opinions—sometimes numbering more than four. Why was that? Because whenever a fresh proof became clear to him he immediately adopted it. Such is the duty of every equitable person: he must follow the evidence wherever it leads.

The author—may Allah have mercy on him—then cited several verses relevant to this subject, all of which, in Allah’s kindness, denounce arrogance. The last of them are the verses concerning Qarun.

Qarun was a man from the Children of Israel, one of Moses’ own people. Allah endowed him with immense wealth—so great that the very keys to his treasuries were a burden to a group of strong men.

“When his people said to him, ‘Do not exult, for Allah does not love those who exult’” (Qur’an 28:76), he acted insolently—Allah’s refuge is sought—and grew haughty. When reminded of Allah’s signs he rejected them, boasting: “I have only been given it because of knowledge I possess” (28:78). In doing so he denied Allah’s favor, claiming, “I earned it with my own hands; the expertise I have is what brought me this wealth.”

The outcome was that Allah caused the earth to swallow him and his house, and he and all his possessions disappeared: “He had no host to help him against Allah, nor was he able to defend himself” and “Those who had longed for his position the day before began to say, ‘Ah! Allah enlarges provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts it. Had Allah not been gracious to us, He would have caused the earth to swallow us too’” (28:81–82).

Reflect, then, on the consequence of arrogance—may Allah protect us—and of vanity and self-admiration, and how such traits end in ruin and destruction.

The author also quoted other verses, among them: “That abode of the Hereafter We shall assign to those who seek neither exaltation on earth nor corruption; and the good end belongs to the God-fearing” (28:83).