What is the authenticity of the story of the two angels, Harut and Marut, after Allah (Mighty and Majestic) charged them with His command and forbade them from what He forbade? What was the sin they committed?
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The questioner : The questioner is a Sudanese named Habib, residing in Riyadh. He asks: What is the authenticity of the story of the two angels, Harut and Marut, after Allah (Mighty and Majestic) charged them with His command and forbade them from what He forbade? What was the sin they committed?
The Shaykh : The authentic view is that this story is fabricated, taken from the Israelites. There are many reports from the Israelites that have no basis in truth.
I advise my brother the questioner and others to restrict their stories to what came in the Qur'an and the Sunnah only, and the authentic Sunnah as well. This is because of the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):[Ibrahim 14:9] If it is only Allah who knows them, then it is obligatory to receive their news from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), from the Qur'an or from the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Perhaps in these stories there is something that undermines the oneness of Allah (tawhid) in a way the person does not know.
I give the questioner an example in the story of Dawud (peace be upon him) in the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):[Sad 38:21-25] Some storytellers claim that Dawud (peace be upon him) was pleased with the wife of a man in his service, and that Dawud (peace be upon him) had ninety-nine women with him. He was pleased with this woman, who was with her husband, so he thought about what to do to reach her. He ordered this man to go out to fight in the path of Allah, hoping he would be killed so that Dawud could marry her after him. This is one of the greatest evils. This is not befitting a sane man, let alone a believer, let alone a prophet from the prophets. It is a fabricated story that scratches at the creed. Dawud (peace be upon him) is cleared of this vile character. The story, on its surface, is about two litigants who disputed before Dawud (peace be upon him). Dawud (peace be upon him) had secluded himself to worship Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) in his prayer niche and closed the door upon himself as an effort in worship. Dawud (peace be upon him) was the one who judged between people, and a judge between people must open the door for them and make room for them so they can dispute and he can judge between them. So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) tested him by trying him when he secluded himself in his prayer niche and closed the door. Allah sent these two litigants to him, and they climbed over the prayer niche, meaning they jumped over the wall. He was startled at how they entered while the door was closed. They said, "Do not be afraid. We are two litigants, one of us wronged the other," and they mentioned the wrong. He said, "This is my brother; he has ninety-nine ewes, and the ewe here is not a woman as was said, but a sheep. I have one ewe." He said, "Let me take it over, and he was dominant in speech," meaning, give it to me so that I complete a hundred, so that he would have a hundred ewes and this man would have nothing. He said, "He was dominant in speech," meaning, he overpowered me, as if he was eloquent with strong expression. So Dawud (peace be upon him) said, "He has certainly wronged you by demanding your ewe for his ewes." Here in the story, you find first that Dawud (peace be upon him) secluded himself in his prayer niche in his private worship without opening his door to judge between people.
Second, he listened to one litigant without taking the argument of the other litigant.
Third, he judged based on the statement of one litigant without looking at what the other litigant had. Therefore, Dawud knew that Allah (the Exalted) had tested him and tried him, so he fell prostrating in prayer, turned back, and repented to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for having secluded himself in his prayer niche and closed the door upon himself, for having taken the statement of one litigant without asking the other, and for having judged in his favor without looking at the defense of the other. This is the story, and it is clear in the Qur'an. There is no need for us to fabricate false stories that scratch at the prophets (peace be upon them). There are many such things. Therefore, I advise our brothers who read in books of exegesis that are filled with these Israelites' reports; I advise them not to go too far in this. I say to them, leave these exegeses. Even if there is much good in them, this evil, which only scholars know about, may mislead some of the common people who read these books.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with the best reward for us and for the Muslims, Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : The authentic view is that this story is fabricated, taken from the Israelites. There are many reports from the Israelites that have no basis in truth.
I advise my brother the questioner and others to restrict their stories to what came in the Qur'an and the Sunnah only, and the authentic Sunnah as well. This is because of the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
Has there not reached you the news of those before you - the people of Noah and 'Aad and Thamud and those after them? No one knows them but Allah.
أَلَم يَأتِكُم نَبَأُ الَّذينَ مِن قَبلِكُم قَومِ نوحٍ وَعادٍ وَثَمودَ وَالَّذينَ مِن بَعدِهِم لا يَعلَمُهُم إِلَّا اللَّهُI give the questioner an example in the story of Dawud (peace be upon him) in the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
(21) And has there come to you the news of the adversaries, when they climbed over the wall of [his] prayer chamber - (22) When they entered upon David and he was alarmed by them? They said, "Fear not. [We are] two adversaries, one of whom has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not exceed [it] and guide us to the sound path. (23) Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he overpowered me in speech." (24) [David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah]. (25) So We forgave him that; and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.
وَهَل أَتاكَ نَبَأُ الخَصمِ إِذ تَسَوَّرُوا المِحرابَ * إِذ دَخَلوا عَلى داوودَ فَفَزِعَ مِنهُم قالوا لا تَخَف خَصمانِ بَغى بَعضُنا عَلى بَعضٍ فَاحكُم بَينَنا بِالحَقِّ وَلا تُشطِط وَاهدِنا إِلى سَواءِ الصِّراطِ * إِنَّ هذا أَخي لَهُ تِسعٌ وَتِسعونَ نَعجَةً وَلِيَ نَعجَةٌ واحِدَةٌ فَقالَ أَكفِلنيها وَعَزَّني فِي الخِطابِ * قالَ لَقَد ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤالِ نَعجَتِكَ إِلى نِعاجِهِ وَإِنَّ كَثيرًا مِنَ الخُلَطاءِ لَيَبغي بَعضُهُم عَلى بَعضٍ إِلَّا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ وَقَليلٌ ما هُم وَظَنَّ داوودُ أَنَّما فَتَنّاهُ فَاستَغفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ راكِعًا وَأَنابَ * فَغَفَرنا لَهُ ذلِكَSecond, he listened to one litigant without taking the argument of the other litigant.
Third, he judged based on the statement of one litigant without looking at what the other litigant had. Therefore, Dawud knew that Allah (the Exalted) had tested him and tried him, so he fell prostrating in prayer, turned back, and repented to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for having secluded himself in his prayer niche and closed the door upon himself, for having taken the statement of one litigant without asking the other, and for having judged in his favor without looking at the defense of the other. This is the story, and it is clear in the Qur'an. There is no need for us to fabricate false stories that scratch at the prophets (peace be upon them). There are many such things. Therefore, I advise our brothers who read in books of exegesis that are filled with these Israelites' reports; I advise them not to go too far in this. I say to them, leave these exegeses. Even if there is much good in them, this evil, which only scholars know about, may mislead some of the common people who read these books.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with the best reward for us and for the Muslims, Shaykh Muhammad.