Al-Qasas, (The Story)

Mecca Period 49

Asad’s Version:

28:76 [NOW,] BEHOLD, Qarun was one of the people of Moses; 84 but he arrogantly exalted himself above them - simply because We had granted him such riches that his treasure-chests alone would surely have been too heavy a burden for a troop often men or even more. 85 When [they perceived his arrogance,] his people said unto him: "Exult not [in thy wealth], for, verily, God does not love those who exult [in things vain] !

[[Asad’s notes - 84 The structure of the above sentence is meant to show that even a person who had been a follower of one of the greatest of God's apostles was not above the possibility of sinning under the influence of false pride and self-exaltation - a particular example of the "false imagery" referred to in the preceding passage. The conventional "identification" of Qarun with the Korah of the Old Testament (Numbers xvi) is neither relevant nor warranted by the Qur'anic text, the more so

as the purport of this legend is a moral lesson and not a historical narrative. This, by the way, explains also the juxtaposition, elsewhere in the Qur'an (29:39 and 40:24), of Qarun with Pharaoh, the arch-sinner.

85 The term 'usbah denotes a company often or more (up to forty) persons, since it is used here metonymically, pointing to the great weight involved, it is best rendered as above. - The noun mafatih is a plural of both miftah or miftah ("key") and maftah ("that which is under lock and key", i.e., a 'hoard of wealth" or "treasure chest"), which latter meaning is obviously the one intended in the present context. ]]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى ...

28: 76. Qarun was doubtless, of the people of Moses;

C3404. Qarun is identified with the Korah of the English Bible. His story is told in Num. 16:1-35.

He and his followers, numbering 250 men, rose in rebellion against Moses and Aaron, on the ground that their position and fame in the congregation entitled them to quality in spiritual matters with the Priests,-that they were as holy as any, and they claimed to bum incense at the sacred Altar reserved for the Priests.

They had an exemplary punishment: "the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods: they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation."

... فَبَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ...

but he acted insolently towards them:

...وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا ...

such were the treasures We had bestowed on him,

C3405. Qarun's boundless wealth is described in the Midrashim, or the Jewish compilations based on the oral teachings of the Synagogues, which however exaggerate the weight of the keys to be the equivalent of the load of 300 mules!

... إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ...

that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men:

C3406. Usbat: a body of men, here used indefinitely. It usually implies a body of 10 to 40 men.

The old-fashioned keys were big and heavy, and if there were hundreds of treasure-chests, the keys must have been a great weight. As they were travelling in the desert, the treasures were presumably left behind in Egypt, and only the keys were carried. The disloyal Qarun had left his heart in Egypt, with his treasures.

...إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ...

Behold, his people said to him:

"Exult not,

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ ﴿٧٦﴾

for Allah loveth not those who exult (in riches).

وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ...

28: 77. "But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter,

C3407. That is, 'spend your wealth in charity and good works. It is Allah Who has given it to you, and you should spend it in Allah's cause. Nor should you forget the legitimate needs of this life, as misers do, and most people become misers who think too exclusively of their wealth'.

If wealth is not used properly, there are three evils that follow:

1. its possessor may be a miser and forget all claims due to himself and those about him;

2. he may forget the higher needs of the poor and needy, or the good causes which require support; and

3. he may even misspend on occasions and cause a great deal of harm and mischief. Apparently Qarun had all three vices.

...وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا...

nor forget thy portion in this world:

...وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ...

but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee,

...وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ...

and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land:

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿٧٧﴾

for Allah loves not those who do mischief."

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.

وَأَصْبَحَ الَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا مَكَانَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ...

28: 82. And those who had envied his position the day before began to say on the morrow:

"Ah!

...اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ...

it is indeed Allah Who enlarges the provision or restricts it, to any of His servants He pleases!

C3412. Provision or Sustenance, both literally and figuratively: wealth and material things in life as well as the things that sustain our higher and spiritual faculties.

The rabble, that admired Qarun's wealth when he was in worldly prosperity, now sees the other side of the question and understands that there are other gifts more precious and desirable, and that these may actually be withheld from men who enjoy wealth and worldly prosperity.

In fact it is false prosperity, or no prosperity in the real sense of the word, which is without spiritual well-being.

...لَوْلَا أَن مَّنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا...

Had it not been that Allah was gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up!

...وَيْكَأَنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ ﴿٨٢﴾

Ah!

those who reject Allah will assuredly never prosper."

تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا...

28: 83. That House of the Hereafter We shall give to those who intend not high-handedness or mischief on earth:

C3413. High-handedness or arrogance, as opposed to submission to the Will of Allah, Islam.

Mischief, as opposed to doing good, bringing forth fruits of righteousness.

It is the righteous who will win in the end.

...وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٨٣﴾

and the End is (best) for the righteous.

مَن جَاء بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا...

28: 84. If any does good, the reward to him is better than his deed;

...وَمَن جَاء بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى الَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٨٤﴾

but if any does evil, the doers of evil are only punished (to the extent) of their deeds.

C3414. A good deed has its sure reward, and that reward will be better than the merits of the doer.

An evil deed may be forgiven by repentance, but in any case will not be punished with a severer penalty than justice demands.