Surah 28. Al-Qasas

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Verses [Section]: 1-13[1], 14-21 [2], 22-28 [3], 29-42 [4], 43-50 [5], 51-60 [6], 61-75 [7], 76-82 [8], 83-88 [9]

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Quran Text of Verse 76-82اِنَّIndeedقَارُوْنَQarunكَانَwasمِنْfromقَوْمِ(the) peopleمُوْسٰی(of) Musaفَبَغٰیbut he oppressedعَلَیْهِمْ ۪[on] themوَ اٰتَیْنٰهُAnd We gave himمِنَofالْكُنُوْزِthe treasuresمَاۤwhichاِنَّindeedمَفَاتِحَهٗ(the) keys of itلَتَنُوْٓاُwould burdenبِالْعُصْبَةِa company (of men)اُولِیpossessors of great strengthالْقُوَّةِ ۗpossessors of great strengthاِذْWhenقَالَsaidلَهٗto himقَوْمُهٗhis peopleلَا(Do) notتَفْرَحْexultاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُحِبُّloveالْفَرِحِیْنَ the exultant وَ ابْتَغِBut seekفِیْمَاۤthrough whatاٰتٰىكَAllah has given youاللّٰهُAllah has given youالدَّارَthe homeالْاٰخِرَةَ(of) the Hereafterوَ لَاand (do) notتَنْسَforgetنَصِیْبَكَyour shareمِنَofالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ اَحْسِنْAnd do goodكَمَاۤasاَحْسَنَAllah has been goodاللّٰهُAllah has been goodاِلَیْكَto youوَ لَاAnd (do) notتَبْغِseekالْفَسَادَcorruptionفِیinالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُحِبُّloveالْمُفْسِدِیْنَ the corrupters 28. Al-Qasas Page 395قَالَHe saidاِنَّمَاۤOnlyاُوْتِیْتُهٗI have been given itعَلٰیon (account)عِلْمٍ(of) knowledgeعِنْدِیْ ؕI haveاَوَ لَمْDid notیَعْلَمْhe knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahقَدْindeedاَهْلَكَdestroyedمِنْbefore himقَبْلِهٖbefore himمِنَofالْقُرُوْنِthe generationsمَنْwhoهُوَ[they]اَشَدُّ(were) strongerمِنْهُthan himقُوَّةً(in) strengthوَّ اَكْثَرُand greaterجَمْعًا ؕ(in) accumulationوَ لَاAnd notیُسْـَٔلُwill be questionedعَنْaboutذُنُوْبِهِمُtheir sinsالْمُجْرِمُوْنَ the criminals فَخَرَجَSo he went forthعَلٰیtoقَوْمِهٖhis peopleفِیْinزِیْنَتِهٖ ؕhis adornmentقَالَSaidالَّذِیْنَthose whoیُرِیْدُوْنَdesireالْحَیٰوةَthe lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldیٰلَیْتَO! Would thatلَنَاfor usمِثْلَ(the) likeمَاۤ(of) whatاُوْتِیَhas been givenقَارُوْنُ ۙ(to) QarunاِنَّهٗIndeed heلَذُوْ(is the) ownerحَظٍّ(of) fortuneعَظِیْمٍ great وَ قَالَBut saidالَّذِیْنَthose whoاُوْتُواwere givenالْعِلْمَthe knowledgeوَیْلَكُمْWoe to you!ثَوَابُ(The) rewardاللّٰهِ(of) Allahخَیْرٌ(is) betterلِّمَنْfor (he) whoاٰمَنَbelievesوَ عَمِلَand doesصَالِحًا ۚrighteous (deeds)وَ لَاAnd notیُلَقّٰىهَاۤit is grantedاِلَّاexceptالصّٰبِرُوْنَ (to) the patient ones فَخَسَفْنَاThen We caused to swallow upبِهٖhimوَ بِدَارِهِand his homeالْاَرْضَ ۫the earthفَمَاThen notكَانَwasلَهٗfor himمِنْanyفِئَةٍgroupیَّنْصُرُوْنَهٗ(to) help himمِنْbesidesدُوْنِbesidesاللّٰهِ ۗAllahوَ مَاand notكَانَwasمِنَ(he) ofالْمُنْتَصِرِیْنَ those who (could) defend themselves وَ اَصْبَحَAnd beganالَّذِیْنَthose whoتَمَنَّوْا(had) wishedمَكَانَهٗhis positionبِالْاَمْسِthe day beforeیَقُوْلُوْنَ(to) sayوَیْكَاَنَّAh! ThatاللّٰهَAllahیَبْسُطُextendsالرِّزْقَthe provisionلِمَنْfor whomیَّشَآءُHe willsمِنْofعِبَادِهٖHis slavesوَ یَقْدِرُ ۚand restricts itلَوْ لَاۤIf notاَنْthatمَّنَّAllah had favoredاللّٰهُAllah had favoredعَلَیْنَا[to] usلَخَسَفَHe would have caused it to swallow usبِنَا ؕHe would have caused it to swallow usوَیْكَاَنَّهٗAh! Thatلَاnotیُفْلِحُwill succeedالْكٰفِرُوْنَ۠the disbelievers

