and his labelling of it as a flimsy “outer shell” to which only ignorant Qur’an commentators would cling. Such is the claim of this writer who dares to flout the Prophet’s guidance concerning beards, to resist his order to let them grow, and to imitate the idolaters who mutilate theirs. One truly fears that, because of his reckless, baseless words, the author of that article may be afflicted with deviation and the overturning of the heart. Allah, exalted is He, says: “So when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate; and Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people” (Qur’an 61:5). He also says: “We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away, just as they refused to believe in it the first time, and We shall leave them to wander blindly in their transgression” (Qur’an 6:110).

As for his branding as ignorant those exegetes who hold fast to the Prophet’s command to grow the beard, the charge befits him most of all. Anyone who reflects on his deplorable article will see that he is among the most ignorant and confused of people, raving about matters of which he knows nothing.

Second point: The writer claims that the People of the Cave were of average height. There is no evidence for this in either Qur’an or Sunnah; it is mere conjecture and wishful thinking. Allah the Exalted says, “Indeed, conjecture avails nothing against the truth” (Qur’an 53:28). And in the sound hadith: “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most false of speech,” agreed upon, narrated by Abu Hurayrah. Al-Zamakhsharī previously mentioned certain descriptions of the People of the Cave, among them that their bodies were of great size, yet this, too, rests on no reliable proof.