Our Shaykh, the ‘Allaamah, the Sincere Adviser, Abu ‘Abdirrahman Yahya bin ‘Ali Al-Hajoori – may Allaah preserve him –
Question: Are Harut and Marut from the jinn or from the angels as they were described?
Answer: The majority of scholars are of the opinion that they are among the angels, and that this is a trial from Allah, and it is also considered obedience from these two angels, because Allah commanded them to do so, because they did not disobey
Allah the Almighty said Surah At-Tahrim, Verse 6:
“لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ“
“Over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded”
Al Qurtabi mentioned in his tafseer, that they are devils, and the interpretation of the verse for the companions of this stance would be
Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 102:
وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَٰكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ
“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”
“وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ”
“The ما here is a نافية meaning negation, I.e meaning Magic was not sent down upon the 2 angels”
And the majority of the scholars say: ما here is موصولة connected, i.e., “and that which was revealed upon the two angels”, the demons teach people magic and teach the people that which was brought down to the two angels at Babylon upon Harut and Marut, then they mention a story, its content being that the two angels were revealed by Allah to test them after they spoke to Aadam عليه السلام after he ate from The tree, in which there is a story concerning a flower was mentioned.. To the end of that fabricated Israeli story. The Hufaadh and many other mufasireen (commentators) rejected it (I.e it’s authenticity).
And what I see, and Allah knows best is that the ما is نافية (negated), as Al-Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy upon him said in his interpretation (2), and this reasoning is in line with Allah Almighty’s words:
لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
“Over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded”
Surah Al-Anbiya, Verse 26-27:
بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ
“They are but honored slaves”
لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ
They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command.
So if it was the case that this was their action (i.e teaching people magic) then this means they would have been sinful & not been honorable. For verily disobedience is debased & not considered honorable, Allah the most High has praised the Angels collectively & categorically without any exceptions
From among any of them that they disobeyed Allah, and disobedience is disobedience whether it occurs from mankind or other than them it’s still unpraisworthy.
And magic is disbelief. Allah the Almighty said: Surah Az-Zumar, Verse 7:
إِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا يَرْضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ
“If you disbelieve, then verily, Allah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. Allah has prepared the fire for the disbelievers, and has cursed Iblees and has cursed him distanced him from his mercy due to his disobedience and his disbelief”
Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 34:
إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
“except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers”
this is the way of Allah with regards to the disbelievers. As The Almighty said: Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 62:
“سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا”
That was the Way of Allah in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not find any change in the Way of Allah.
Surah Fatir, Verse 43:
“فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَحْوِيلًا”
So no change will you find in Allah’s Sunnah (way of dealing), and no turning off will you find in Allah’s Sunnah (way of dealing).
(1) Questions from Aslam and Jahyah – province of Hajjah Yemen – were presented at – Dar Al-Hadith, Damaaj. Kanzu Thameen.
Translated by : Abu Nu’aym Abduraheem Bin Muhummed Bin Ali