395 Page Notes

28 Surah Al-Qasas (continued)

Page 395 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 395 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 395 of the Qur'an covers verses 78 through 84 of Surah Al-Qasas. This page concludes the historical narrative of Qarun (Korah), detailing his ultimate destruction, the psychological shift of the onlookers who once envied him, and the divine laws governing ultimate success in the Hereafter versus punishment for evil deeds.

Prophetic traditions (Hadith), core theological tenets (Sunnah), and classical commentaries (Tafsir) provide deep context and explanation for these verses.

1. The Divine Destruction of Qarun

Verses 78 through 81 describe Qarun’s supreme arrogance, his boastful public parade in full luxury, and his sudden, catastrophic punishment:

"So he came out before his people in his adornment..." (Qur'an 28:79) "And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no spiritual company to aid him other than Allah, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves." (Qur'an 28:81)

Direct Hadith Parallel: Pride and Arrogant Dress

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly warned against the exact behavior Qarun displayed in verse 79—parading ostentatiously to show off wealth and status—and tied it directly to the punishment of the earth swallowing the perpetrator.

• The Hadith: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "While a man was walking, dragging his loin-cloth (izār) behind him out of pride, he was swallowed up by the earth and he will continue sinking into it until the Day of Resurrection." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 77, Hadith 26; Sahih Muslim, Book 37, Hadith 70).

• The Lesson: Classical commentators like Ibn Kathir note that while this warning applies to anyone who acts with kibr (arrogance), the specific mechanism of punishment—sinking endlessly into the earth—is a direct continuation of the divine decree executed upon Qarun on this page.

2. The Shift in Human Perspective: Wealth is Not Divine Approval

In verses 82, the very people who had envied Qarun the day before completely change their minds after witnessing his destruction:

"And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, 'Oh, how Allah extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If Allah had not conferred favor upon us, He would have caused it to swallow us...'" (Qur'an 28:82)

Sunnah Principle: The Standard of Divine Love

A major foundation of the Sunnah is decoupling material wealth from spiritual success. The Prophet ﷺ taught that Allah giving someone worldly luxury is not an indication that He loves them or approves of their lifestyle.

• The Hadith: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed, Allah distributes your character among you just as He distributes your provision. And indeed, Allah gives the material world (Dunya) to those whom He loves and to those whom He does not love; but He does not give faith (Iman) except to those whom He loves." (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 3672; authenticated by Al-Albani in Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, No. 2714).

3. Exclusivity of the Hereafter for the Humble

Verse 83 outlines the prerequisites for entering Paradise, serving as a core ethical framework in Islam:

"That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous." (Qur'an 28:83)

Sunnah Parallel: The Definition of Arrogance (Kibr)

Because verse 83 completely bars those who seek "exaltedness" ('uluwwan) from the ultimate rewards of the Hereafter, the companions of the Prophet ﷺ were terrified of possessing this quality. The Prophet ﷺ clarified exactly what constitutes this forbidden pride:

• The Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said: "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise." A man asked: "What if a person likes his clothes to look good and his shoes to look good?" The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Indeed, Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth (Batar al-Haqq) and looking down on people (Ghamt an-Nas)." (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 164).

4. The Multiplied Reward of Good vs. The Exact Measurement of Evil

Verse 84 establishes a fundamental divine legal math regarding human accountability:

"Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have better than it; and whoever comes with an evil deed—then those who did evil deeds will not be recompensed except [for] what they used to do." (Qur'an 28:84)

Direct Hadith Parallel: The Multiplied Grace of Allah

This asymmetric system of spiritual accounting is explicitly detailed in one of the most famous Hadith Qudsi (divine sayings related by the Prophet ﷺ):

• The Hadith: The Prophet ﷺ narrating from his Lord, said: "Indeed, Allah has recorded good deeds and evil deeds and then made it clear. He who intended to do a good deed and did not do it, Allah records it with Himself as a perfect good deed; and if he intended to do it and did it, Allah records it with Himself as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times, or even many times more. And if he intended to do an evil deed and did not do it, Allah records it with Himself as a perfect good deed; and if he intended to do it and did it, Allah records it as a single evil deed." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 81, Hadith 118; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 234).

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari. Dar al-Tawq al-Najah.

• Ibn Kathir, A. I. (2000). Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim. Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.

• Ibn Hanbal, A. (2001). Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Mu'assasat al-Risalah.

• Muslim, I. H. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim. Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-Arabiyyah.

(Note: Hadith citations follow worldwide standardized canonical indexing frameworks).