Harut and Marut
Encyclopedia
Harut and Marut are two angel
s mentioned in the second Surah
of the Qur'an
, who were sent down to test the people at Babel
or Babylon
by performing deeds of magic. (Sura
Al-Baqara
, verse 102). The Qur'an indicates that although they warned the Babylonians not to imitate them or do as they were doing, some members of their audience failed to obey and became sorcerers, thus damning their own souls.
, or verse, and forms part of a narrative concerning the people who followed sorcery.
, called Tafsir
. Numerous tales have been transmitted about these verses, yet all center around the same basic story:
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
, noted translator of the Qur'an into English, asserts that the source of this story may be the Jewish Midrash
:
sect, the interpretation of this passage indicates that Harut and Marut did not teach sorcery to anyone in Babylon. Rather, say adherents of this sect, this verse refers to the formation of certain evil Secret societies there, similar to the modern Freemasons
.
However, a different edition of the Qur'an published by this same sect insists that not only did Harut and Marut never teach sorcery: they were never angels at all. Rather, they were pious men who organized certain Jews into a secret organization dedicated to the downfall of their enemies. According to their interpretation, these two assisted Cyrus the Great
in his conquest of Babylon, and Cyrus rewarded them by allowing the Jews to return to their homeland as related in the Old Testament
books of II Chronicles (36:22-23) and Ezra. The references to teaching in this Surah, say these interpreters, must be construed as forming part of the initiation ceremonies for this secretive organization, not to any kind of occultism.
and scholar David Samuel Margoliouth
asserted that Harut and Marut were none other than Jannes and Jambres
, the two magicians mentioned in II Timothy 3:8 as being the Egyptian magicians who withstood the Prophet Moses
in the court of Pharaoh
in Exodus 7:8-12.
Islamic view of angels
Angels are mentioned many times in the Qur'an and Hadith. Islam is clear on the nature of angels in that they are messengers of God. They have no free will, and can do only what God orders them to do...
s mentioned in the second Surah
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, who were sent down to test the people at Babel
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
or Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
by performing deeds of magic. (Sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
Al-Baqara
Al-Baqara
Sura al-Baqarah is the second and longest chapter of the Qur'an. It is a Medinan sura and comprises 286 verses, including the single longest verse in the Qur'an...
, verse 102). The Qur'an indicates that although they warned the Babylonians not to imitate them or do as they were doing, some members of their audience failed to obey and became sorcerers, thus damning their own souls.
In the Qur'an
The story of Harut and Marut is told in the second Surah (chapter), of the Qur'an, entitled "Al-Baqara" or "the Heifer" (sometimes called "the Calf"). It appears in the 102nd AyahAyah
Ayah or Aayah is the Arabic word for sign or proof:"These are the Ayat of Allah, which We recite to you with truth...
, or verse, and forms part of a narrative concerning the people who followed sorcery.
