hr2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتْلُواْ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ...

2: 102. They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon;

C103. This is a continuation of the argument in 2:101.

The People of the Book, instead of sticking to the plain Books of Revelations, and seeking to do the will of Allah ran after all sorts of occult knowledge, most of which was false and evil.

Many wonderful tales of occult power attributed the power of Solomon to magic. But Solomon dealt in not arts of evil. It was the powers of evil that pretended to force the laws of nature and the will of Allah; such a pretense is plainly blasphemy.

... وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَـكِنَّ الشَّيْاطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ...

the blasphemers were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men magic,

... وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ...

and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut.

C104. Harut and Marut lived in Babylon, a very ancient seat of science, especially the science of astronomy. The period may be supposed to anywhere about the time when the ancient Eastern Monarchies were strong and enlightened: probably even earlier, as Ma-ru-tu or Mandruk was a deified hero afterwards worshipped as a god of magic in Babylon.

Being good men, Harut and Marut of course dabbled in nothing evil, and their evil hands were certainly clean of fraud. But knowledge and the arts, if learned by evil men, can be applied to evil uses. The evil ones, besides their fraudulent magic, also learnt a little of this true science and applied it to evil uses.

Harut and Marut did not withhold knowledge, yet never taught anyone without plainly warning them of the trial and temptation of knowledge in the hands of evil men. Being men of insight, they also saw the blasphemy that might rise to the lips of the evil ones puffed up with science and warned them against it.

Knowledge is indeed a trial or temptation: if we are warned, we know its dangers: if Allah has endowed us with free will, we must be free to choose between the benefit and the danger.

Among the Jewish traditions in the Midrash (Jewish Tafsir) 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 punishment.

Such stories about sinning angels who were cast down to punishment were believed in by the early Christians also. (See the Second Epistle of Peter, 2:4, and the Epistle of Jude, verse 6). (R).

... وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ ...

But neither of these taught anyone (such things) without saying: "We are only for trial, so do not blaspheme."

... فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ...

They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife.

C105. What the evil ones learnt from Harut and Marut (see last note) they turned to evil. When mixed with fraud and deception, it appeared as charms and spells of love potions. They did nothing but cause discord between the sexes. But of course their power was limited to the extent to which Allah permitted the evil to work, for His grace protected all who sought His guidance and repented and returned to Him.

But apart from the harm that these false pretenders might do to others, the chief harm which they did was to their own souls. They sold themselves into slavery to the Evil One, as is shown in the allegory of Goethe's Faust.

That allegory dealt with the individual soul. Here the tragedy is shown to occur not only to individuals but to whole groups of people, for example, the People of the Book.

Indeed the story might be extended indefinitely.

... وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ...

But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission.

... وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ ...

And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them.

... وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاَقٍ ...

And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter.

... وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٢﴾

And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew!

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ واتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّه خَيْرٌ لَّوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾

2: 103. If they had kept their faith and guarded themselves from evil, far better had been the reward from their Lord, if they but knew!

Other Versions:

2: 102

Asad And follow [instead] that which the evil ones used to practice during Solomon’s reign – for it was not Solomon who denied the truth, but those evil ones denied it by teaching people sorcery -; and [they follow] that which has come down through the two angels in Babylon, Harut and Marut – although these two never taught it to anyone without first declaring, “We are but a temptation to evil: do not, then, deny [God’s] truth!” [note 83] And they learn from these two how create discord between a man and his wife; but whereas they can harm none thereby save by God’s leave, they acquire a knowledge that only harms themselves and does not benefit them – although they know, indeed, that he who acquire this [knowledge] shall have no share in the good of the life to come [note 84]. For vile indeed is that [art] for which they have sold their own selves –had they but know it!

Pickthall And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not; but the devils disbelieved, teaching mankind magic and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they (the two angels) teach it to anyone till they had said: We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not (in the guidance of Allah). And from these two (angels) people learn that by which they cause division between man and wife; but they injure thereby no one save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficketh therein will have no (happy) portion in the Hereafter; and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew.

Transliteration Wattaba'u_ ma_ tatlusy syaya_tinu 'ala_ mulki sulaima_n(a), wa ma_ kafara sulaima_nu wa la_kinnasy syaya_tina kafaru_ yu'allimu_nan na_sas sihra wa ma_ unzila 'alal malakaini bi ba_bila ha_ru_ta wa ma_ru_t(a), wa ma_ yu'allima_ni min ahadin hatta_ yaqu_la_ innama_ nahnu fitnatun fa la_ takfur, fa yata'allamu_na minhuma_ ma_ yufarriqu_na bihi bainal mar'i wa zaujih(i), wa ma_ hum bi da_rrina bihi min ahadin illa_ bi iznilla_h(i), wa yata'allamu_na ma_ yadurruhum wa la_ yanfa'uhum, wa laqad 'alimuu_ lamanisy tara_hu ma_ lahu_ fil a_khirati min khala_q(in), wa labi'sa ma_ syarau bihi anfusahum, lau ka_nu_ ya'lamun(a).

2: 103

Asad And had they but believed and been conscious of Him, reward from God would indeed have brought them good – had they but known it!

Pickthall And if they had believed and kept from evil, a recompense from Allah would be better, if they only knew.

