He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount they had collected? But the criminals will not be questioned of their sins (78)
Allah informs us how Qarun responded to the exhortations of his people when they sought to guide him to what is good.
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي ۚ
(He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess.") meaning, 'I have no need of your advice; Allah has only given me this wealth because He knows that I deserve it and because He loves me.' In other words: 'He has given it to me because He knows that I am fit for this.' This is like the Ayat:
فَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنْسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَاهُ نِعْمَةً مِنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ ۚ
(When harm touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We have changed it into a favor from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge I obtained it.")(39:49) An alternative interpretation of this Ayah says that the meaning is: "Only because of what Allah knows about me did I obtain this favor." This is like His saying:
وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَرَّاءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَٰذَا لِي
(And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is from me.")(41:50) meaning, "I deserved it."
Imam 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam explained this Ayah very well. Concerning the phrase,
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي ۚ
(He said: ""This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess."") He said: ""Were it not for the fact that Allah is pleased with me and knows my virtue, He would not have given me this wealth."" And He said:
أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ
(Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount they had collected?) This is what those who have little knowledge say when they see a person whom Allah has granted a lot of wealth; they say that if he did not deserve it, Allah would not have given it to him.