God gives you some possessions and you should know how to manage them, and give some surplus to people in need. That’s the way to live. (Yes, Master. Yes.) That’s how you should enjoy your richness and manage the God-given possessions. Otherwise, you’ll be doomed. If you are rich and you don’t help others, the unfortunate, to some degree, you cannot take it with you, and you’ll probably go to hell with it, because you don’t do anything good. Just making karma, bad karma.
“His people said to him, ‘Do not exult; Allah does not love the exultant. But seek, with what Allah has given you, the Home of the Hereafter, and do not neglect your share of this world. And be charitable, as Allah has been charitable to you. And do not seek corruption in the land. Allah does not like the seekers of corruption.’” That’s probably Heaven that had told Qaroon all this, to remind them or his people, the good ones in the clan of Moses, those who are maybe wise, elderly, or counsels who have been following Moses and keep His teachings and live a virtuous and simple, moral, God-fearing life.
His people told him all this. But what did he answer? Listen, “He said, ‘I was given all this on account of the knowledge I possess.’” (Oh.) You can expect that already from a rich and famous person. (Yes, Master.) Many rich and famous persons are trapped in their grandeur and forget God, forget the decent and moral life. They will sin, and they will fall. That is the problem. So, this guy, Qaroon, is no exception. He was so proud. So he said, “I was given all this because of the knowledge that I have.” He thinks because he is learned. (Yes.) Learned, and can teach people from books and all that, so people respect him and pay him well, blah blah. That’s why he answered thus.
I continue reading now from the Qur’an: “Did he not know that Allah destroyed many generations before him, who were even stronger than he, and possessed greater riches? But the guilty will not be asked about their sins.” That’s what his people think. That he should remember that he is just not much, compared to many people in older generations. Many people were richer, more powerful, more famous, and more everything. (Yes, Master. Right.) And where are they nowadays? Gone. You see? (Yes. Right.) Buried under, I told you, one square meter of dirt. (Yes.) Even if they were buried, even if they still have one square meter of dirt to lie under.
So now, his people voiced their opinions like that, but he still was not repentant, still did not wake up. So, “he went out before his people in all his splendor.” He did not change in any way. So, “Those who desired the worldly life said to themselves, ‘If only we possessed the likes of what Qaroon was given. He is indeed very fortunate.’” A lot of people envied him, of course, and were thinking, “Oh! To have such a rich, fortune and privilege. So wonderful!”
“But those who were given knowledge said,” to these desirous people, they said, “‘Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for those who believe and do righteous deeds.’ Yet none attains it except the steadfast. So, We caused the earth to cave in on him and his mansion.” (Oh. Wow.) I guess it’s a big earthquake. “He had no company to save him from Allah, and he could not defend himself.” Not at that time. Man, not at that time. Whenever God wants you gone, you’re gone, by any means possible. (Yes, Master.)
“Those who had wished they were in his position the day before now were saying, ‘Indeed! Indeed, it is Allah who spreads the bounty to whomever He wills of His servants, and restricts it when He will. Had Allah not been gracious to us, He would have caved in on us as well. No wonder the ungrateful never prosper.’ That Home of the Hereafter,” meaning Heaven, “We assign it for those We,” Heaven is saying again, “We assign it for those who seek no superiority on Earth, nor corruption. And the outcome is for the cautious.” End of the story.
Now we go back to some phrases to explain, expound the story. (Yes, Master.) Even though I think the story is clear enough already. But it is written in like, old-time style, so maybe it’s not all that clear in some areas.
Now, something like, you see, I told you before, Qaroon, though he belonged to the clan of Moses, belonged to the clan of the Master even, but he didn’t believe in the Master’s teaching of righteousness and moral living. (Wow.) Even then, he turned around to oppress them. Probably he had too much power and influence and richness, so he did not treat his clan members well. (Yes, Master.) And maybe even oppressed them in some way, like maybe he didn’t help them but made their life even harder, or made them feel more inferior. Something like that.
So, oppression has many forms. (Right.) And any oppression is not a good way. Heaven had given him treasures; even the keys of them would weigh down a group of strong men. Not just one strong man, but a group of strong men! (Wow.)
But then, some wise people counseled him, told him, “Do not exult.” Meaning, do not be arrogant. (Right.) Allah does not love the arrogant. Of course not. (Yes, Master.) How would Allah love the people who are not righteous, who are not humble, who are not decent, and who are not moral? How? How can God love any of those people?
