(Some) say...

(Some) say: (They are) three, the fourth of them being their dog; and (others) say: Five, the sixth of them being their dog, making conjectures at what is unknown; and (others yet) say: Seven, and the eighth of them is their dog. Say: My Lord best knows their number, none know them but a few; therefore contend not in the matter of them but with an outward contention, and do not question concerning any of them.

And do not say of anything: Surely I will do it tomorrow, Unless Allah pleases; and remember your Lord when you forget and say: Maybe my Lord will guide me to a nearer course to the right than this. And they remained in their cave for three hundred years and (some) add (another) nine). (18:25) Say: Allah knows best how long they remained: to Him are known the unseen things of the heavens and the earth.

‘Ali ibn Ibrahim says that what Allah has mentioned is the statement of the People of the Book and therefore He has added: Say: “Allah knows better.” It is related that that group lived in a period between the time of ‘Isa and the Prophet of the last age, i.e.., Muhammad and that “Inscription” were two copper plates on which their events were inscribed such as their becoming Muslims, the intention of king Decius to kill them, their entering the cave etc.

According to authentic reports Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq is reported to have said that the cause of the revelation of Surah Kahf in the Holy Qur’an was this: The infidels (unbelievers) of the Quraysh tribe sent Nafar bin Haaris, Aqabah bin Abee Mueet and Aamir bin Waail to religious scholars of the Jews who were living in Najran to obtain some information from then so that they might put questions before the holy Prophet. They (the Jews) told them to put three questions to the holy Prophet.

“If his reply is the same we will know then that he is a true man. Moreover ask one more question, in response to which, if he says that he knows about it then (Allah forbid) he is a liar.” The trio asked what the questions were. The scholars said, “In earlier times, how many youths were there who became untraceable after quitting their town and who had remained asleep? For how many days were they asleep and what was the non-human companion with them? What was their story?

Another question is: who was the knowledgeable man to whom Allah had sent the Musa for acquiring knowledge and how did Musa reach him?