RECORD OF THE REMOVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL FROM THE DESERT OF SIN TO FÂRÂN. EXPLANATION OF THE STORY OF QÂRÛN, HIS TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT, AND OTHER EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED AT THAT TIME.

It is related in the histories of the Jews, that the Lord Most High had ordained them to keep the feast of the Passover on Wednesday the 4th of the month Nisân, which was the second year of the exodus of the children of Esrâil. In the beginning of the month Adâr, the command to take the census of the males able to bear arms was issued for the second time, and to register their names in books. The Lord Mûsa acted according to these instruc­tions, and found the number of warriors who had passed the twentieth, but had not yet reached the fiftieth year, to amount to six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. After he had completed this enumeration, the cloud which cast its shadow over the hosts of Esrâil was observed to move from the desert of Sin towards that of Fârân, and as all the movements and stoppages of the children of Esrâil were regulated by the cloud, they pre­pared and put themselves in motion, but as the cloud became stationary in the desert of Fârân, the Jews likewise halted. The Jews imagine that the prophet Shoa’ib—u. w. b., etc.—arrived on that occasion from Madian to pay a visit to the Lord Mûsa in the desert of Fârân, and that they were rejoiced at meeting each other. It is said that Mûsa displayed much hospitality, whereof Harûn likewise partook with the grandees of the children of Esrâil, but he himself abstained, which circumstance greatly distressed Shoa’ib. Mûsa, however, made his appearance after the completion of the banquet, spread out the carpet of excuses, and said: ‘The affairs and necessities of the people have hindered me from coming, and as all the business concern­ing the nation devolves upon myself alone, I feel harassed.’ Shoa’ib accepted his excuses, and advised Mûsa to entrust the government of each tribe to a man distinguished by experience, discernment and foresight,* to give to each of them full power in all matters, but to retain the affairs of the army and of wars in his own hands. Mûsa accordingly selected twelve individuals, with the approbation of Shoa’ib, investing them with magisterial and gubernatorial dignity over each tribe. The names of those chiefs are mentioned in the [book entitled] ‘A’râis.’

One of the important events which took place about this time was the disappearance of the cloud, that happened in the following manner: When the children of Esrâil stayed in the desert of Fârân, Mariam and Harûn were, in the absence of Mûsa, conversing with each other, asserting their dignity to be equal to his; they also imputed to him something of which his essence was innocent. Therefore a voice was heard the next morning from that cloud as follows: ‘O children of Esrâil, although you have been the subjects of My grace and pardon, nevertheless, Mûsa alone has reached the dignity of becoming My chosen servant. How can you, therefore, compare yourselves to him, since that which has been granted to him has not been vouch­safed to any other prophet, and all revelations have been addressed to the other prophets by the intervention of angels, through inspirations or visions: he, however, has attained personal conversation [with Me]. Why do you, therefore, not take care of yourselves? and why do you transgress your bounds?’ At that very moment the cloud disappeared from above their heads, and when the allocu­tion had ceased the heat of the atmosphere became very intense. Harûn then repented, craved pardon, and, going to Mûsa, apologized, interceded for his sister Mariam that her sin be forgiven, and that the distemper of leprosy, which had broken out on her body for slandering Mûsa, might be removed by the prayer of the latter. Mûsa accepted the excuse and pardoned his brother; he also turned his face towards the Qiblah of petition for the sake of Mariam’s leprosy. Then the allocution arrived that Mariam would be cured after the expiration of seven days, which actually happened; on the appointed day she recovered her health,* and the children of Esrâil became firmly convinced of the high dignity of Mûsa.

