[28].Surah Al-Qasas [The Narration]: Ayat 81-82

৮১. অত:পর আমি কারুনকে ও তার প্রাসাদকে ভূগর্ভে বিলীন করে দিলাম। তার পক্ষে আল্লাহ ব্যতীত এমন কোন দল ছিলনা, যারা তাকে সাহায্য করতে পারে এবং সে নিজেও আত্মরক্ষা করতে পারল না।

৮২. গতকাল্য যারা তার মত হবার বাসনা প্রকাশ করেছিল, তারা প্রত্যুষে বলতে লাগল, হায় আল্লাহ তাঁর বান্দাদের মধ্যে যার জন্য ইচ্ছা রিযিক বর্ধিত করেন ও হ্রাস করেন। আল্লাহ আমাদের প্রতি অনুগ্রহ না করলে আমাদেরকেও ভূগর্ভে বিলীন করে দিতেন। হায়, কাফেররা সফলকাম হবে না। 

Ayat 81. So Allah caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place. Then he had no group or party to help him against Allah, nor was he one of those who could save themselves.

Ayat 82. And those who had desired (for a position like) his position the day before, began to say: "Know you not that it is Allah Who enlarges the provision or restricts it to whomsoever He pleases of His slaves. Had it not been that Allah was Gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up (also)! Know you not that the disbelievers will never be successful.

Tafseer of Surah Al-Qasas (The Narration) Ayat 81 & 28. Then Allah caused the earth to swallow up him and his house; and he had not (the least little) party to help him against Allah, nor could he defend himself. Besides the obvious moral in the literal interpretation of the story, that material wealth is fleeting and may be a temptation and a cause of fall, there are some metaphorical implications that occur to me. (1) Qaroon was with Israel in the wilderness, even his material wealth was of no use to him there; he had the mere empty keys; material wealth has no value in itself, but only a relative and local value. (2) In body he was with Israel in the wilderness, but his heart was in Egypt with its fertility and its slavery. Such is the case of many hypocrites, who like to be seen in righteous company but whose thoughts, longings, and doings are inconsistent with such company. (3) There is no good in this life but comes from Allah. To think otherwise is to set up a false god besides Allah. Our own merits are so small that they should never be the object of our idolatry. (4) If Qaroon on account of his wealth was setting himself up in rivalry with Moses and Aaron, he was blind to the fact that spiritual knowledge is far above any little cleverness in worldly affairs. Mob-leaders have no position before spiritual guides. 82. And those who had envied his position the day before began to say on the morrow: "Ah! It is indeed Allah Who enlarges the provision or restricts it, to any of His servants He pleases! had it not been that Allah was gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up! Ah! those who reject Allah will assuredly never prosper." Provision or Sustenance, both literally and figuratively: wealth and material things in life as well as the things that sustain our higher and spiritual faculties. The rabble, that admired Qaroon’s wealth when he was in worldly prosperity, now sees the other side of the question and understands that there are other gifts more precious and desirable, and that these may actually be withheld from men who enjoy wealth and worldly prosperity. In fact it is false prosperity or no prosperity in the real sense of the word, which is without spiritual well-being.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Successful is the one who enters the fold of Islam and is provided with sustenance which is sufficient for his day's needs, and Allah makes him content with what He has bestowed upon him.'' 

[Muslim Book 05, Chapter 40, Hadith # 2293]. 

Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah Al-Qasas Ayat 82. “that it is Allah Who enlarges the provision or restricts it to whomsoever He pleases of His slaves” The real success of a man will be measured by his being blessed with Divine mercy and forgiveness in the Hereafter, and this is contingent on Islam alone. If he lacks the wealth of Islam, all the worldly possessions will not ensure his success in the next world. This Hadith tells us that richness is not to be defined in terms of a lot of belongings, and that the real richness is gauged by the contentment of the soul.