Baqarah 102-103

102- AND THEY FOLLOWED WHAT THE DEVILS SAY ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF SOLIMAN.  SOLIMAN DID NOT DISBELIEVE, BUT THE DEVILS DID.  THEY TEACH PEOPLE BLACK MAGIC AND WHAT WAS SENT DOWN UPON THE ANGELS IN BABYLON; HAROUT AND MAROUT.  THEY DO NOT TEACH ANYONE WITHOUT SAYING: “WE ARE BUT A TEMPTATION, DO NOT DISBELIEF”.  THEY LEARN FROM THEM WHAT MAY CREATE DISCORD BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS WIFE; HOWEVER IT DOES NOT HARM ANYONE WITHOUT ALLAH’S PERMISSION.  THEY LEARN WHAT HARMS AND DO NOT BENEFIT THEM, WHILE THEY KNOW THAT THOSE WHOEVER BUYS IT (WITCHCRAFT), THEY HAVE NO SHARE IN THE HEREAFTER.  EVIL IS WHAT THEY SOLD THEIR SOULS FOR, HAD THEY KNOWN.

103- HAD THEY BELIEVED, AND BECOME PIOUS, ALLAH’S REWARD WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THEM, IF THEY KNOW.

Many of the Jews practiced witchcraft, taught it, probably still do.  They claim that it has been taught to them by Harout and Marout, two angels of Babylon, their story was narrated as follows:

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him: “When Allah sent Adam peace upon him to the Earth, the angels said: “O Lord, do you place therein he who causes mischief therein and sheds blood, while we hymn your praises and sanctify you?”  Allah Said: “I know what you do not know”.  The angels said: “O Lord, we are more obedient to you than the children of Adam” Allah said: “Bring two of the angels to be sent down to live on Earth (as humans) to see what they will do”.  They said: “Our Lord, we choose Harout and Marout”.  And they were sent down to Earth.  A rose was made to be like the best looking of women.  When they saw her, they asked her for herself, but she said: “Not before you say a word of taking partners with Allah”.  They said: “Never, by Allah, we will never worship partners besides Allah”.  She went away and came back carrying a boy.  They asked her for herself again, but she said: “No by Allah.  Not until you kill this boy”.  They said: “No by Allah, well will never kill him”.  She went away and came back with wine.  When they asked her for herself, she said: “No by Allah, not before you drink the wine”.  They drunk the wine, were drunk, they had her and they killed the boy.  When they came back to their senses, the woman said: “By Allah, when you became drunk, you did every thing I asked you to do”.  They were given a choice of either punishment in this life or in the hereafter, and they choose punishment in this life”.  (Ahmed)

This did happen at the time of Babylon as these two angels lived in there.  The practiced Witchcraft and were particularly good at it, which I part of disbelieve they did not submit initially.  It is clear from the above Ayahs that Allah the Highest considers those who practice Witchcraft to have disbelieved, although they might still believe in God. 

Harout and Marout were an example of those who lived pure life but were tempted to go astray, and they became a temptation themselves.  They tempt people to teach them the power of Witchcraft, but the price is his, disbelieve.  And they warn people about that. 

Witchcraft is a kind of power, but evil power.  Evil things are done via Witchcraft like creating discord between a husband and wife.  To have power to do evil, makes a person very evil himself, to the point of disbelieve, even if they believe, Allah the Highest considers them disbelievers. 

Temptation is a part of life and part of the destiny of the sons of Adam.  No one will be left without temptation.  Allah the Highest said: “DID PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY WILL BE LEFT FOR SAYING: “WE BELIEVE, WITHOUT BEING TEMPTED”.  (S: 29 A: 2)

The angels are not made with a choice and they are not used to temptation and testing as humans are.  What happens to Harout and Marout shows us that to stand firm and resist temptation is much harder than to worship all the time as the angels do, but without being subjected to the temptations and difficulties of life.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “The believer who mixes with people and tolerates their hurt and trial will have a greater reward than he who does not mix with people nor tolerate their hurt”.  (Ma: Fetan; 23 & A: 2:43)

Allah the Highest is clearing Solomon, peace upon him, of an Accusation made about him by the Jews, as they did about most of the prophets and messengers, peace upon them.  They claim that, Solomon controlled his kingdom and the Jinn, birds, animals etc. by Witchcraft.  Allah the Highest said “.  SOLIMAN DID NOT DISBELIEVE, BUT THE DEVILS DID”.  Meaning that he had nothing to do with Witchcraft, which Allah the Highest considers those who practice it to be disbelieves.  They also do not believe that SOLIMAN or David were prophets, but kings.  This is another issue however.

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi