ONE AYAT A DAY
سَيَقُوْلُوْنَ ثَلٰثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْۚ وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًاۢ بِالْغَيْبِۚ وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ سَبْعَةٌ وَّثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ ۗقُلْ رَّبِّيْٓ اَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِمْ مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ اِلَّا قَلِيْلٌ ەۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيْهِمْ اِلَّا مِرَاۤءً ظَاهِرًا ۖوَّلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيْهِمْ مِّنْهُمْ اَحَدًا ࣖ
Sayaqūlūna ṡalāṡatur rābi‘uhum kalbuhum, wa yaqūlūna khamsatun sādisuhum kalbuhum rajmam bil-gaib(i), wa yaqūlūna sab‘atuw wa ṡāminuhum kalbuhum, qur rabbī a‘lamu bi‘iddatihim mā ya‘lamuhum illā qalīl(un), falā tumāri fīhim illā mirā'an ẓāhirā(n), wa lā tastafti fīhim minhum aḥadā(n).
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."
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. 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 k…