Wa lau annahum a_manu_ wattaqau lamasu_batum min'indilla_hi khair(un), lau ka_nu_ ya'lamu_n(a).

[ Ruby’s Note to Magic and Sorcery:

The Quran alludes that there are dark forces in the creation, like Saytan, these are evil. As far as the effect of these forces depend on the choices of an individual. If one uses these evil forces or submits to these, he/she may or may not see effects. His/her choice would then subject him/her to the domain of these dark and evil forces, exactly the same way when one take shelter in wrong and get subjected to SAytan.

However, the Quran is clearly laying down that these dark forces and the playing of Saytan would not have any effect on a believer who takes shelter and rely ONLY in God alone. God would nullify the possible effects of these forces or temporary causes.

THESE TAKEN AS BEING the deliverer of results one desires WOULD VIOLATE THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT THAT God alone is the Cause, and therefore these attitudes would constitute as “shirk” or associating others with the power of God.

These forces or agents are outside the domain of natural agents and causes which God institutes in the positive nature of reality. One is allowed, in fact encouraged, to use medicine or similar manipulation of physical laws to achieve results, which is permitted. The given Human ability to tinker with natural phenomenon through knowledge, ability and reason are all permitted. Sorcery or magic which seem to defy or subvert these natural phenomena or laws are not. Furthermore, the Quran is clearly laying down that magic and agents of magic are all evil.

However, the Quran does not clearly say what these forces are and how, if they subvert a natural process or if they have any real effects versus illusory or short term effects. The angels or people Harut and Marut declared to the people to whom they were displaying the results of magic that these are mere temptations for people to get results, but real thing is to believe in God and to take Him as the Ultimate Deliverer of results. Therefore the word temptation implies that these would have illusory and short term effects than any real and long term effects.

The question remains why they were using magic at all? ]

[ Ali’s notes: 102 I think that by "the Book of God" here is meant, not the Qur-an, but the Book which the People of the Book had been given, viz., the previous Revelations. The argument is that Muhammad's Message was similar to Revelations which they had already received, and if they had looked into their own Books honestly and sincerely, they would have found proofs in them to show that the new Message was true and from God. But they ignored their own Books or twisted or distorted them according to their own fancies. Worse, they followed something which was actually false and mischievous and inspired by the evil one. Such was the belief in magic and sorcery. These are described in the next verse in terms referring to the beliefs and practices of the "People of the Book." (2.101)

103 This is a continuation of the argument in ii. 101. The People of the Book, instead of sticking to the plain Books of Revelations, and seeking to do the will of God ran after all sorts of occult knowledge, most of which was false and evil. Many wonderful tales of occult power attributed the power of Solomon to magic. But Solomon dealt in not arts of evil. It was the powers of evil that pretended to force the laws of nature and the will of God; such a pretense is plainly blasphemy. (2.102)

104 This verse has been interpreted variously. Who were Harut and Marut? What did they teach? Why did they teach it? The view which commends itself to me is that of the Tafsir Haqqani following Baidhawi and the Tafsir Kabir. The word "angels" as applied to Harut and Marut is figurative. It means "good men, of knowledge, science (or wisdom) and power." In modern language the word "angel" is applied to a good and beautiful woman. The earlier tradition made angels masculine, and applied to them the attributes which I have mentioned, along with the attribute of beauty, which was implied in goodness, knowledge, wisdom, and power. (2.102)

105 What the evil ones learnt from Harut and Marut (see last note) they turned to evil. When mixed with fraud and deception, it appeared as charms and spells of love potions. They did nothing but cause discord between the sexes. But of course their power was limited to the extent to which God permitted the evil to work, for His grace protected all who sought His guidance and repented and returned to Him. But apart from the harm that these false pretenders might do to others, the chief harm which they did was to their own souls. They sold themselves into slavery to the Evil One, as is shown in the allegory of Goethe's Faust. That allegory dealt with the individual soul. Here the tragedy is shown to occur not only to individuals but to whole groups of people, for example, the People of the Book. Indeed the story might be extended indefinitely. (2.102) ]

[Asad’s notes: 82 – The expression ash-shayatin, here rendered as “the evil ones”, apparently refers to human beings, as has been pointed out by Tabari, Razi, etc., but may also allude to the evil, immoral impulses within man’s heart………..The above parenthetic sentence constitutes the Quranic refutation of the Biblical statement that Solomon had been guilty of idolatrous practices (see I Kings xi, 1-10), as well as of the legend that he was the originator of the magic arts popular association with his name.

83 – This “declaration” circumscribes, metonymically, man’s moral duty to reject every attempt at “sorcery” inasmuch as – irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails – it aims at subverting the order of nature as instituted by God. As regards the designation of Harut and Marut, most of the readings of htge Quran give the spelling ‘malakayn’ (“the two angels”); but it is authentically recorded……………read it as ‘malikayn’ (“the two kings”). I myself incline to the latter reading; but since the other is more generally accepted, I have adopted it here…………and it is to this legend that the Quran refers with a view to condemning every attempt at magic and sorcery, as well as all preoccupation with occult science in general.

84- The above passage does not raise the question as to whether there is an objective truth in the occult phenomena loosely described as “magic”, or whether they are based on self deception. The intent here is no more and no less than to warn man that any attempt at influencing the course of events by means which – ………..have a “supernatural” connotation is a spiritual offence………]

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