Lust is perhaps the evilest of all evils which can even mislead the most pious. Lust of ten creeps into a man and slowly and gradually builds up its place to turn into a giant which is hard to defeat and run away from. Lust is many faces: lust for money, power, position, domination and vengeance and needs no bounds to develop. People who develop lust becomes so obsessed with it that they do not mind going to any extent to amass wealth and means of power and position.
Talking of lust, one name crops into the mind: Korah, known in Arabic as Qaroon. A man who was obsessed with amassing money and going to any extent to get it. But the same wealth brought him to his doom and he became part of the history as an example for others, though not many heed to his gory tale of rise and abrupt fall.
In Al Qur'an, Qaroon (often known in English as Korah) is presented as the ultimate symbol of arrogance, materialism, and the misuse of wealth. He belonged to the Children of Israel and was a contemporary of Prophet Musa (Moses). The concept stems from the story of Qaroon (Korah) in the Quran (Surat Al-Qasas). He was a man of great wealth who attributed his success entirely to his own knowledge, became dangerously arrogant, and refused to help the needy. Instead of donating helping others, he began to show off, and the worldly minded wished they had been in his place. Then God's torment was descended and he commanded the earth to devour Qarun and his house.. His story is primarily detailed in Surah Al-Qasas (28:76-82), with brief mentions in Surah Al-Ankabut (29:39) and Surah Ghafir (40:24).
The example of Korah / Qaroon is often cited for people to be humble and thankful to our Creator for none other than He can bless us with wealth and character to sustain what we have been blessed with and not to become arrogant and proud for Allah does not like the proud and the arrogant. That is why it is said to "Fight the Qaroon inside" which means conquering the spiritual traps of arrogance, greed, and misplaced pride that wealth or success can easily create. It is about defeating the internal urge to show off, attribute your achievements solely to your own brilliance, and look down on others. The story of Qaroon in Al Qur'an, thus, is not merely about a wealthy man; it is about how wealth, success, and self-importance can corrupt a person's character.
There are no laid down means to fight the evil of Korah within for our conscious and subconscious always prick us when we tend to go astray and try to follow the footsteps of Korah. However, we pen down some actions to Fighting this "Qaroon" within, appended below:
- Practice Radical Gratitude: If we are a true believer, we must have faith that every good and bad is Divinely for a purpose - sometimes as a test or sometimes to teach us a lesson. Therefore we need to continuously remind ourselves that our success and resources come as a blessing, not just from our own intelligence or hard work, but as Divine blessing. That means whenever we feel even a tinge of arrogance within, we must counter it by praising the true source of our success.
- Replace pride with Humility: Lust of anything results into false pride and robs man of humility. Resist the urge to constantly display your wealth or status to make others feel inadequate. Focus on giving back to your community rather than using your status for personal glory.
- Keep Your Intentions Grounded: Always use your resources to benefit others. Do not hoard or boast, as true success is measured by character, humility, and generosity rather than material accumulation.
To "harness the Korah within" rather than be controlled by it:
- Recognize your gifts as blessings, not solely personal achievements.
- Practice gratitude when you succeed.
- Use wealth, talent, and influence to benefit others.
- Stay open to advice and criticism.
- Regularly examine your intentions: "Am I seeking service or status?"
- Remember that worldly success is temporary, while character endures.
Why should Muslims reflect on his story?
Qaroon's story warns against several dangers:
- Pride disguised as achievement.
- Believing success proves personal superiority.
- Measuring people by wealth rather than character.
- Forgetting the source of blessings.
- Ignoring moral responsibilities while pursuing worldly gain.
It also teaches that wealth itself is neutral. In the same Qur'an, figures such as Prophet Sulaymān (Solomon, peace be upon him) possessed enormous wealth and power but remained grateful to Allah. The issue is not possession of wealth but being possessed by it. Thus, the way to master the "Korah within" is to transform ambition into stewardship, success into gratitude, and power into service.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are that of the concerned scholar . We have shared these view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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