This story contains evidence that whoever flees from trials to preserve his faith, Allah will deliver him from them; whoever earnestly seeks well-being, Allah will grant it to him; whoever seeks refuge with Allah, Allah will shelter him and make him a source of guidance for others; and whoever endures humiliation for His sake and in pursuit of His pleasure will ultimately attain tremendous honor from where he least expects it: “What is with Allah is better for the righteous.”

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(22) “They will say, ‘They were three, the fourth of them being their dog.’ Others will say, ‘They were five, the sixth of them being their dog,’ merely guessing at the unseen. Still others will say, ‘They were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog.’ Say, ‘My Lord knows best their number. None knows them except a few.’ So do not argue concerning them except with a clear argument, and do not consult any of them about them.”

Allah Most High informs us of the People of the Book’s disagreement about the number of the Companions of the Cave—a disagreement arising from their conjecture about the unseen and their assertions concerning that of which they had no knowledge. They held three views about them.

Some said, “They were three, the fourth of them being their dog,” while others said, “They were five, the sixth of them being their dog.” After mentioning these two views, Allah stated that they were merely guessing at the unseen, thereby indicating that both were false.

Others said, “They were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog.” This—and Allah knows best—is the correct view, because Allah invalidated the first two but did not invalidate this one, indicating its soundness. Yet this is one of those disagreements that serves no benefit. Knowing their number brings people no benefit, whether religious or worldly. Allah Most High therefore said:

“Say, ‘My Lord knows best their number. None knows them except a few.’” These are the ones who reached the correct conclusion and knew that they were correct. “So do not argue,” meaning: do not dispute or contend, “concerning them except with a clear argument,” meaning one founded upon knowledge and certainty and which also serves a useful purpose. As for disputation founded upon ignorance and conjecture about the unseen, or disputation that serves no benefit—whether because the opponent is obstinate or because the matter itself is unimportant and knowing it yields no religious benefit, such as the number of the Companions of the Cave and similar matters—excessive discussion and protracted inquiry concerning it waste time and impair the affection between hearts without achieving any benefit.

“And do not consult any of them about them”—that is, concerning the Companions of the Cave—“any of them,” meaning any of the People of the Book. This is because their statements about them are based on conjecture concerning the unseen and on supposition, which is of no avail against the truth. This provides evidence that one must not seek a fatwa from someone unfit to issue one, either because his knowledge of the matter in question is deficient or because he is careless about what he says and lacks the scrupulousness that would restrain him. If people are forbidden from seeking fatwas from this kind of person, then it is even more fitting and proper that he himself be forbidden from issuing them.

The verse also indicates that a person may be one whom people are forbidden to consult about one matter but not another. He may therefore be consulted regarding matters for which he is qualified, but not others. Allah did not absolutely forbid consulting the People of the Book; He only forbade consulting them about the story of the Companions of the Cave and similar matters.