Page 66 - Devoted to Allah

DEVOTED TO ALLAH

had longed to take his place the day before began to
say: “Allah gives abundantly to whom He will, and
sparingly to whom He pleases. If Allah had not shown
great kindness to us, we would have been swallowed
up as well. Ah! Truly the disbelievers are not success-
ful.” As for the abode of the Hereafter, We shall grant
it to those who do not seek to exalt themselves in this
world or to cause corruption in it. The successful out-
come is for those who fear Allah. (Surat al-Qasas: 76-83)
As can be understood from the verses, Qarun and
those who envied him were representative of a typical so-

ciety of ignorance. They failed to comprehend that Allah
is the owner of everything and that Allah bestows posses-
sions upon whoever He wishes. Qarun thought that the
wealth he possessed had been given to him because of his
superiority. But this was not so.
- Because Allah creates every being, He is the real
owner of everything. In this sense, one who owns some-
thing may be considered as a “trustee,” temporarily tak-
ing care of a possession which actually belongs to Allah.
- Blessings bestowed upon people are given to them
not because they are superior or because they possess
something important. These blessings are given to man as
a favor or as a trial. What is expected of him in return is
not to grow “arrogant” but to be “grateful” to Allah. If one
fails to understand this, the property he owns brings him
neither happiness nor salvation in this world and in the
Hereafter.

- Property is not given so that one can “hoard” it and
be parsimonious. Allah gives property to man so that he

64