Quran Universe

Harut and Marut, The two of Babylon

The unseen

The unseenThe two of Babylon

Harut and Marutهاروت وماروت

Babylon

Two named in Babylon who taught magic only after warning: we are a trial, so do not disbelieve.

The devils taught people magic in Sulayman's time, and Sulayman never disbelieved. In Babylon, Harut and Marut also taught, but each time warned that they were only a test. People learned from them how to split husband and wife, yet nothing could harm anyone except by Allah's permission.

What does the Quran say?

And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.

Quran 2:102

The lesson

Knowledge used to harm is a test, and the harm only happens by Allah's permission.

Where do they appear in the story?

Who else is linked?

Babylon (Babil)SulaymanBabylonia

Source: the Quran · Wikipedia

Everyone and everything in the timeline

People named in the Quran and the hadith, the Prophet's ﷺ family and Companions, scholars, rulers, the nations of the Quran, the world's empires and the places where it all happened. Where scholars differ, each entry says so.

The unseen