Tazkirul Quran, Qur’an 18:22

Translation

(22) Some will say, ‘They were three, the fourth was their dog,’ and others will say, ‘They were five, the sixth was their dog,’ guessing at random. And yet others say, ‘They were seven, the eighth was their dog.’ Say, ‘My Lord knows best their number.’ Only a few know anything about them. Therefore, do not enter into controversies over them, nor seek information about them from any of them;

Commentary

(a) Some of the citizens indulged in unnecessary arguments about the Men of the Cave. Some people said that they were three in number and the fourth was their dog. Some said that they were five and their dog was the sixth, while some maintained that they were seven and the dog was the eighth.

But such discussions indicate an unsound approach. When the spirit of religion is alive, the entire emphasis is laid on the essence of the matter. When a nation or community is on the decline, the real spirit is neglected while outward formalities become the subject of heated discussions. A true God-worshipper should not indulge in such discussions and, even if another raises such questions, he should evade the issue by giving a brief reply.