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Translation of Verse 76-82

(28:76) To be sure,⁹⁴ Qarun (Korah) was one of Moses' people; then he transgressed against them.⁹⁵ We had bestowed on him such treasure that their very keys would have been raised with difficulty by a whole group of strong people.⁹⁶ Once when his people said to him: "Do not exult, for Allah does not love those who exult (in their riches).

(28:77) Seek by means of the wealth that Allah has granted you the Abode of the Hereafter, but forget not your share in this world and do good as Allah has been good to you and do not strive to create mischief in the land, for Allah loves not those who create mischief."

(28:78) He replied: "All this has been given to me on account of a certain knowledge that I have."⁹⁷ Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him those who were stronger in might⁹⁸ than he and were more numerous in multitude? The wicked are not asked about their acts of sin.⁹⁹

(28:79) Once Korah went forth among his people in full glitter. Those seeking the life of this world said: "Would that we had the like of what Korah has! He truly has a great fortune."

(28:80) But those endowed with true knowledge said: "Woe to you. The reward of Allah is best for those who believe and act righteously. But none except those who are patient shall attain to this."¹⁰⁰

(28:81) At last We caused the earth to swallow him and his house. Thereafter there was no group of people that could come to his aid against Allah; nor was he able to come to his own aid.

(28:82) And those who had envied his position the day before began to say on the morrow: "Alas, we had forgotten that it is Allah Who increases the provision of those of His servants whom He will and grants in sparing measure to those whom He will.¹⁰¹ But for Allah's favour upon us, He could have made us to be swallowed too. Alas, we had forgotten that the unbelievers do not prosper."¹⁰²

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Commentary

94, This example is also given in response to the Makkan unbelievers’ excuses. In fact, this subject is continuously addressed from verse 57 onwards.

It is important to remember who opposed the Prophet (peace be on him), expressing the concern that the interests of the nation were at stake. They were, indeed, the wealthy traders, the rich money-lenders, and the capitalists of Makka.

These were the ones who had made large fortunes through, money-lending operations and their clever manipulation of international trade. These people were wholly convinced that the only worthwhile goal in life was to maximize their monetary earnings. They also believed that whatever obstructed that pursuit must be wrong and should be brushed aside.

The common people, on the other hand, looked up to the rich as their role models. All that they wished for was to become like them. In this materialistic milieu, there was great appeal in the argument that if they accepted the Prophet’s Message, they would not only lose their wealth but also their power and prestige.

Further, not only their international trade would come to a halt but their very existence be endangered.

95. Qarun, the Korah of the Bible and the Talmud, was Moses’ cousin.

According to his lineage given in Exodus (2:18-21), his father and Moses’ (peace be on him) father were brothers. Elsewhere: in the Qur’4n, it is mentioned that in spite of his being an Israelite, Korah had allied himself with Pharaoh and had become one of his close and trusted courtiers. In fact, he was one of the two most vocal opponents of Moses (peace be on him), that is after Pharaoh. “We sent Moses to Pharaoh and Haman and Korah with Our signs and a clear authority, but they said: “He is a magician, a big liar’” (al-Mu’min 40:23-4).

This clearly shows that Korah had deserted his own people, had become an agent of the enemy who wanted to destroy the Israelites. It was through © his treacherous desertion of his own people that Korah had attained a very high position in Pharaoh’s court. He was one of the two people to whom Moses (peace be on him) was specifically sent besides Pharaoh, the other being Pharaoh’s prime minister, Haman. The rest of Pharaoh’s courtiers were not so important and are not mentioned individually in the Qur’an. Reference to Korah’s extraordinary position is also made in Surah al- “‘Ankabut (29:39).

