Boreal

Shared Prophets

Moses II

Moses vs. Karoon a.k.a. Korah

In the Bible (Numbers 16, I-35), Korah is a leader of the Israelites challenging the leadership of Moses and Aaron and who, with his household and followers, is swallowed up by the earth for his act of defiance.

Numbers 16:33 “They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.”

In the Koran, the defiant Korah becomes the wealthy and ostentatious Karoon. The real story of Korah, a.k.a. Karoon, as was revealed by God to Muhammad, as well as the lesson to be learned:

28:76 Now Karoon belonged to the clan of Moses, then he lorded it over them. We have given him treasures, the keys of which would weigh down the mighty band. When his people said to him: “Do not exult; Allah does not like the exultant;

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In another remembrance of mass murders, Karoon is an Egyptian official.

29:38 And [remember] ‘Ad and Thamud. It has become clear to you from their dwellings [what their fate was]. Satan embellished for them their deeds, barring them from the Path, while they were clear-sighted.

29:39 And [remember] Karoon, Pharaoh and Haman. Moses came to them with the clear proofs, but they waxed proud in the land and they did not outstrip Us.

29:40 Each, We seized for his sin. Upon some We loosed a squall of pebbles, some were overwhelmed with the Cry, some we caused the ground to cave in under and some we drowned. Allah did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves.

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28:77 “But seek, thanks to what Allah gave you, the Hereafter, and do not forget your portion of the herebelow. Be charitable, as Allah has been charitable to you, and do not seek corruption in the land; for Allah does not like the seekers of corruption.”

28:78 He said: “What I have been given is due to knowledge I possess.” Did he not know that Allah has destroyed, before him, generations of men stronger than he and richer? However, the criminals shall not be questioned regarding their sins.

28:79 And so he went out unto his people in his finery. Those who desire the present life said: “Would that we possessed the like of what Karoon has been given. He is indeed a very fortunate man.”

28:80 But those possessed of knowledge said: “Woe betide you; the Reward of Allah is better for him who believes and acts righteously, and that is not accorded except to the steadfast.”

28:81 Then, We caused the earth to cave in on him and his household; and so he had no company to support him against Allah; and he was not one of the winners.

28:82 And those who had wished they were in his place yesterday were saying: “No wonder that Allah increases the provision to whomever He wishes of His servants and restricts it. Had Allah not been Gracious to us, He would have caused the earth to cave in on us. No wonder that the unbelievers will never prosper.”

28:83 That is the Last Abode; We assign it to those who do not desire exaltation on earth or corruption; and the happy outcome belongs to the God-Fearing.

28:84 Whoever comes up with a good deed will receive a reward better than it, but whoever comes up with an evil [should know] that the evildoers will not be rewarded except for what they have done.

In the Old Testament, Korah, his household, and his followers are killed for challenging Moses and his brother’s authority; in the Koran, Karoon and his household are suffocated under tons of sand because he flaunted his wealth. Wealth, who has it, and what they do with it is a preoccupation, almost an obsession of Allah’s. Just being rich is reason enough for God to cause your complete destruction, as He explains in the following revelations sent prior to Karoon becoming an example of what not to do with your wealth.

28:58 And how many a city We have destroyed that had grown prodigal in its living. There are its dwellings, left uninhabited after they were gone, except for a few. We became the inheritors.

Allah is not into trivial accusations; neither are Islamic critics of Western civilization, who would argue that a civilization that produces so much wealth is, by God’s definition, an evil civilization that must be destroyed. In the words of Hassan al Banna, the Egyptian founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, a fraternity that has spawned a global web of Islamist movements, parties and terrorist groups:

Doomed be the Western civilization which follows us at every step. It is constantly at war with us. It started an awful battle, and this battle it is fighting with such bewitching and enchanting objects as knowledge, wealth, civilization, plans and politics, luxury goods and articles of enjoyment and pleasure, with which we have not thus far been familiar.