Harut and Marut () are a pair of angels mentioned in the Quran Surah 2:102, who teach the arts of sorcery (siḥr) in Babylon. According to Islamic mythology, when Harut and Marut complained about mankind's wickedness, they were sent to earth in order to compete against humankind in regards to obedience. After they committed various crimes, they found themselves unable to return to heaven. God offered them a choice between punishment on earth or in hell. They decided for punishment on earth, leading to their situation mentioned in the Quran.
The story of Harut of Marut is a legend developed in folklore, influenced by Jewish and other older stories about fallen angels. Classical commentators sometimes mention versions of it but also point out connecting chains are weak. Therefore, the given narrations are not clear or agreed-upon creed between Islamic scholars.
The story became subject of a theological dispute in Islam. Reports about the trial and subsequent punishment goes back to Muhammad and the earliest companions. Tottoli, R. (2017). Hārūt and Mārūt. In K. Fleet, G. Krämer, D. Matringe, J. Nawas and D. J. Stewart (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam Three Online. Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_30337 However, some later Muslim theologians argue that angels could not commit sins and thus reject the story of Harut and Marut. Depending on the reading of the Quran (Qira'at), Harut and Marut are depicted as "two kings" instead. These kings would have learned sorcery from the devils and then taught it to the rest of mankind. An alternative attempt to protect Harut and Marut from sin while also affirming their angelic status describes them as angels who taught licit forms of magic, while the devils taught illicit magic.
Some Muslim theologians relate the complaint of Harut and Marut to the angels disputing in Surah 2:30. Accordingly, when God declares to create Adam, the angels are puzzled by that decision and argue that they do better than humans. The event of their story would take place after this announcement. The majority of Muslim scholars however, set their fall after the creation of Adam.
Quran Readings In the Quran, Harut and Marut are mentioned briefly in Surah 2:102. There are different readings and interpretations of the verses. The Study Quran translates the verse as follows:
According to the reading attributed to Hasan al-Basri (642–728), Harut and Marut are "two kings" (), and not two angels (malakayn).Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 287-336.Al-Saïd Muhammad Badawi Arabic–English Dictionary of Qurʾanic Usage M. A. Abdel Haleem , p. 864Omar Hamdan Studien zur Kanonisierung des Korantextes: al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrīs Beiträge zur Geschichte des Korans Otto Harrassowitz Verlag 2006 pp. 291–292 (German)
Alternatively, a reading attributed to ibn Abbas reads the term mā (), as "not" instead of "what": "The devils believed not, they taught men sorcery and not what was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut."Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): p. 297
In his commentary, Tabari (839–923 CE) puts forth an argument that mā ("not") refers to the angels Gabriel and Michael, and not to Harut and Marut.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume 1 State University of New York Press, 30.06.1984 p. 130Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): p. 297 In line with Hasan al-Basri's reading, Harut and Marut are ordinary men, who learned sorcery from the devils.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): p. 297 This exegetical approach is similar to the reinterpretation of the Bənē hāʾĔlōhīm mentioned in the Book of Genesis; depicting them as ordinary humans (sons of Cain and Seth) instead of as angels.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): p. 298 However, most early commentators of the Quran regard Harut and Marut as angels.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume 1 State University of New York Press, 30.06.1984 p. 131
Another variance can be found in a reading attributed to ibn Abbas. Accordingly, mā ("not") refers to the angels Harut and Marut, meaning that the devils taught men unlawful sorcery instead of the lawful things taught by the angels Harut and Marut.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 297 This reading is rather unconvincing as the verse depicts Harut and Marut as testers, implying that these angels taught something unlawful.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): p. 297 Tabari explains that this interpretation is best be understood as, that there are two kinds of magic; lawful sent down by angels and unlawful taught by devils.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume 1 State University of New York Press, 30.06.1984 p. 130Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 298 He defends this interpretation on the authority of Ibn Wahb, arguing that God creates both good and evil.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 298
Exegesis
Harut and Marut are portrayed as the origin of magical practises in the worldSalim Ayduz, Caner Dagli The Oxford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Science, and Technology in Islam Oxford University Press, 2014 p. 504 and by that, explain magic to be of otherworldly origin. From a theological viewpoint, Harut and Marut are a form of temptation, similar to the satans (šayāṭīn).Jones, David Albert. Angels: a very short introduction. OUP Oxford, 2010. p. 107 They are also described in the Stories of the Prophetsʾ (Qiṣaṣ al-Anbiyā) and seen as a symbol for "enchanting love".