They advised him, “Do not rely on these temporary possessions, privileges and all that, but seek the Home of the Hereafter.” Seek Heaven. (Yes.) Seek the House of God. “And do not neglect your share of this world.” Meaning, he should share his fortune with the less fortunate. I think that’s what it’s supposed to be. (Yes, Master.) It’s not written very clearly, but that’s what I think. Meaning you should save some for yourself, but share what you don’t need, or the surplus, to others who need it.
Be charitable as Allah has been charitable to you, of course. God gives you a lot and you give out also. (Right.) That’s the way it is. Just like a water tank is filled to the brim. It’s not for the water tank to hoard it, is it? (No.) No. It is for the village to share. Right? (Yes. Yes, Master.) So, the water tank has to give. The water tank should not keep hoarding the water inside, otherwise, one day he will bust also. (Right. Yes.) Or anything could take the water away. So, it’s better he distributes it every day through water pipes for other people who need it. Because the water tank has already a lot of water inside, what for he needs more? (Yes.) And what for he keeps it? Because the more he gives, the more it will come back in. (Yes. That’s right.)
It’s like that with us also, similar. We do what we can with what’s given to us. Like, if we have talent, we work for Supreme Master Television to help the world, to educate them, to enlighten them to some degree, to give them some knowledge larger than life. Then they can maybe help themselves. Maybe they can wake up. And if we have some money then we share it with the less fortunate. That’s normal. (Yes, Master.) That’s what we’re doing anyway. I, myself, don’t consider any money’s mine, so whatever is needed, I will use it for those purposes. (Yes, Master.) For the poor people or for the poor in spiritual knowledge. Supreme Master Television is also like a charity. (Yes, Master.)
The people who are rich are not often rich in spiritual knowledge. So, they’re also considered poor, by me. They’re very poor. Poorer than the poor. Because if you’re poor in money or possessions, but your life is enriched by enlightenment, by knowledge of Heaven, by the happiness within, because you’re enlightened, and you have a Master to teach you, then you’re richer than any of the rich in the world. (Yes, Master.)
You can see Kabir; He was a weaver only. But how many people revered Him at that time and worshipped Him as a Master? And they still do nowadays. (Right. Yes.) Generations afterward. (Yes.) And Jesus, He was the son, physically speaking He was just the son of a carpenter. But how many people revered Him at that time, followed Him, ran after Him, sought His protection and blessing? And they still do nowadays, thousands of years after. (Right. Yes, Master.)
And the Buddha, even though He was a prince, He forsook everything to become just a begging monk, and people still revered Him and flocked to Him. Royalty, government officials and rich people, poor people, they all came to Him. And they still do nowadays, in front of His statues, seeking blessing, seeking knowledge, seeking enlightenment, and following His teachings to the letter. You see what I’m saying? (Yes. Yes, Master.)
So, richness materially doesn’t mean anything, truly, if you’re not enlightened. That doesn’t mean you can’t be rich. It doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy your success in a worldly business – but just enough to live on, just necessity. (Right.) There’s no need to hoard it too much for nothing, and keep it there in the bank, and doing nothing. (Yes, Master.) And worse of all, not rely on this temporary richness, ephemeral richness in order to boast, to be arrogant, to act above everyone else. Because you are nothing really. You’re born with nothing – later you go also with nothing. (That’s right. True.)
Meanwhile, God gives you some possessions and you should know how to manage them, and give some surplus to people in need. That’s the way to live. (Yes, Master. Yes.) That’s how you should enjoy your richness and manage the God-given possessions. Otherwise, you’ll be doomed. If you are rich and you don’t help others, the unfortunate, to some degree, you cannot take it with you, and you’ll probably go to hell with it, because you don’t do anything good. Just making karma, bad karma.
In hell, you cannot bribe. You cannot take your money there and give it to the devil there and say, “Hey, take some money and leave me alone.” You see what I’m saying? (Yes, Master.) Maybe in our world, in some cases, some people take bribes and maybe do something muddy, and let you off your crime or anything, but not in hell.
Now, you see, in Heaven, there are no problems, no disasters, no troubles at all. And no conquering and no political smearing campaigns, anything, because the mentality of people, of beings in Heaven, is different than ours. See, they don’t compete. They don’t care anymore at that time. They were Heavenly people. And that’s why Heaven doesn’t ever have disasters or pandemics. Have you ever heard of any Heaven that the Buddha talked about having any pandemics? (No.) No. Earthquake? (No, Master.) No. Because they’re in Heaven, they don’t have earth there. It’s not that. What I mean is no disasters, nothing strikes them, because there’s no such bad energy to attract such or to create such a mishap. (Yes, Master. Yes.) All right.