Another great event was the punishment of Qârûn [Korah], who was in the Hebrew language named Qârûj. According to one tradition he was the son of Mûsa’s uncle, according to another, his uncle, and according to a third, the son of his sister. Making, however, allowance for the variety of traditions, it is said that after Mûsa and Harûn, the most wise, intelligent and virtuous among the children of Esrâil was Qârûn. His countenance was so beauteous that it had been surnamed ‘lit up,’ and he was constantly engaged in reading the Mosaic Law. The Lord Mûsa was very anxious to give him a good education before instruct­ing him in strange knowledge and wonderful sciences, one of which was alchemy, that was unknown to anyone before the time of Mûsa. Qârûn learnt this science from him and cultivated it with ardour, so that in course of time he amassed riches to such an extent that forty mules were required for the purpose of carrying the keys of his treasure-boxes. Mûsa exhorted him often to bestow alms upon the poor, and told him to disburse one dinàr in a thousand for this purpose. Qârûn, however, felt grieved at this proposal, began to quarrel with Mûsa, and refused to obey his injunctions: he ceased to follow him, and associated with the nefarious and the rebellious. He erected a lofty palace, the walls of which he laid in with sheets of pure gold; he constructed portals of gold, erected a throne encrusted with precious stones, and took the utmost pains to embellish it. Whenever he rode out he was followed by a retinue of one thousand men of the children of Esrâil who were his relatives and adherents. He had three hundred luna-faced maidens, who exhaled ambergris, were dressed in costly garments decorated with jewels, and diadems inlaid with gems, to attend at his stirrups. When he returned home, tables with food were produced and banquets prepared, in which he regaled the children of Esrâil, joked and laughed with them. The people who shared in his entertainments said: ‘Oh that we had the like [wealth] as hath been given unto Qârûn! Verily he is a master of great fortune.’* It is related that before Mûsa had invited him to give alms he had once paid him a visit, and said: ‘O Mûsa, thou art an inspired messenger; thy brother is a governor and magistrate, and I enjoy none of these dignities; as I am, however, far more opulent in worldly goods than yourselves, I can no longer bear this humility and mean condition. If, therefore, you do not appoint me to some important office, I shall begin discord, and shall forcibly take away from Harûn the governorship of the holy house, and the ark of the testi­mony.’ Mûsa replied: ‘O Qârûn, be civil, know thy own station, be grateful for what Allah has vouchsafed thee, seek not to obtain a higher dignity than that which thou possessest, and do not distress thy mind by endeavouring to obtain everything, for the blessing to be a prophet is a gift of God, and so is the guardianship over the ark of the testimony, to which Harûn was appointed not by me but by God, and whoever shall attempt to injure Harûn or his children will undoubtedly be overtaken by a speedy chas­tisement and deadly punishment.’ These words rankled in Qârûn’s bosom, and when Mûsa invited him to bestow alms, he manifested enmity, turned to the ignorant among the children of Esrâil, and addressed them in the following strain: ‘As you are obeying Mûsa in all things, and he is your commander, [I inform you that] it is now his intention to deprive you of your possessions, on the pretext of dis­bursing them as alms; by this proceeding he will impoverish you, and enrich himself alone. Why have you become silent, and do not answer him?’ The people answered: ‘At present thou art the chief individual of the nation; tell him what seemeth good unto thee in this matter, and arrange it with Mûsa as thou art best able, because we, with all our followers, shall obey thy command­ments.’ Qârûn then consulted with his intimate friends about the resistance to be offered to Mûsa. At last he brought a notoriously lascivious and adulterous woman to his house, gave her a plate full of gold and precious stones, made her promises [of more], and induced her to appear in the assembly of the children of Esrâil, when they were all congregated listening to the exhortations of Mûsa, and to accuse the latter of having committed adultery with her, so that by her efforts the children of Esrâil might impute to him the crime of lasciviousness, and might condemn him according to the requirements of the Mosaic Law. It is said that the Lord Mûsa preached to the people once every week. When the time agreed upon for the accusa­tion had arrived, and the people assembled, Qârûn entered the congregation with the utmost pomp and circumstance, took his seat opposite to Mûsa and began to scoff at him. The said impudent woman also made her appearance in the assembly, and took up her position in a corner. When the waves of the sea of the mysteries of Mûsa’s luminous mind began to get stormy, and his hearers had become excited, she arose with the intention of uttering the preconcerted falsehood to soil the skirts of Mûsa’s prophetic dignity with the mire of slander; God, however—whose name be exalted and hallowed—changed her mind, so that she exclaimed: ‘O children of Esrâil, know ye that Qârûn, the foe of Mûsa, yesterday took me to his house, and gave to me a plate full of gold and precious stones, telling me to devise a lie against Mûsa, and publicly to bear witness in this assembly of his having committed adultery with me; he also promised to rescue me from the hands of the children of Esrâil, and to bring about the lapidation of Mûsa. Now I testify that Mûsa is the prophet of God, and that whatever he does or commands is according to divine inspiration. His religion is true. I repent of every sin I have committed, and bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Mûsa is the speaker with Allah.’

