Surah Al-Kahf 18:22 — translation and meaning

الكهف · Verse 22 / 110 · Page 296

ۗ ۚ ۖ سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًا بِالْغَيْبِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَاءً ظَاهِرًا وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًا

Word by Word

ۗ
ۚ
ۖ
سَيَقُولُونَ
sayaquluna
They say
ثَلَاثَةٌ
thalathatun
(they were) three
رَّابِعُهُمْ
rabi'uhum
the forth of them
كَلْبُهُمْ
kalbuhum
their dog
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaquluna
and they say
خَمْسَةٌ
khamsatun
(they were) five
سَادِسُهُمْ
sadisuhum
the sixth of them
كَلْبُهُمْ
kalbuhum
their dog
رَجْمًا
rajman
guessing
بِالْغَيْبِ
bil-ghaybi
about the unseen
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaquluna
and they say
سَبْعَةٌ
sab'atun
(they were) seven
وَثَامِنُهُمْ
wathaminuhum
and the eight of them
كَلْبُهُمْ
kalbuhum
their dog
قُل
qul
Say
رَّبِّي
rabbi
My Lord
أَعْلَمُ
a'lamu
knows best
بِعِدَّتِهِم
bi'iddatihim
their number
مَّا
ma
None
يَعْلَمُهُمْ
ya'lamuhum
knows them
إِلَّا
illa
except
قَلِيلٌ
qalilun
a few
فَلَا
fala
So (do) not
تُمَارِ
tumari
argue
فِيهِمْ
fihim
about them
إِلَّا
illa
except
مِرَاءً
miraan
(with) an argument
ظَاهِرًا
zahiran
obvious
وَلَا
wala
and (do) not
تَسْتَفْتِ
tastafti
inquire
فِيهِم
fihim
about them
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
أَحَدًا
ahadan
(from) anyone

Transliteration

Sa yaqooloona salaasatur raabi'uhum kalbuhum wa yaqooloona khamsatun saadisuhum kalbuhum rajmam bilghaib; wa yaqooloona sab'atunw wa saaminuhum kalbuhum; qur Rabbeee a'lamu bi'iddatihim maa ya'lamuhum illaa qaleel; falaa tumaari feehim illaa miraaa'an zaahiranw wa laa tastafti feehim minhum ahadaa

Translation

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."

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Some of those who delve into their incident will say about their number: They were three and their dog was the fourth amongst them. Others will say: They were five and their dog was the sixth amongst them. Both groups only said this as a guess without any proof. Some of them will say: They were seven and their dog was the eighth amongst them. Say, O Messenger: Your Lord knows best about their number. No one knows their number except for a few people whom Allah has informed about their number. So do not dispute with regard to their number or any other matter of theirs with the people of the scripture or with others except with an obvious argument and without delving into the matter, limiting it to the revelation that has come down to you with respect to them. Do not ask any of them about the details of their matter, because they do not know about it.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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