Al-Qasas: (79) "So he went forth before his people..."

"So he went forth before his people" is a conjunction linked to "He said," while what is between them is a parenthetical statement. His saying, "in his finery," either relates to "he went forth" or is an omitted expression serving as a state (hal) of its subject; meaning: he went forth before them, being in his finery.

Qatadah said: It was mentioned to us that he went forth with his entourage on four thousand beasts wearing red garments, among them a thousand white mules, and upon their beasts were purple saddlecloths. Al-Suddi said: He went forth amidst white maidens upon golden saddles, on purple cloths; they were upon white mules wearing red garments and golden ornaments. It was also said: He went forth on a grey mule upon which was purple cloth and a golden saddle, accompanied by four thousand servants wearing red silk (diba') on themselves and their horses, with three hundred youths on his right and three hundred white maidens on his left wearing ornaments and silk.

Ibn Abi Hatim extracted from Zayd ibn Aslam that he went forth with seventy thousand, all wearing saffron-dyed garments (al-mu‘asfarat), and that was the first day upon the earth that saffron-dyed garments were seen. Other accounts regarding the specifics have been mentioned, and it is said that this procession took place on a Saturday.

"Those who desire the worldly life said, 'Oh, that we had like what was given to Qarun.'" It is said that they were a group of believers, and they said this following the course of human nature in desiring abundance and wealth. From Qatadah, it is reported that they wished for this in order to draw closer to Allah Almighty through it and spend it in the path of good. Perhaps their "desire for the worldly life" was a means to reach the Hereafter, not for the sake of the world itself, for desiring it for its own sake is not the affair of the believers.

It is also said: They were disbelievers and hypocrites, and their wishing for the like of what was given to him is from the category of ghibta (envy without wishing harm upon the other), and there is no harm in it according to the well-known view. It is said that its harm is less than the harm of hasad (malicious envy); for it was said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Does ghibta cause harm?" He replied, "No, except as al-khabt (beating trees for fodder) harms al-‘idah (thorny trees)." In al-Kashf, it is mentioned that this is a negation of harm in the most eloquent manner, for trees may benefit from being beaten, let alone be harmed. It is implied that it may lead to harm, depending on what the ghibta is directed toward—whether religious or worldly. If those who said this were the disbelievers, then it contains within it a condemnation of hasad.

"Indeed, he is possessed of great good fortune." Al-Dahhak said: That is, a great station. It is also said: a large share of the world. Al-hazz (good fortune) is luck and prosperity; one says a person is dhu hazz (possessor of luck), haziz, or mahzuz (lucky). This sentence serves as a justification for their wish and an emphasis upon it.