96. Korah’s story, as related in the Bible (Numbers:16), makes no mention of his wealth. But, according to rabbinical traditions, he was very wealthy. No less than three hundred mules were needed to carry the keys to his treasures (The Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. VIl, p. 556). This is clearly hyperbolic but it indicates that, even according to Israelite traditions, he was very rich.

97. Innama utituhu ‘ala ‘ilmin ‘indi has two meanings. First, that he owed all of his attainments to his ability. Nothing of what he had was a bounty which he had undeservedly received as a favor from someone. Hence, he was not bound to. give thanks by giving away a part of his wealth to the have-nots who are devoid of. merit, or by spending it on charity, so that he might not be deprived of his wealth by God by way of punishment. Second, that God had given him that wealth because He fully knew his abilities. Had he not been a person whom God liked, He would have given him nothing. The fact that God had given him all those things was proof that God liked him and was pleased with his ways.

98. Korah went about proudly claiming to be knowledgeable, wise and well-informed.

He also thought very highly of himself. Did he not know that there had been people before him with much more wealth and much greater power?

and yet God had destroyed them? If it were only peoples’ abilities knowledge, power and skill which brought about their rise and advancement, then how is it they were severely punished despite those seeming assets and were eventually done away with? If worldly positions were any measure of God’s pleasure and approval, then why were those people subjected to such a grievous fate?

99. The wicked have always claimed to be good. They never admit to any evil. Their punishment does not depend on their admission that they were wicked People are only punished when they confess their sins.

100. This kind of character, this way of thinking, and this reward from God are only for those who steadfastly resist the temptation to use unlawful means to earn their livelihood, regardless of whether they obtain a pittance or make millions.

“Allah’s reward”, in this verse, means that clean and bounteous provision which comes to a man both in this world and in the Next as a reward for his efforts. As for the word “patience”, it means a whole range of things. It means exercising restraint against greed and covetousness. It means strict adherence to honesty and uprightness. It means the readiness to cheerfully endure losses that might accrue from following the dictates of honesty and to forego the gains that might be obtained by unlawful means. It means contentment with whatever is earned through lawful means, no matter how meagre it might be. It means not to be ruffled when one sees the opulence and pomp of those who have amassed their wealth through corrupt ways. It means not being envious of those who are materially better off. It means appreciating that a life of coarse and dreary purity accompanied with God's Mercy is better than shimmering slime.

The statement that “but none except those who are patient shall attain to this” signifies God’s reward. It also signifies that purity of thought by dint of which an upright person is able to remain honest, and is even willing to suffer hunger and starvation rather than become a dishonest and corrupt multi-millionaire.

101. The expansion and contraction of a man’s provisions is dependent on God’s Will. God’s Will, however, is linked to a number of beneficent considerations. When God grants affluence to someone, it does not necessarily mean that He is pleased with that person or that He has necessarily granted him that affluence by way of reward. At times, God confers an abundance of wealth on those who have aroused His wrath. In such cases, it is precisely because of their wealth that they incur God’s punishment. Likewise, if the provisions of some are reduced, it does not necessarily mean that God is angry with them, that He has reduced their provisions in order to punish them. Often, people of very good character are given meagre provisions and this paucity turns out to be the means by which they attain God’s Mercy. In short, it is actually they who are God’s favorites. It is a sheer lack of understanding of this basic reality that often leads people to. envy the rich and the affluent. Yet it is they who have ~ earned God’s wrath.

102. They mistakenly believed that worldly affluence and riches are identical to the attainment of true success. For this reason, they believed that Korah was immensely successful. Later, however, they came to know what true success was and that it could never be attained by unbelievers. This didactic aspect of Korah’s story is mentioned only in the Qur’an. It is not to be found in the Bible or in the Talmud. However, the story’s content, as mentioned in these Scriptures tells us that when the Israelites left Egypt, Korah also left along with his retinue. Furthermore, he conspired against Moses and Aaron (peace be on them) with the active support of 250 others. Eventually, Korah was seized by God’s wrath and he, his family, and his wealth were all swallowed up by the earth.