{They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the
magic) in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not
disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic
and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut
and Marut but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such
things) till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by
learning this magic from us). "And from these (angels) people learn
that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but
they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's Leave. And they
learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they
knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the
Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their own
selves, if they but knew. And if they had believed and guarded
themselves from evil and kept their duty to Allah, far better would have
been the reward from their Lord, if they but knew!}. (Al-Baqarah, 102,
103)
Muslim interpretations
The 14th century scholar Ibn Kathir interpretated the story of Harut and Marut and goes into depth about what exactly the angels had taught to the people of magic in his book, Stories of the Qur'an:
Narrated Al-`Ufi in his interpretation on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (May
Allah be pleased with him) pertaining to Allah's Statement {They followed
what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the
lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not disbelieve, but the
Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that
came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut but neither
of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said,
"We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from
us).”...} When Sulaiman lost his kingdom, great numbers from among mankind
and the jinn renegaded and followed their lusts. But, when Allah restored to
Sulaiman his kingdom and the renegade came to follow the Straight Path once
again, Sulaiman seized their holy scriptures which he buried underneath his
throne. Shortly after, Sulaiman (Peace be upon him) died. In no time, the men
and the Jinn uncovered the buried scriptures and said: This was a book revealed
by Allah to Sulaiman who hid it from us. They took it as their religion and Allah
the Almighty revealed His Saying: {And when there came to them a
Messenger from Allah confirming what was with them, a party of those
who were given the Scripture threw away the Book of Allah behind
their backs as if they did not know!}. (Al-Baqarah, 101) and they followed
what the devils gave out, i.e. musical instruments, play and all that blocks the
remembrance of Allah.www.islambasics.com/index.php?act=download&BID=80
Legends about Harut and Marut
According to Muslim scholar Ansar Al-'Adl, many interpretations of the verse originate from alleged Judeo-Christian sources that came to be recorded in some works of Quranic exegesisExegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
, called Tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
. Numerous tales have been transmitted about these verses, yet all center around the same basic story:
- The angels [who, in Islamic theology, do not possess free will and cannot sin] had become astonished at the acts of disobedience committed by the human beings on earth. They began to curse the humans, and could not understand how they could be so sinful. Allah informed the angels that they would have also sinned if they were in the position of human beings. So the angels elected Harut and Marut from amongst themselves and God gave them human attributes and sent them to earth after commanding them to avoid wine, idolatry, fornication and murder. Harut and Marut eventually succumbed to their human lusts and fell into all of these sins. Consequently, God punished them for their transgressions.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Hafiz Abdullah Yusuf Ali, CBE, FRSL was an Indian Islamic scholar who translated the Qur'an into English. His translation of the Qur'an is one of the most widely-known and used in the English-speaking world....
, noted translator of the Qur'an into English, asserts that the source of this story may be the Jewish Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
:
Among the Jewish traditions in the Midrash was a story of two angels who asked Allah's permission to come down to earth but succumbed to temptation, and were hung up by their feet at Babylon for punishemnt. Such stories about sinning angels who were cast down to punishment were believed in by the early Christians, also (see II Peter 2:4, and Epistle of JudeEpistle of JudeThe Epistle of Jude, often shortened to Jude, is the penultimate book of the New Testament and is attributed to Jude, the brother of James the Just. - Composition :...
, verse 6).
Ahmadiyya viewpoint
In one edition of the Qur'an published by a leading member of the AhmadiyyaAhmadiyya
Ahmadiyya is an Islamic religious revivalist movement founded in India near the end of the 19th century, originating with the life and teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies about the world reformer of the end times, who was to herald the Eschaton as...
sect, the interpretation of this passage indicates that Harut and Marut did not teach sorcery to anyone in Babylon. Rather, say adherents of this sect, this verse refers to the formation of certain evil Secret societies there, similar to the modern Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
.
However, a different edition of the Qur'an published by this same sect insists that not only did Harut and Marut never teach sorcery: they were never angels at all. Rather, they were pious men who organized certain Jews into a secret organization dedicated to the downfall of their enemies. According to their interpretation, these two assisted Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia , commonly known as Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much...
in his conquest of Babylon, and Cyrus rewarded them by allowing the Jews to return to their homeland as related in the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
books of II Chronicles (36:22-23) and Ezra. The references to teaching in this Surah, say these interpreters, must be construed as forming part of the initiation ceremonies for this secretive organization, not to any kind of occultism.
European interpretations
English OrientalistOriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
and scholar David Samuel Margoliouth
David Samuel Margoliouth
David Samuel Margoliouth was an orientalist. He was briefly active as a priest in the Church of England...
asserted that Harut and Marut were none other than Jannes and Jambres
Iannes
Jannes and Jambres, or sometimes Johanai and Mamre, or Iannes and Mambres, or Janis and Jamberes, are names traditionally given to the magicians who contended with Moses and Aaron and were discomfited by the Hebrew leaders in the Hebrew Bible Book of Exodus.-Hebrew Bible:According to Exodus 7:10-12...
, the two magicians mentioned in II Timothy 3:8 as being the Egyptian magicians who withstood the Prophet Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
in the court of Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
in Exodus 7:8-12.