The Story of Qarun(Korah)

The Story of Qarun(Korah)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) held the opinion that Qarun (Korah) was a paternal cousin of Musa (peace be upon him). This view is supported by many other narrators, including Ibn Juraij, who added that he was Qarun Ibn Yashar Ibn Qahith, while Musa was the son of `Imran Ibn Hafith. Ibn Juraij went further and rejected the viewpoint of Ibn Ishaq that he was a paternal uncle of Musa (peace be upon him).

Qatadah said that Qarun was called An-Nur (the light) for he had a melodious voice while reciting the Torah (Taurat), but he became a hypocrite just like As-Samiri. Thus, Qarun was destroyed because of his transgression due to the wealth and riches he had.

Shahr Ibn Haushab said that he dragged his garment (i.e. wore it long and trailing) out of pride and arrogance.

Allah the Almighty mentions the abundance of his wealth and riches so that its keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. It was also said that the keys were made of leather and that they used to be carried on sixty mules. Allah knows best!

However, Qarun was advised by the godly men from among his people: {Do not exult. Verily Allah likes not those who exult (with riches, being ungrateful to Allah). “But seek with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter}. That is, do not be arrogant or conceited with riches, being ungrateful to Allah the Almighty. They advised him to direct his endeavors to gain Allah’s Reward in the Hereafter, as it is the best of all rewards. But he should take from his money what is lawful to him and have the possible lawful joys of this present life. {…and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world}. And they advised him: {do good as Allah has been good to you}, that is, do good to the creation of Allah Who has been good to you. And {seek not mischief in the land}, that is, do not harm the people regarding whom you were commanded to do good. If you harm them, He will punish you and take back what He has granted you. {Verily, Allah likes not the Mufsidun (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupters)}.

His answer to this good advice of his people was nothing but: {He said: This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess}. In other words, I do not need what you have said or referred to, as Allah only gave me this because He knew that I deserve it and I am really qualified for it. Moreover, were it not that He loves me, He would not grant me this.

However, Allah the Almighty refutes his statement saying: {Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allah knows them well, so they will be punished without being called to account)}. In other words, We have destroyed before him generations because of their sins and bad deeds, and they were stronger than Qarun and they had more riches and children than he. So, if what he said was true, We would not punish anyone of those who had more riches than he has, and his wealth and riches would not be a proof of Our love or care for him.

Allah the Almighty says elsewhere in the Qur’an: {And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us (i.e. please Allah), but only he who believes (in the Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds (will please Us); as for such, there will be twofold reward for what they did, and they will reside in the high dwellings (Paradise) in peace and security}. (Saba’ 37). And He says: {Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, [it is a Fitnah (trial) in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter] but they perceive not}. (Al-Mu’minun 55-56).

Allah’s answer to Qarun’s claims confirms our interpretation of his saying, {This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess}. But as for those who claimed that he was an alchemist, or that he knew the Greatest Name of Allah the Almighty, or that he used it to collect wealth, all these are fallacies and not true. For alchemy cannot change the reality of something, and the Greatest Name is of no effect if it is pronounced by a disbeliever. And, Qarun was inherently a disbeliever and apparently a hypocrite. Moreover, the context of the advice given by his people and his answer to them do not support that claim.

Almighty Allah says: {So he went forth before his people in his pomp}. Many interpreters mentioned that he went forth before his people in great luxuries, with servants, rich clothes, and riding animals. When those who were desirous of the life of this world saw him, they wished to have the same and wondered, “What a great fortune he has!” When their saying reached the ears of the godly righteous men they said to them: {Woe to you! The Reward of Allah is better for those who believe and do righteous good deeds}. That is, the Reward of Allah in the Hereafter is better and higher than this.

Almighty Allah says: {and this none shall attain except those who are As-Sabirun (the patient in following the truth)}. In other words, none shall attain this advice regarding the Hereafter in the presence of the joys of this present life, except those who are guided and those whose hearts are fixed and minds made stable by the Grace of Allah the Almighty. And nothing is better than the saying of some of our earlier scholars who said: “Verily, Allah loves penetrative insight in the time of suspicious matters and perfect reasoning in the time of the presence of desires.”

Allah the Almighty says: {So, We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place. Then, he had no group or party to help him against Allah, nor was he one of those who could save themselves}. When Allah the Almighty mentions his setting forth in his pomp, He says {So, We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place}. As transmitted by Imam Al-Bukhari, Allah’s Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “While a man was walking, clad in a two-piece garment and proud of himself with his hair well-combed, suddenly Allah made him sink into the earth and he will go on sinking into it till the Day of Resurrection.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and As-Sadiy narrated that Qarun gave a prostitute a sum of money to accuse Musa (peace be upon him), while he was in the company of others, of committing adultery with her. It is said that she did it and, consequently, Musa (peace be upon him) trembled with fear and performed two rak`ahs of prayer and then said to her, “By Allah! Tell me, who hired you to do this?”

