Question—He would not have misstated the number of Ashab-e-Kahf [the People of the Cave].
Reply—Neither the Noble Quran nor the Noble Messenger has mentioned the number of the Ashab-e-Kahf, so it cannot be understood why the critic has made the allegation of misstatement. When the Holy Prophet has given no such number and has not mentioned it at all, how does the allegation of misstatement arise? It appears to me that the critic has been misled by someone in raising this question, because the account of Ashab-e-Kahf in the Holy Quran has the following verse concerning their number:
Translation: People will say, ‘They were three, the fourth was their dog.’ Others say, ‘They were five, the sixth was their dog,’ guessing at random. And yet others say, ‘They were seven, the eighth was their dog.’ You should tell them (O Muhammad): ‘My Lord alone knows their number. None knows them except a few.’ (Surah al-Kahf, 18:23)
From this holy verse it is manifestly clear that people will say various things and will give different counts regarding the number of Ashab-e-Kahf, but these people’s guessing at random is not worthy of any reliance. In short, the Holy Prophet of Arabia has made no mention of any number regarding the Ashab-e-Kahf.