or over the dimensions of Noah’s Ark and the type of wood from which it was built, or over the name of the boy whom al-Khadir killed, and so on. The only avenue to knowledge about such matters is transmitted report. Whatever of that has reached us through a sound transmission from the Prophet—such as his identifying Moses’ companion as al-Khadir—is established and certain. What is not of that category but is instead taken from the People of the Book—like the material related by Kaʿb, Wahb, Muhammad ibn Ishaq, and others who drew from the People of the Book—must neither be affirmed nor denied in the absence of proof. This is in keeping with the authentic hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When the People of the Book report something to you, do not verify it as true and do not deem it false, for they might tell you something true and you would reject it, or tell you something false and you would accept it.”

The same rule applies to what is transmitted from certain Successors: even when it is not stated that they drew from the People of the Book, if the Successors disagree, the view of one of them is no binding proof against another. As for anything in this vein that is related from some Companions through a sound chain, the heart naturally inclines toward it.