﴿إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمِ مُوسَى فَبَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ...

﴿إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمِ مُوسَى فَبَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ، وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ﴾ “Surely, Qarun was of the people of Musa, but he rebelled against them, and We had given him of the treasures, so much so that his hoards of wealth would certainly weigh down a company of men possessed of great strength.” [^2] How vast what his treasure? What happened to Qarun’s wealth?

﴿فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِ وَبِدَارِهِ الأَرْضَ﴾ “Thus, We made the earth to swallow up him and his abode…” [^3] He went down in the earth himself along with the wealth as if it was nothing at all. Now what about the property about which you say that it is my property, it is my park, my machinery? Greatness of man is due to his God-worship and righteousness. If man reaches the station of God-worship and, in fact, becomes Abdullah (God’s servant) there is every grace in his wealth.

Such a grace, which will never end. O the one who wants to attain real grace; be a slave of God. This is grace, greatness and real honor. The pride of Ali bin Abi Talib was only that he was the slave of the Lord of the worlds. Slave and servant of God Almighty. No other state can ever be imagined to be higher than it. This is the capital of grace. The one who is more slave-like before God, greater is his grace and honor. God knows well where to give grace. You do not know.

In your imagination, wealth and property is the cause of grace or good luck whereas they are to vanish and end. Neither name nor fame or status. All this is playthings and vanities. Man’s grace and greatness is his piety and righteousness. That is why God informs you: O those who believe! Put aside all these things. Do the deeds which may make you righteous and which may take you nearer to your Lord.

Slave, yet God’s friend It is written in the explanation of this holy verse that once they wanted to sell their slave. A customer arrived. The slave announced in a loud voice: Anyone who wants to buy me, may know that I have one condition. My condition is that I must be allowed to perform prayers five times day. I must be freed to perform my prayer behind the Prophet.

At last a buyer accepted this condition and he bought the slave and allowed him to be free to perform all his five daily prayers behind the Prophet in the Prophet’s mosque. Days passed in this manner. Then the Prophet did not see that slave in the mosque.

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