| Divine Face of Jalal ud Din Rumi |
| Translation & Commentary by Seema Arif |
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| Harut And Marut The Fallen Angels |
| Mathanavi:Book 1 |
| According to Araish al Majalis, �The Commentators say that when the angels saw the evil doings of mankind in the days of Idris, they were distressed. On ascending up to heaven they complained thus against them: �Thou hast chosen these to be the rulers upon earth, and lo they sin against thee.� Allah The Almighty had answered, �If you were in their Place you would be doing the same thing.� It is also reported in another tradition that Allah said to them, �I have given them ten carnal desires and it is through these they disobey me.� Allah challenged the angels to do better if they are placed in the same condition. They accepted it and said, �O� Lord if you give these carnal desires we would descend and judge with justice.� Harut and Marut were chosen and were sent to the city of Babylon, Harut as a scholar and Marut as a judge. (QUR�AN 2:102) |
| W. St. Clair-Tisdal has quoted various sources in relating the story of �Fallen Angels� in �The Sources of Islam�. |
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| � They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers Were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men Magic, and such things as came down at babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying: "We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme." They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew!� |
| However, Al Kalby's version tells us: The Almighty had said: Choose ye three: so they chose (Azz, i.e) Harut, and (Azabi, i.e.) Marut, and Azrael; and the Lord changed the names of the two when they fell into sin, as he changed the name of the Devil, which was Azazil. And God placed in their heart the same worldly lusts as is there in the sons of Adam. He sending them down to the earth, bade them to rule righteously amongst mankind, to avoid idolatry, not to kill but for a just cause, and to keep free from fornication and strong drink (Alcohal). Now when Azrael felt lust in his heart, he prayed to Lord to relieve him, and was taken up to heaven, and for forty years, he was unable to raise his head for shame before his Creator. But the other two remained steadfast, judging the people during the day, and in the night they would ascend back to the heavens, worshipping the name of the Almighty. |
| Catada [Qatada] tells us that before a month had passed they fell into temptation; for Zohra: one of the most beautiful women (according to Ali she was queen of a city in Persia). She had a suit in their court. When they saw her they fell in love with her and sought to have her, but she refused and went away. The second day she came again and they again asked for her but she said, �Nay�, unless ye worship what I worship and bow down to this idol, or kill a soul, or drink wine. They replied, �It is impossible for us to do these things, which God hath forbidden�; she departed. The third day again she came holding a cup of wine, and her heart inclined towards them; so when they desired her, she said the same as before, but they replied, To pray to other than God is a serious thing, and so is the killing of anyone; the easiest of the three is to drink wine: so they drank the wine and became intoxicated and committed adultery. Someone saw them and they slew him. And it is said that they worshipped an idol too. |
| Al Kalby's Version |
| Qatada's Version |
| Ali's Version |
| Ali and others tell us that she had kept herself pure but demanded to learn the Divine Code. She had allured them: �Come not near me till you teach me that by which ye can ascend to the heavens.� They said, �We ascend by the name of the great God�. Again she said, �Come not near me till ye teach me what that is�. So they taught her; and forthwith she, repeating it, ascended to the skies, and the Lord changed her into a star. |
| Jewish Version |
| According to the Jewish sources, �The angels of heaven having seen the daughters of men, fell in love with them, and said to one another, Let us take for ourselves these women, the daughters of mankind, and beget children for ourselves. And Samyaza (Harut), who was their chief, said....Aziel (Marut) taught men to make swords, daggers, and shields, and taught them to wear breastplates. And for the women they made ornaments of kinds, bracelets, jewels, collyrium to beautify their eyelids, expensive and lovely stones, dresses of beautiful colors, and they also invented money.� |
| Dialogue between Deaf & Sick |
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