Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ The Stories: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī The Source Commentary

Surah Overview

DetailInformationClassificationSignificance

SurahالقصصMakkī 88 versesMost detailed Mūsā narrative in the Quran from birth through Pharaoh's defeat

Key DisagreementWhat was Qārūn's sin arrogance or kufr?Moral taxonomyAl-Ṭabarī: both his arrogance was rooted in denying divine gift in favor of self-credit

Competing OpinionsHow many key-bearers carried Qārūn's keys?Isrāʾīliyyāt detailAl-Ṭabarī: "a band of strong men" exact number not specified in Islamic chains; Isrāʾīliyyāt say 70

MethodologyConnecting Makkī/Madanī contexts through one narrativeContextual integrationAl-Ṭabarī notes how the Mūsā story directly addressed the Quraysh's rejection of Muḥammad

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

Al-Ṭabarī traces the Mūsā birth narrative (28:7–13) through chains: Mūsā's mother receives divine inspiration (awḥā) to put him in the river, with the promise of return. He notes that this awḥā is ilhām (inspired instinct), not prophetic revelation, and presents Companion narrations showing how the women of the household recognized Mūsā when he was returned, fulfilling "We restored him to his mother, that her eyes might be comforted."

Qārūn's (Korah's) story (28:76–82) is analyzed through the question of his sin's nature. Al-Ṭabarī presents: (1) his arrogance in displaying wealth; (2) his statement "I was given this by knowledge I have" (attributing wealth to personal skill rather than divine gift); (3) his oppression of the poor. Al-Ṭabarī concludes: the sin is theological claiming credit for what belongs to Allah not merely behavioral display. This is why the earth swallowing him is a proportional divine response: he thought himself rooted in this world through wealth; the earth claimed him back.

إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ Inna Qārūna kāna min qawmi Mūsā fa-baghā ʿalayhim wa-ātaynāhu min al-kunūzi mā inna mafātiḥahu la-tanūʾu bil-ʿuṣbah "Indeed Qārūn was from the people of Mūsā, and he oppressed them; and We gave him such treasures that their keys would burden a band of strong men" (28:76) Al-Ṭabarī: the weight of keys indicates impossible wealth; the exact number is not in Islamic chains Isrāʾīliyyāt add 70 men but he marks this as unverified.

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِي Qāla innamā ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿilmin ʿindī "He said: I was given this only because of knowledge I have" (28:78) Al-Ṭabarī: this is Qārūn's theological sin claiming divine gifts as personal achievement; the same sin as Iblīs who credited himself rather than Allah. The earth's claim of him is proportional divine justice.

Qārūn's theological sin: Self-attribution of divine gifts the same root as Iblīs's pride is established by al-Ṭabarī as the core sin, not merely the arrogant display.
Earth swallowing: Al-Ṭabarī traces narrations on the physical mechanism the earth swallowed him and his home, "sinking gradually" according to some chains.
Mūsā birth ilhām: The waḥy to Mūsā's mother is clarified as divinely inspired instinct not prophetic revelation establishing the category of divine guidance to non-prophets.
Makkah consolation: 28:85 "He who obligated upon you the Quran will return you to a place of return" is traced through chains as a consolation to the Prophet ﷺ upon leaving Makkah.
Ahl al-Kitāb recognition: Those from the People of the Book who recognize the truth in 28:52–55 are treated by al-Ṭabarī as early Muslim converts among Jewish and Christian scholars.

Surah Overview

Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī

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