Who Was Qarun (Korah)?
من هو قارون المذكور في القرآن الكريم؟
He was a man from the people of Moses pbuh and he lived in the era of Moses pbuh. He had enormous wealth, but he did not thank Allah; rather, he attributed his wealth to his own knowledge, so Allah the Almighty caused the earth to swallow him and his house.
Allah Almighty says: (Indeed, Korah was from the people of Moses, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. We had granted him such treasures that even their keys would burden a group of strong men. ˹Some of˺ his people advised him, “Do not be prideful! Surely Allah does not like the prideful. Rather, seek the ˹reward˺ of the Hereafter by means of what Allah has granted you, without forgetting your share of this world. And be good ˹to others˺ as Allah has been good to you. Do not seek to spread corruption in the land, for Allah certainly does not like the corruptors.” He replied, “I have been granted all this because of some knowledge I have.” Did he not know that Allah had already destroyed some from the generations before him who were far superior to him in power and greater in accumulating ˹wealth˺? There will be no need for the wicked to be asked about their sins.) [Al-Qasas 28:76-78]
رجل من قوم موسى عليه السلام وقد عاش في زمان نبي الله موسى عليه السلام. كان له غنى فاحش ولم يشكر الله بل نسب الغنى لعلمه فخسف الله به وبداره الأرض. قال تعالى: (إنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ) [القصص 28: 76]
(وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِي ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ) [القصص 28: 77-78]
1. The Cousin of Musa | ابن عم موسى عليه السلام
Allah says: Qarun was of the people of Musa, but he transgressed against them (28:76). Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas that Qarun was the cousin of Musa, and that Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, Qatadah, Malik ibn Dinar, Ibn Jurayj and others said the same; Ibn Jarir said most scholars hold that he was his cousin. Qatadah said he was called al-Munawwar for the beauty of his voice reciting the Torah, but the enemy of Allah became a hypocrite as al-Samiri did, and transgression destroyed him because of his great wealth.
إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ (سورة القصص: 76)
قال تعالى: (إن قارون كان من قوم موسى فبغى عليهم) (القصص 28: 76)، ونقل ابن كثير عن ابن عباس قال: كان ابن عمه، وهكذا قال إبراهيم النخعي وقتادة ومالك بن دينار وابن جريج وغيرهم، قال ابن جرير: وأكثر أهل العلم على أنه كان ابن عمه. وقال قتادة: كان يسمى المنور لحسن صوته بالتوراة، ولكن عدو الله نافق كما نافق السامري، فأهلكه البغي لكثرة ماله.
2. The Advice of His People | نصيحة قومه له
His people advised him: seek, through what Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter, and do not forget your share of this world (28:77). Ibn Kathir explains: use this great wealth and abundant blessing in obedience to your Lord and draw near to Him through every kind of good deed, and enjoy what Allah has made lawful of food, drink, clothing, homes and marriage, for your Lord has a right over you, your self has a right over you, your family has a right over you and your guests have a right over you, so give each one its right.
وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا (سورة القصص: 77)
قال تعالى: (وابتغ فيما آتاك الله الدار الآخرة ولا تنس نصيبك من الدنيا) (القصص 28: 77)، قال ابن كثير: أي استعمل ما وهبك الله من هذا المال الجزيل والنعمة الطائلة في طاعة ربك والتقرب إليه بأنواع القربات، (ولا تنس نصيبك من الدنيا) أي: مما أباح الله فيها من المآكل والمشارب والملابس والمساكن والمناكح، فإن لربك عليك حقا، ولنفسك عليك حقا، ولأهلك عليك حقا، ولزورك عليك حقا، فآت كل ذي حق حقه.
3. Named With Pharaoh and Haman | قارون وفرعون وهامان
Allah names him beside Pharaoh and Haman: and Qarun, Pharaoh and Haman; Musa came to them with clear proofs, but they were arrogant in the land, and they could not outrun Us (29:39). Ibn Kathir describes Qarun as the owner of great wealth and of the keys to heavy treasures. Why the earth swallowed him is explained in why Allah caused the earth to swallow Qarun and his house, and pride in arrogance and boasting in Islamic law.
وَقَارُونَ وَفِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُم مُّوسَىٰ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كَانُوا سَابِقِينَ (سورة العنكبوت: 39)
قال تعالى: (وقارون وفرعون وهامان ولقد جاءهم موسى بالبينات فاستكبروا في الأرض وما كانوا سابقين) (العنكبوت 29: 39)، قال ابن كثير: وقارون صاحب الأموال الجزيلة ومفاتيح الكنوز الثقيلة.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who was Qarun?
A man from the people of Musa who lived in his time and had enormous wealth (28:76).
How was Qarun related to Musa?
Ibn Abbas said he was his cousin, and Ibn Jarir said most scholars hold this view.
What did his people advise him?
To seek the Hereafter with what Allah had given him without forgetting his share of this world, to do good as Allah had done good to him, and not to spread corruption (28:77).
Why was Qarun destroyed?
He did not thank Allah and attributed his wealth to his own knowledge, so Allah caused the earth to swallow him and his house.