The children of Esrâil, who had listened to all this [declaration], now lengthened the tongue of reprobation towards Qârûn. Mûsa, being displeased with the stratagem of Qârûn, became angry, immediately descended from the pulpit, prostrated himself upon the ground, and said: ‘My God, Thine enemy harboured the intention of injuring me, and intended to put me to shame. If I am a prophet, vouchsafe to manifest Thy displeasure towards him, and Thy favour towards me in the sight of the people!’ On that occasion Jebrâil descended, and said: ‘Lift up thy head, because the Divine Majesty has responded to thy prayer, and has subjected the earth to thine orders, and it will do as thou listest.’ The Lord Mûsa was pleased with this information, and said to the children of Esrâil: ‘The Most High did empower me to overcome Fara’ûn and Qârûn likewise. Therefore let every one remain who adheres to him, and let every one depart who adheres to me.’ The people of Esrâil, having been warned by these words of Mûsa, abandoned Qârûn, two men only excepted, who had been his associates at all times and in all matters. Then Mûsa addressed the earth, saying: ‘O earth, take him!’ Hereupon Qârûn sank into the ground as far as his ankles; he nevertheless laughed, and said: ‘O Mûsa, what sorcery is this which thou art again performing?’ Mûsa repeated the exclamation: ‘O earth, take him!’ Then he sank into it as far as his knees, and now became frightened, but all his supplications were of no avail. It is related that Mûsa had thus ordered the earth as many as seventy times to swallow Qârûn, who begged to be respited, but in vain.* When the earth had devoured Qârûn, and Mûsa was engaged in thanksgivings, the following allocution of God reached him: ‘O Mûsa, how many times did Qârûn supplicate thee and was disappointed?’ Mûsa replied: ‘I expected he would invoke Thee!’ Then the revelation came: ‘If he had even once fled for refuge to Me, I would not have subjected him to thy power. Hereafter, I shall not cause the earth to obey anyone until the day of the resurrection.’

After Qârûn had sunk into the earth, the envious and the wicked among the children of Esrâil said: ‘Mûsa coveted the goods and possessions of Qârûn; therefore he showed him no mercy.’ When Mûsa heard of these imputations, he prayed that God—w. n. b. e.—would com­mand the earth to swallow the palace, the furniture, ward­robe, cattle, vessels, with every kind of goods and chattels belonging to Qârûn; wherefore [not only these but even] the property and capitals entrusted by him to merchants in various parts of the world, likewise disappeared in some way or other, and were lost. The learned inform us, that on the said occasion fourteen thousand and seven hundred individuals of the chiefs and prominent persons among the children of Esrâil perished. God—w. n. b. e.—has said: ‘We caused the ground to cleave asunder and to swallow up him and his palace, and he had no forces to defend him besides Allah; neither was he rescued [from punish­ment].’*

Verses:

Who has no rivers of gold to flow from him May aspire to the felicity of content; See what worldly treasures Qârûn had— Treasure cannot remove the troubles of this world.