(1/2) What is wrong with those who display and boast with thei | Al-Aqeedah

(1/2) What is wrong with those who display and boast with their dunyā on social media?

(A brief stop at the story of Qārūn in Sūrah Al-Qasas)

Unfortunately today many Muslims imitate the kuffār in displaying what Allāh has bestowed upon them of dunyā out of His Mercy, and not something they have achieved by their own knowledge or power.

The Qurān mentions an example of boasting and displaying what one possesses of dunyā in Surah Al-Qasas in the story of Qārūn. Allāh – the Exalted – said:

﴿إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمِ مُوسَى فَبَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ٧٦ وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنْسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِنْ كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ٧٧ قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ٧٨ فَخَرَجَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ فِي زِينَتِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا يَا لَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ قَارُونُ إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ٧٩ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ٨٠﴾

“Verily, Qārūn was from Musas people, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. And We gave him of the treasures, that of which the keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. When his people said to him: ‘Do not rejoice (i.e. boast or praise yourself or become arrogant or vain). Verily, Allāh does not like those who rejoice. But seek, with that (wealth) which Allāh has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of legal enjoyment in this world, and do good as Allāh has been good to you, and seek not corruption in the land. Verily, Allāh does not like those who corrupt.’ He said: ‘This has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess.’ Did he not know that Allāh 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 criminals will not be questioned of their sins. So he went out in front of his people in all of his adornments. Those who desired the life of the dunyā, said: ‘If only we had the same as what Qārūn has been given. Verily! He is the owner of a great fortune.’ But those who had been given (religious) knowledge said: ‘Woe to you! The Reward of Allāh (in the Hereafter) is better for those who believe and do righteous good deeds.’ And no-one will attain this (i.e. these words and this understanding) except those who are patient.’” (Al-Qasas 28:76-80)

About Qārūn it was narrated in the tafsīr of Ibn Abī Hātim:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ مَالِكٍ السُّوسِيُّ السَّامِرِيُّ، ثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الْخَفَّافُ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ قَارُونَ ابْنَ عَمِّ مُوسَى أَخِي أَبِيهِ وَكَانَ قَطَعَ الْبَحْرَ مَعَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَكَانَ يُسَمَّى الْمُنَوَّرَ مِنْ حُسْنِ صَوْتِهِ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ، وَلَكِنَّ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ نَافَقَ كَمَا نَافَقَ السَّامِرِيُّ فَأَهْلَكَهُ اللَّهُ لِبَغْيِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا بَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ لِكَثْرَةِ مَالِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ

Ahmad ibn Yahyā ibn Mālik As-Sūsī As-Sāmirī narrated to us (and said): ‘Abdul-Wahhāb Al-Khaffāf narrated to us, from Sa’īd, from Qatādah who said: “And Qārūn was the son of the uncle of Mūsā – the brother of his father – and he had passed the sea (when it was opened) with Banū Isrāīl. And he was called Al-Munawwar (the enlightened one) due to his beautiful voice (when reciting) the Tawrāh. But he was an enemy of Allāh. He was a hypocrite (i.e. showing īmān outside and hiding kufr inside), just like As-Sāmirī (who introduced the calf to Banū Isrāīl) was a hypocrite. So Allāh destroyed him due to his arrogance (and transgression).