Taḥdhīr al-Sājid - Nasir al-Din al-Albani - (73)

that the People of the Cave died after they were discovered; whereas, according to the view that they merely fell back asleep just as they had the first time, none of this interpretive effort is required, as has been noted. (1)

In short, anyone possessed of even a trace of sound judgment should not depart from what the authentic reports and clear-cut traditions establish, all the while relying on this noble verse for proof. Doing so is the height of misguidance and the very end of good sense. I have personally seen those who pronounce lawful what the ignorant do at the graves of the righteous: elevating their structures, building them with plaster and fired bricks, hanging lamps upon them, praying toward them, circumambulating them, and caressing them,

(1) He alludes to what he cited at the beginning of the first of the two pages in question, namely: “It is reported from al-Hasan that he had it—that is, the mosque—built so that the Companions of the Cave might pray in it when they awoke.” Al-Alusi comments: “This presupposes that they did not die but merely fell asleep again as they had the first time, a view adopted by some. It is even said that they will not die until the mahdi appears and they become part of his supporters. None of this is dependable; in my opinion it is little more than legend.”

أصحاب الكهف ماتوا بعد الإعثار عليهم، وأما على القول بأنهم ناموا كما ناموا أولاً فلا يحتاج إليه على ما قيل (١). وبالجملة لا ينبغي لمن له أدنى رشد أن يذهب إلى خلاف ما نطقت الأخبار الصحيحة والآثار الصريحة، معولاً على الاستدلال بهذه الآية، فإن ذلك في الغواية غاية وفي قلة النهى نهاية ولقد رأيت من يبيح ما يفعله الجهلة في قبور الصالحين من إشرافها، وبنائها بالجص والآجر وتعليق القناديل عليها، والصلاة إليها والطواف بها واستلامها،

(١) يشير إلى ما ذكره في أول الصفحة الأولى من الصفحتين المشار إليهما وهو قوله : «وعن الحسن أنه اتخذ (يعني : المسجد) ليصلي فيه أصحاب الكهف إذا استيقظوا». قال الآلوسي : «وهذا مبني على أنهم لم يموتوا بل ناموا كما ناموا أولاً وإليه ذهب بعضهم، بل قيل : إنهم لا يموتون حتى يظهر المهدي ويكونوا من أنصاره . ولا معول على ذلك، وهو عندي أشبه شيء بالخرافات».