But gammg excess of wealth totally changed his character and he became a hypocrite like Saamri and became a bitter enemy of Sayyiduna Musa He also became extremely arrogant. When the commandment of Zakah revealed, he promised in front of Sayyiduna Musa that he will pay a 1 / 1000 of his capital as Zakah but when he calculated his wealth and possessions, a huge amount became deductible as the Zakah money. Greed and stinginess overpowered him. He not only became denial of Zakah but also slandered and intrigued against Sayyiduna Musa by enticing people of Israel that he is doing all that to capture their wealth.
To create disgust against Sayyiduna Musa , he went to such an extent that he conspired a heinous plot and convinced a woman by giving her a lot of money to blame Sayyiduna Musa of fornication. Therefore, right at the time when Sayyiduna Musa was delivering his sermon, Qaroon interrupted him and said that he had committed adultery with so-and-so woman. Sayyiduna Musa asked to bring that woman. Therefore, that woman was called upon and Sayyiduna Musa said, ‘O lady, swear by Allah Who split the river for the people of Israel and helped them to cross it safely and helped them to get rid of pharaoh. Tell me clearly that what the matter is?’ She trembled due to prophetic majesty of Sayyiduna Musa and confessed, ‘O Nabi of Allah! Qaroon enticed me to put an allegation against you by giving me huge bribe.’ At that time, Sayyiduna Musa prostrated with tearful eyes to thank Allah and supplicated to Allah in the state of prostration that ‘O Allah , inflict Qaroon with Your wrath’. Then he said to the congregation that the one who is with Qaroon should stay with him and the one who is with me should separate away from Qaroon. Therefore, all of the Bani Israel left Qaroon, except two evil persons.
Afterwards, Sayyiduna Musa ordered the earth, ‘O earth! Seize Qaroon straight away’. Qaroon sank down into the earth up to his knees. He again ordered the same command to earth and Qaroon sank down into the earth up to his waist. Qaroon started crying and begging Sayyiduna Musa for the sake of his family relation with Sayyiduna Musa – But Sayyiduna Musa did not give any response. Finally, he was fully submerged into the earth. The two wretched people who stayed with Qaroon said to the people that Sayyiduna Musa buried Qaroon in the ground so that he may himself capture his home and treasure. Therefore, Sayyiduna Musa supplicated for the burial of the home as well as the treasure of Qaroon. Consequently, the home of Qaroon that was made of gold and all of his treasure get buried inside the ground.
Treasure of Qaroon
Now see this narration in the Holy Quran. Allah has said that We endowed Qaroon with so many treasures that a strong and a vigorous group of people would carry the keys for his treasures with a great effort. It is mentioned in the Holy Quran:
Indeed Qaroon (Korah) was from the people of Musa, he then oppressed them. And We gave him so many treasures that (to carry) their keys were a heavy burden for a strong group.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 20, Surah AI-Qasas, Ayah 76)
Advice of Sayyiduna Musa
The advice Sayyiduna Musa delivered to Qaroon that is mentioned in the Holy Quran is as follows. He became enemy of Sayyiduna Musa after listening to the very same advice, which was implicitly in his own favour. Just ponder upon the advice that how graceful it was that Sayyiduna Musa fll:J1 and the whole nation was telling Qaroon:
When his people said to him, ‘Do not boast; indeed Allah does not like the boastful. And seek the abode of the Hereafter with the wealth that Allah has given you, and do not forget your part in this world, and do favours (to others) the way Allah has favoured you, and do not seek to cause turmoil in the earth. ‘
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 20, Surah AI-Qasas, Ayah 76, 77)
Qaroon rejected this sincere advice out of arrogance of his wealth and came in front of the people being very well dressed up and fully drenched in arrogance and pride. He started to speak foul about Sayyiduna Musa.What was the outcome of it? Listen to it in the words of the Holy Quran and always fear from being struck with the wrath of Allah .
Qaroon sank into ground
We therefore caused him and his home to sink into the earth; so he had no group to help save him from Allah, nor could he take revenge.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 20, Surah AI-Qasas, Ayah 81)
Moral:
This alarming event gives us a moral lesson that if Allah endows us with wealth and riches; we should consider it to be obligatory upon us to pay Zakah of our riches. One should never be arrogant and boast upon the riches and wealth that he possesses because it is Allah Who blesses us with wealth and it is He Who takes it back instantly whenever He Wills to.
Keeping this in mind, one should always make a habit of observing good manners and humbleness, should never try to badmouth or disrespect Ambiya ‘ friends of Allah and the pious people because due to the prayers of these chosen people in the court of Allah , such things can happen which are beyond one’s comprehension.
