28. Surah Al-Qasad

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِندِي...

28: 78. He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I have."

C3408. He was so blind and arrogant that he thought that his own merit, knowledge, and skill or cleverness had earned him his wealth, and that now, on account of it, he was superior to everybody else and was entitled to ride rough-shod over them. Fool!-he was soon pulled up by -Allah.

... أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِ مِنَ القُرُونِ...

Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, before him (whole) generations --

...مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا...

which were superior to him in strength and greater in amount (of riches) they had collected?

...وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿٧٨﴾

But the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their sins.

C3409. Even Qarun was given a long run of enjoyment with his fabulous wealth before he had to be removed for the mischief he was doing.

فَخَرَجَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ فِي زِينَتِهِ...

28: 79. So he went forth among his people in the (pride of his worldly) glitter.

...قَالَ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنيَا يَا لَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ قَارُونُ...

Said those whose aim is the Life of this World:

"Oh that we had the like of what Qarun has got!

...إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٧٩﴾

For he is truly a lord of mighty good fortune."

C3410. When he was in the hey-day of his glory, worldly people envied him and thought how happy they would be if they were in his place. Not so the people of wisdom and discernment. They knew a more precious and lasting wealth, which is described in the next verse.

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ...

28: 80. But those who had been granted (true) knowledge said:

...وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا...

"Alas for you! the reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work righteousness:

...وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ ﴿٨٠﴾

but this none shall attain, save those who steadfastly persevere (in good)."

فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِ وَبِدَارِهِ الْأَرْضَ...

28: 81. Then We caused the earth to swallow him up and his house;

C3411. See n. 3404 above. Cf. also 16:45 and n. 2071.

Besides the obvious moral in the literal interpretation of the story, that material wealth is fleeting and may be a temptation and a cause of fall, there are some metaphorical implications that occur to me.

1. Material wealth has no value in itself, but only a relative and local value.

2. In body he was with Israel in the wilderness, but his heart was in Egypt with its fertility and its slavery. Such is the case of many hypocrites, who like to be seen in righteous company but whose thoughts, longings, and doing are inconsistent with such company.

3. There is no good in this life but comes from Allah. To think otherwise is to set up a false god besides Allah, Our own merits are so small that they should never be the object of our idolatry.

4. If Qarun on account of his wealth was setting himself up in rivalry with Moses and Aaron, he was blind to the fact that spiritual knowledge is far above any little cleverness in worldly affairs. Mob-leaders have no position before spiritual guides.

...فَمَا كَانَ لَهُ مِن فِئَةٍ يَنصُرُونَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ...

and he had not (the least little) party to help him against Allah,

...وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ المُنتَصِرِينَ ﴿٨١﴾

nor could he defend himself.