She replied, “It was Qarun who hired me to do that.” Then, she sought Allah’s Forgiveness and repented to Him.

Upon that, Musa (peace be upon him) prostrated himself and invoked Allah against Qarun. Allah the Almighty revealed to him that He had subjugated the earth to obey him. Musa (peace be upon him) commanded the earth to swallow Qarun and his dwelling place. And so it was! Allah knows best!

It was also said that when Qarun went forth before his people in his pomp, with guards, mules and fine clothes, he passed by Musa (peace be upon him) while he was reminding the people of Allah. When the people saw Qarun, most of them turned their faces towards him.

Musa (peace be upon him) called to him, “Why do you do this?”

Qarun replied, “O Musa! You have been favored with prophethood and I have been favored with riches. If you want, you may go forth and invoke Allah against me, and I will invoke Him against you.”

At that, both of them went forth and Musa (peace be upon him) said, “Would you like to begin?”

Qarun said, “Yes,” and he made his invocations, but they were not answered.

When Musa (peace be upon him) invoked Allah the Almighty against him saying, “O Allah! Command the earth to transgress today,” Allah revealed to him that He did.

Then Musa (peace be upon him) said, “O earth! Take them!” And it took them to their feet.

Then he said, “Take them!” And it took them to their knees.

Then he said, “Take them!” And it took them to their shoulders.

Then he said, “O earth! Bring their riches and treasures!” They were brought till they saw them, then Musa (peace be upon him) pointed with his hand saying, “Go, you sons of Laui!” And they sank into the earth.

It was narrated from Qatadah that he said: They will sink into the earth till the Day of Resurrection.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: They sank into the earth till they reached the seventh earth.

Allah the Almighty says: {Then he had no group or party to help him against Allah, nor was he one of those who could save themselves}. He could not help himself or get help from others. Allah the Almighty states: {Then he will have no power, nor any helper}. (At-Tariq 10) When the people saw what happened to Qarun and his treasures, sinking into the earth and completely destroyed, those who had desired for a position like his position the day before regretted and thanked Allah the Almighty. They said: {Had it not been that Allah was Gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up (also)! Know you not that the disbelievers will never be successful}.

Then, Allah the Almighty informs us that {That home of the Hereafter}, that is, Paradise, is prepared only for those {who rebel not against the truth with pride and oppression in the land nor do mischief by committing crimes}. And then He says: {And the good end is for the Muttaqun (the pious and righteous persons)}.

This story of Qarun might have taken place before they got out of Egypt, for Allah the Almighty says: {So, We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place}. Or it might have taken place after the exodus from Egypt. Allah knows best!

However, Almighty Allah mentions the dispraise of Qarun in several verses in the Glorious Qur’an. Allah says: {And indeed We sent Musa (Moses) with Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and a manifest authority. To Fir`aun (Pharaoh), Haman and Qarun (Korah), but they called (him): “A sorcerer, a liar!”}. (Ghafir 23-24). And in Surah Al-`Ankabut, after mentioning `Ad, Thamud, Pharaoh, Haman and Qarun, He says: {And (We destroyed also) Qarun (Korah), Fir`aun (Pharaoh), and Haman. And indeed Musa (Moses) came to them with lessons, clear Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.), but they were arrogant in the land, yet they could not outstrip Us (escape Our punishment). So, We punished each (of them) for his sins; of them were some on whom We sent Hasib (a violent wind with shower of stones) [as on the people of Lut (Lot)], and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah [torment - awful cry, (as Thamud or Shu`aib’s People)], and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow [as Qarun (Korah)], and of them were some whom We drowned [as the people of Nuh (Noah), or Fir`aun (Pharaoh) and his people]. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves}. (Al-`Ankabut 39-40). So, he who was swallowed by the earth was Qarun, and those who were drowned were Pharaoh, Haman and their troops because they were sinful.

Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad that once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the prayer and said: “He who observes it regularly and properly, it will be light, evidence and salvation for him on the Day of Resurrection. And, he who does not observe it regularly and properly, there will be for him neither light, nor evidence, nor salvation. And, on the Day of Resurrection, he will be (gathered) with Qarun, Fir`aun (Pharaoh), Haman and Ubaiy Ibn Khalaf.”