Qaroon and His Fabulous Wealth
Qur’aanic Verse 28:79:
Transliteration:
79. Fakharaja AAala qawmihi fee zeenatihi qala allatheena yureedoona alhayata alddunya ya layta lanamithla ma ootiya qaroonu innahu lathoo haththin AAatheemin
Translation:
79. And so he went out before his people in his pomp. Those who were desirous of the life of this world said, “Ah! Would that we had the like of what Korah has been given. He does indeed possess an exceptionally great fortune.”12
Study Note:
12. Man is prone to covetousness. He desires to have lots and lots of money to be able to buy anything he wants. When he sees another man with such money power, he is seized with envy, just like Moses’ people were on seeing Korah (Qaroon, in Arabic) in his pomp. If man does not rein in his covetous spirit, he could easily be led into employing wrongful means to get at that wealth. Therein lies a divine test for man. If he thus fails, he loses his opportunity of getting what he wants everlastingly in the Hereafter. And if Allah is pleased to give a man the wealth he pines for in this world, the man is not left free to squander it away as he pleases. He is kept under constant watch as to how he spends his Allah-given wealth. If he does not abide by the sound advice the people gave Qaroon (Verse 77 above), but exults in his wealth and thinks that he got it because of his own knowledge and ability, then he is liable to be destroyed as Qaroon was (see Verses 76, 78 above and 80 to 84 below) .
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