themselves with something they regard as important—if indeed it is important—while neglecting what is more important. It is more fitting for the seeker of knowledge not to squander time on such questions, whose benefit is slight in comparison with other matters, or perhaps brings no benefit at all.

In sum, the Companions of the Cave were seven and their dog was the eighth, and we have already learned that they remained in their cave for three hundred years and then added nine more.

A similar case is the disagreement over Moses’ staff—what kind of tree was it taken from?—and the debate about which part of the cow was used to strike the murdered man. All of this is pointless and of no use to us.