Surah Qasas ayat 78 Tafsir Quran 28:78

﴿قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِي ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ﴾
[ القصص: 78]

28:78 He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.

He said ‘In fact I have been given it that is this wealth because of knowledge I possess’ in other words in return for it — he was the most knowledgeable of the Children of Israel in the Torah after Moses and Aaron. God exalted be He says Does he not know that God had already destroyed before him generations communities of men stronger than him in might and greater in the amassing? of wealth; in other words he does know this. And God destroys them and the guilty will not be questioned about their sins because of God’s knowledge of these sins and so they will be admitted into the Fire without a reckoning.

But -Qarun- said: I have acquired what came into my possession by reason of the knowledge inherent in me and for my intellectual acquaintance with fact. Did he not know that Allah had reduced to a useless form before him people who were stronger and greater in affluence! However, there is no need to question those who had been steeped in crime

Allah informs us how Qarun responded to the exhortations of his people when they sought to guide him قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِندِى ( He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." ) meaning, `I have no need of your advice; Allah has only given me this wealth because He knows that I deserve it and because He loves me.
' In other words: `He has given it to me because He knows that I am fit for this.' This is like the Ayat: فَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَـهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ ( When harm touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We have changed it into a favor from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge I obtained it." ) ( 39:49 ) An alternative interpretation of this Ayah says that the meaning is: "Only because of what Allah knows about me did I obtain this favor." This is like His saying: وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَـهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا مِن بَعْدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـذَا لِى ( And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is from me." ) ( 41:50 ) meaning, "I deserved it." Imam `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam explained this Ayah very well.
Concerning the phrase, قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِندِى ( He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." ) He said: "Were it not for the fact that Allah is pleased with me and knows my virtue, He would not have given me this wealth." And He said: أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعاً ( Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount they had collected ) This is what those who have little knowledge say when they see a person whom Allah has granted a lot of wealth; they say that if he did not deserve it, Allah would not have given it to him.

(28:78) But he replied, "All that I have been given is by virtue of the knowledge that I possess. " *97 -Did he not know that AIIah had destroyed before him many such people who were mightier than him in power and strength ? *98 But the criminals are not asked as to their sins. *99

He said, "I was only given it meaning

*97) The words of the Text can have two meanings: ( 1 ) " Whatever I have obtained is by virtue of my own ability.
It is not a bounty which somebody else might have given me as a favour without my deserving it as a right, and now I may have to render thanks for it by giving a portion of it to those who have not been given anything, as a favour, or give some of it in charity so that the bounty is not withdrawn from me. " ( 2 ) " I think God has given me this wealth in view of my qualities and excellences Had I not been a likeable person, He would not have given me all this.
That He has bestowed on me alI kinds of blessings is a proof that I am His favourite and he approves of the way of life that I am following. "
*98) That is, " Did this person who was proud of being so knowledgeable and wise and well-informed and capable never know that people with greater wealth and grandeur and power and might than him had lived before him in the world, and Allah at last, had annihilated them completely? if capability and skill and competence are the only factors conducive to worldly progress, then why didn't these virtues avail them when they were destroyed? And if the worldly progress of a person is a sure proof that Allah is pleased with him and approves of his deeds and qualities, then why were those people doomed to destruction at all? "
*99) That is, " The criminals have always been claiming to be the best people, who are free from every evil, but their punishment is not dependent on their own confessions.
Whenever they are seized; they are not seized on the basis of their own confessions of sins, etc. "
 

Allah informs us how Qarun responded to the exhortations of his people when they sought to guide him قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِندِى ( He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." ) meaning, `I have no need of your advice; Allah has only given me this wealth because He knows that I deserve it and because He loves me.
' In other words: `He has given it to me because He knows that I am fit for this.' This is like the Ayat: فَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَـنَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَـهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ ( When harm touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We have changed it into a favor from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge I obtained it." ) ( 39:49 ) An alternative interpretation of this Ayah says that the meaning is: "Only because of what Allah knows about me did I obtain this favor." This is like His saying: وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَـهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا مِن بَعْدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـذَا لِى ( And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is from me." ) ( 41:50 ) meaning, "I deserved it." Imam `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam explained this Ayah very well.
Concerning the phrase, قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِندِى ( He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." ) He said: "Were it not for the fact that Allah is pleased with me and knows my virtue, He would not have given me this wealth." And He said: أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعاً ( Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount they had collected ) This is what those who have little knowledge say when they see a person whom Allah has granted a lot of wealth; they say that if he did not deserve it, Allah would not have given it to him.

( He said ) Korah said: ( I have been given it ) this wealth ( only on account of knowledge I possess ) because Allah knows that I deserve it; it is also said that this means: he made gold from his knowledge of alchemy. ( Knew he not ) i.e. Korah ( that Allah had destroyed already of the generations before him men who were mightier than Him in strength ) who were physically stronger than him ( and greater about following ) and greater in respect to the wealth and men they had? ( The guilty are not questioned of their sins ) the idolaters will not be asked on the Day of Judgement about their sins because they will be known through distinct marks.

He said: "This has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected. But the Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allah knows them well, so they will be punished without account).

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