not
  24. تُمَارِtumāriargue
  25. فِيهِمْfīhimabout them
  26. إِلَّاillāexcept
  27. مِرَآءًmirāan(with) an argument
  28. ظَٰهِرًاẓāhiranobvious
  29. وَلَاwalāand (do) not
  30. تَسْتَفْتِtastaftiinquire
  31. فِيهِمfīhimabout them
  32. مِّنْهُمْmin'humamong them
  33. أَحَدًاaḥadan(from) anyone

Tafsir (commentary) of 18:22

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

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,

رَجْماً بِالْغَيْبِ

(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,

وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ

(and the dog being the eighth.) indicating that this is correct and this is what happened.

قُل رَّبِّى أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم

(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.

مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ

(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:

مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ

(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.

فَلاَ تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلاَّ مِرَآءً ظَـهِرًا

(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.

وَلاَ تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِمْ مِّنْهُمْ أَحَداً

(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.'

Read the full Surah Al-Kahf