Al-Qasas · Ayah 79

فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فِى زِينَتِهِۦ ۖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا يَـٰلَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ قَـٰرُونُ إِنَّهُۥ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ 79

Translations

So he came out before his people in his adornment. Those who desired the worldly life said, "Oh, would that we had like what was given to Qārūn. Indeed, he is one of great fortune."

Transliteration

Fakharaja alá qawmihi fí zeenatih. Qála alladhína yurídún al-hayáta ad-dunyá yá layitná mithla má útiya Qarún, innahu la-dhú hafzin azím.

Tafsir (Explanation)

This ayah describes Qarun emerging before his people in his full adornment and worldly display, whereupon those who desired the life of this world expressed their envy, wishing they possessed wealth like his, recognizing his immense fortune. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this depicts the corrupting influence of material wealth and the way it captivates the hearts of those enamored with worldly life, causing them to abandon spiritual values and pursue temporal gains. The ayah serves as a cautionary tale about how excessive wealth can lead to arrogance and how the desire for worldly possessions can blind people to moral and spiritual realities.

Revelation Context

This ayah is part of the story of Qarun (Korah), a wealthy man from the people of Musa who was given immense treasures but became arrogant and unjust with his wealth. The surah Al-Qasas narrates various stories illustrating divine justice and the consequences of disbelief and transgression. This particular verse emphasizes the social impact of his ostentatious display and how worldly desire corrupts the hearts of observers.

Related Hadiths

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Two hungry wolves sent among sheep would not cause more destruction than a man's desire for wealth and status causes to his religion' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'Wealth and children are the adornment of life, but the everlasting good deeds are better' (Quran 18:46), which thematically relates to the contrast between worldly adornment and true value.

Themes

worldly desire and materialismenvy and covetousnessarrogance from wealthcorruption of the soulsocial inequalitydivine justicethe deception of this world

Key Lesson

This ayah reminds us that excessive wealth and material display can be spiritually destructive, both for the wealthy person and for those who witness it with envy and desire. True fortune lies not in accumulating possessions but in righteousness, humility, and obedience to Allah, as worldly riches are temporary and often become a test of character.

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Related Ayahs

28:82Al-Qasas

وَأَصْبَحَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا۟ مَكَانَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقْدِرُ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا ۖ وَيْكَأَنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ

And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allāh extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allāh had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!"

28:19Al-Qasas

فَلَمَّآ أَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَبْطِشَ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۢا بِٱلْأَمْسِ ۖ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِينَ

And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."

28:86Al-Qasas

وَمَا كُنتَ تَرْجُوٓا۟ أَن يُلْقَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

And you were not expecting that the Book would be conveyed to you, but [it is] a mercy from your Lord. So do not be an assistant to the disbelievers.

28:59Al-Qasas

وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يَبْعَثَ فِىٓ أُمِّهَا رَسُولًا يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا ۚ وَمَا كُنَّا مُهْلِكِى ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ إِلَّا وَأَهْلُهَا ظَـٰلِمُونَ

And never would your Lord have destroyed the cities until He had sent to their mother [i.e., principal city] a messenger reciting to them Our verses. And We would not destroy the cities except while their people were wrongdoers.