Haroot And Maroot

QUESTION:

There is a poster with the description, “Haroot and Maroot – two evil angels from Babylon”. Is this correct?

ANSWER:

Haroot and Maroot were two angels who were sent by Allah Ta’ala as a trial and tribulation to the people who were teaching others Sihr (black magic) with the permission and command of Allah Ta’ala. Since they were carrying out the command of Allah Ta’ala, it is incorrect to call them ‘evil angels’.

﴿وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَٰكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ [ البقرة: 102]

“And they followed what the devils had recited during the reign of Sulayman Alaihis Salaam. It was not Sulayman Alaihis Salaam 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 learnt from them that by which they would cause separation between a man and his wife. But they did not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah Ta’ala. And the people learnt what harmed them and did not benefit them.”

تفسير ابن كثير ت سلامة (1/ 352)

ثُمَّ شَرَعَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ فِي رَدِّ هَذَا الْقَوْلِ، وَأَنَّ “مَا” بِمَعْنَى الذِي، وَأَطَالَ الْقَوْلَ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَادَّعَى (1) أَنَّ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ مَلَكَانِ أَنْزَلَهُمَا اللَّهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، وَأَذِنَ لَهُمَا فِي تَعْلِيمِ السِّحْرِ اخْتِبَارًا لِعِبَادِهِ وَامْتِحَانًا، بَعْدَ أَنْ بَيَّنَ لِعِبَادِهِ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ عَلَى أَلْسِنَةِ الرُّسُلِ، وَادَّعَى أَنَّ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ مُطِيعَانِ فِي تَعْلِيمِ ذَلِكَ؛ لِأَنَّهُمَا امْتَثَلَا مَا أُمِرَا بِهِ

تفسير ابن كثير ت سلامة (1/ 352)

وَذَهَبَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِ إِلَى أَنَّهُمَا كَانَا مَلَكَيْنِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، وَأَنَّهُمَا أُنْزِلَا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَكَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمَا مَا كَانَ

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date: 15 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1447 / 08 October 2025

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb