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. ]]
28:77 (77) Seek instead, by means of what God has granted thee, [the good of] the life to come, 86 without forgetting, withal, thine own [rightful] share in this world; 87 and do good [unto others] as God has done good unto thee; and seek not to spread corruption on earth: for, verily, God does not love the spreaders of corruption!"
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
قَارُونَ كَانَ
مِن قَوْمِ
مُوسَى ...
28:76 [Ali ] 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."