The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 546
CH. 28 AL-QASAS PT. 20 وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا اشك اللهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا And seek, in that which. 78 Allah has given thee, the Home تَنْسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَ احْسِنُ كَمَا of the Hereafter; and neglect not thy lot in this world; and do اَحْسَنَ اللهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي good to others as Allah has الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ to make mischief in the earth done good to thee; and seek not verily, Allah loves not those who make mischief. '2931 magazine; buried (miftah) of which property. also is the mean a (مفاتيح plural) مفتاح plural and key (Lane & Aqrab). (would have weighed down) is derived from which means, he rose or rose with difficulty and effort under a load; he was oppressed by weight and fell down. alas s means, he rose with his burden with effort and difficulty. Ja means, the burden weighed him down (Aqrab). Commentary: It would appear that Korah was an Israelite who stood high in the favour of Pharaoh and held one of the principal offices of State under him. Very likely he was Pharaoh's treasurer. When Pharaoh went on official tour the royal treasures were probably transported under Korah's charge. In order to safeguard his position and to win further favours from Pharaoh, Korah seemed to have persecuted his own people and behaved haughtily and tyrannically towards them. The name of Qārūn (Korah) seems also to have been symbolically used here for men of material wealth. Abundance of riches has proved the undoing of many a man. Elated with riches and wealth and lulled into a false sense of security, wealthy people are prone to reject God's Message and defy His Prophets. Korah as it appears from the Bible (Num. 16:1-35), was a believer in Rabbinical Moses. According to literature he was fabulously rich (Jew. Enc. ) and in the pride of wealth revolted against Moses and Aaron and consequently perished with his 250 followers, the earth having swallowed them up. 2931. Commentary: Islam does not view with favour such flight from the world as Christianity inculcates among its votaries. One should not deny one's portion of the good things of the world. As a matter of fact at another place in the Quran the believers are enjoined to pray to God "to grant them the good things of this world as well as the good things of the world to come" (2:202), only the pursuit of the good things of this world should not make one neglect the seeking of the good things of the Hereafter. Islam is not a religion of monks and recluses but of pious and righteous men of the world. 2460