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Al-Kahf (The Cave)

Verse 22of 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﴿٢٢

Translation (Sahih International)

They 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 Muhammad], "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."

Word-by-word meaning

سَيَقُولُونَsayaqūlūnaThey say
ثَلَـٰثَةٌۭthalāthatun(they were) three
رَّابِعُهُمْrābiʿuhumthe forth of them
كَلْبُهُمْkalbuhumtheir dog
وَيَقُولُونَwayaqūlūnaand they say
خَمْسَةٌۭkhamsatun(they were) five
سَادِسُهُمْsādisuhumthe sixth of them
كَلْبُهُمْkalbuhumtheir dog
رَجْمًۢاrajmanguessing
بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۖbil-ghaybiabout the unseen
وَيَقُولُونَwayaqūlūnaand they say
سَبْعَةٌۭsabʿatun(they were) seven
وَثَامِنُهُمْwathāminuhumand the eight of them
كَلْبُهُمْ ۚkalbuhumtheir dog
قُلqulSay
رَّبِّىٓrabbīMy Lord
أَعْلَمُaʿlamuknows best
بِعِدَّتِهِمbiʿiddatihimtheir number
مَّاNone
يَعْلَمُهُمْyaʿlamuhumknows them
إِلَّاillāexcept
قَلِيلٌۭ ۗqalīluna few
فَلَاfalāSo (do) not
تُمَارِtumāriargue
فِيهِمْfīhimabout them
إِلَّاillāexcept
مِرَآءًۭmirāan(with) an argument
ظَـٰهِرًۭاẓāhiranobvious
وَلَاwalāand (do) not
تَسْتَفْتِtastaftiinquire
فِيهِمfīhimabout them
مِّنْهُمْmin'humamong them
أَحَدًۭاaḥadan(from) anyone

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Their NumberAllah 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.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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