ism

1307
story is told in xxviii. 76-81. He was swallowed up in the earth while he was arrogantly exulting on the score of his
wealth. (2) It may be that, like Haman, the prime minister of Pharaoh, they are plotting against Allah, when they are
themselves overwhelmed by some dreadful calamity; xi. 36-38, xxix. 39-40. The case of Pharaoh is also in point. He
was drowned while he was arrogantly hoping to frustrate Allah's plans for Israel; x. 90-92. For (3) and (4) see the next
two notes. (16.45)
28:76 - Qarun was doubtless of the people of Moses; but he acted insolently towards them: such
were the treasures We had bestowed on him that their very keys would have been a burden to
a body of strong men: Behold his people said to him: "Exult not for Allah loveth not those who
exult (in riches). 340434053406
3404 Qarun is identified with the Korah of the English Bible. His story is told in Num. xvi. 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 burn 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." (28.76)
3405 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!
(28.76)
3406 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. (28.76)
28:81 - Then We caused the earth to swallow him up and his house; and he had not (the least little)
party to help him against Allah nor could he defend himself. 3411
3411 See n. 3404 above. Cf. also xvi. 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. (28.81)
29:39- (Remember also) Qarun Pharaoh and Haman: there came to them Moses with Clear Signs but they
behaved with insolence on the earth; yet they could not overreach (Us) . 3461
3461 For Qarun see xxviii. 76-82; Pharaoh is mentioned frequently in the Qur-an, but he is
mentioned in association with Haman in xxviii. 6; for their blasphemous arrogance and
defiance of Allah see xxviii. 38. They thought such a lot of themselves, but they came to an
evil end. (29.39)
3462 For hasib (violent tornado with showers of stones), see xvii. 68; this punishment as inflicted on the Cities of the Plain,
of which Lot preached (liv. 34). Some Commentators think that this also applied to the 'Ad, but their punishment is
described as by a violent and unseasonable cold wind (xli. 16; liv. 19 and lxix. 6), such as blows in sand-storms in the
Ahqaf, the region of shifting sands which was in their territory. (29.40)
29:40 - Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them against some We sent a violent tornado (with
showers of stones); some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up;
and some We drowned (in the waters): it was not Allah Who injured (or oppressed) them: they injured
(and oppressed) their own souls. 3462346334643465
3462 For hasib (violent tornado with showers of stones), see xvii. 68; this punishment as inflicted on the Cities of the Plain,
of which Lot preached (liv. 34). Some Commentators think that this also applied to the 'Ad, but their punishment is
described as by a violent and unseasonable cold wind (xli. 16; liv. 19 and lxix. 6), such as blows in sand-storms in the
Ahqaf, the region of shifting sands which was in their territory. (29.40)
3463 For saihat (Blast) see xi. 67 and n. 1561, as also n. 1047 to vii. 78 and n. 1996 to xv. 73. This word is used in
describing the fate of (1) the Thamud (xi. 67); Madyan (xi. 94); the population to which Lut preached (xv. 73); and the
Rocky Tract (Hijr, xv. 83), part of the territory of the Thamud; also in the Parable of the City to which came three
Prophets, who found a single-believer (xxxvi. 29). (29.40)
3464 This was the fate of Qarun: see xxviii. 81. Cf. also xvi. 45 and n. 2071. (29.40)
3465 This was the fate of the hosts of Pharaoh and Haman (xxviii. 40) as well as the wicked generation of Noah (xxvi. 120).
(29.40)
Go to UP
1307