Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Qarun was the paternal cousin of Musa (alayhis salam).
Some scholars are of the opinion that the person mentioned in the above ahadith refers to Qarun, about whom Allah the Exalted has said: {اِنَّ قَارُوْنَ کَانَ مِنْ قَوْمِ مُوْسٰی فَبَغٰی عَلَیْھِمْ وَاٰتَیْنٰہُ مِنَ الْکُنُوْزِ مَآ اِنَّ مَفَاتِحَہٗلَتَنُوْٓاُبِالْعُصْبَۃِ اُولِی الْقُوَّۃِ اِذْ قَالَ لَہٗقَوْمُہٗلَاتَفْرَحْاِنَّاللّٰہَلَایُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِیْنَ۔ وَابْتَغِ فِیْمَآ اٰتٰکَ اللّٰہُ الدَّارَ الْاٰخِرَۃَ وَلَا تَنْسَ نَصِیْبَکَ مِنَ الدُّنْیَا وَاَحْسِنْ کَمَآ اَحْسَنَ اللّٰہُ اِلَیْکَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِی الْاَرْضِ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِیْنَ۔ قَالَ اِنَّمَآ اُوْتِیْتُہٗ عَلٰی عِلْمٍ عِنْدِیْ اَوَلَمْ یَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ قَدْ اَھْلَکَ مِنْ قَبْلِہِ مِنَ الْقُرُوْنِ مَنْ ھُوَ اَشَدُّ مِنْہُ قُوَّۃً وَّاَکْثَرُ جَمْعًا وَلَا یُسْئَلُ عَنْ ذُنُوْبِھِمُ الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ۔ فَخَرَجَ عَلٰی قَوْمِہِ فِیْ زِیْنَتِہِ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَیُرِیْدُوْنَ الْحَیٰوۃَ الدُّنْیَا ٰیلَیْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَآ اُوْتِیَقَارُوْنُ اِنَّہٗلَذُوْحَظٍّعَظِیْمٍ۔ وَقَالَ الَّذِیْنَ اُوْتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَیْلَکُمْ ثَوَابُ اللّٰہِ خَیْر’‘ لِّمَنْ اٰمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا یُلَقّٰھَآ اِلَّا الصّٰبِرُوْنَ۔ فَخَسَفْنَا بِہٖوَبِدَارِہِالْاَرْضَفَمَاکَانَلَہٗمِنْفِئَۃٍیَّنْصُرُوْنَہٗ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰہِ وَمَا کَانَ مِنَ الْمُنْتَصِرِیْنَ۔ وَاَصْبَحَ الَّذِیْنَ تَمَنَّوْا مَکَانَہٗبِالْاَمْسِیَقُوْلُوْنَ وَیْکَاَنَّ اللّٰہَ یَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ یَّشَآئُ مِنْ عِبَادِہِ وَیَقْدِرُ لَوْلَآ اَنْ مَّنَّ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا وَیْکَاَنَّہٗ لَا یُفْلِحُ الْکٰفِرُوْنَ۔ تِلْکَ الدَّارُ الْاٰخِرَۃُ نَجْعَلُھَا لِلَّذِیْنَ لَا یُرِیْدُوْنَ عُلُوًّا فِی الْاَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَۃُ لِلْمُتَّقِیْنَ۔} … Indeed, Qarun was from the people of Musa, but he rebelled against them. And We gave him such treasures that, verily, their keys would have been a burden to a strong group of men. When his people said to him, “Do not exult, indeed Allah does not love those who exult. And seek, through what Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter, and do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you, and do not seek corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not love corrupters.” He said, “I was only given it because of knowledge I have.” Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations who were greater than him in strength and greater in accumulation? And the criminals will not be asked about their sins. 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 Qarun! Indeed, he is one of great fortune.” But those who had been given knowledge said, “Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for he who believes and does righteousness, and none are granted it except the patient.” So We caused the earth to swallow him and his home, and he had no company to help him against Allah, nor was he of those who could defend themselves. And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say in the morning, “Ah! It is indeed Allah who extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it. If Allah had not favored us, He would have caused it to swallow us also. Ah! It is clear that the disbelievers do not succeed.” That is the home of the Hereafter—We assign it to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the best outcome is for the righteous. (Surah al-Qasas: 74–83)

The ability found within a person is a gift from Allah the Exalted; therefore, one should never be heedless of the True Benefactor and the Real Bestower of Favors. Otherwise, the favors granted by Allah the Exalted become a calamity for a person. In this regard, the most instructive example is that of Qarun: how many treasures he possessed, yet his wealth and riches did not avail him; rather, they became the cause for him to be swallowed up by the earth.