According to most Classical commentators, when the angels observed the wickedness of mankind, chose Harut and Marut as their representative in order to proof they would do better than humans.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume II: The House of ‘Imrān. State University of New York Press, 1984. p. 131 A minority relates Harut and Marut to the events in Surah 2:30, when the angels complain about the creation of Adam.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume II: The House of ‘Imrān. State University of New York Press, 1984. p. 131
Tale of Harut and Marut The tale of Harut and Marut (qiṣṣat Hārūt wa-Mārūt) is a recurring story throughout Quranic exegesis (Tabari, ibn Hanbal, Rumi, Maqdisi, Tha'labi, Kisa'i, Suyuti) to explain the earthly abode of this angelic pair.Majmaʻ al-Buḥūth al-Islāmīyah The Fourth Conference of the Academy of Islamic Research 1968 p. 707 There are different variances of the same story with additional details. They all contain a prolegomenon in heaven, resulting in an angelic mission to earth, followed by a corruption of these angels, and consequent punishment by God.Reeves, John C. "Some Parascriptural Dimensions of the “Tale of Hārūt wa-Mārūt”." Journal of American Oriental Society 135.4 (2015): 817-842. In some variations, not two, but three angels are send down to earth. In Rumi's (1207 – 1273) Masnavi, God tests three angels. However, once on earth one of them suspects to fail and returns to heaven.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 298
A version provided by Tabari narrates the Tale of Harut and Marut as follows:The angels were astonished at the acts of disobedience committed by the human beings on earth, claiming they would do better than them. Therefore, God challenged the angels to choose two representatives among them, who would descend to earth and be endowed with bodily desires. During their stay on earth, they fell in love with a woman named Zohra (Venus). She told them she would become intimate with them if they joined her in idolatry and told her how to ascend to heaven. The angels refused and remained pious.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 298
Later they met her again and the woman this time stated she would become intimate with them if they drank alcohol. The angels thought that alcohol could not cause great harm and therefore, they accepted the condition. After they were drunk, they became intimate with her and after noticing a witness, they killed them. The next day, Harut and Marut regretted their deeds but could not ascend to heaven anymore due to their sins, as their link to the angels was broken. Thereupon, God asked them, whether their punishment shall be in this world or in the hereafter. They chose to be punished on earth and therefore were sent to Babel as a test, teaching humans magic but not without warning them that they were just a temptation.
Protest of the angels Although not explicitly mentioned, Harut and Marut are sometimes linked to the events in Surah 2:30.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume 1 State University of New York Press, 30.06.1984 p. 131 The Study Quran translates the verse as follows: "And when thy Lord said to the angels,"I am placing a vicegerent upon the earth," they said, "Wilt Thou place therein one who will work corruption therein, and shed blood, while we hymn Thy praise and call Thee Holy?" He said, "Truly I know what you know not."2:30. According to this view, God sent down these angels to demonstrate to the protesting angels men's unique and special features.Ayoub, Mahmoud M. Qurʾan and Its Interpreters, The, Volume 1 State University of New York Press, 30.06.1984 p. 131 Al-Kisa'i identifies the angels complaining in 2:30 with Harut and Marut, whereupon punished by God.Tottoli, R. (2017). Hārūt and Mārūt. In K. Fleet, G. Krämer, D. Matringe, J. Nawas and D. J. Stewart (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam Three Online. Brill.
In his Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik, Suyuti narrates a ḥadīth that after the dispute mentioned in this verse, the angels made a bet with God. They bet that they are more obedient than the sons of Adam. God then inqures them to choose two among them to descent to earth and being tested.Burge, Stephen. Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik. Routledge, 2015. p. 286
Zakariya al-Qazwini (1203–1283) narrates on authority of ibn Abbas, when Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden, he passed by a crowd of angels who reprimanded Adam for breaking the covenant with God.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 298 The most critical have been Harut and Marut. Adam sought mercy from the angels and their mockery. Then, God tries the angels until they fail on their part.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 201 This version is silent on the details of these angels sins and their teachings of magic.Jung, Leo. "Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan Literature: A Study in Comparative Folk-Lore." The Jewish Quarterly Review 16.3 (1926): 301
Historical context