Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlissi († 1699) :
Tafseer Ali Bin Ibrahim – From his father, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Ali Bin Raib, from Muhammad Bin Qays, ‘From Abu Ja’far, he (the narrator) said, ‘Ata’a asked him while we were in Mecca, about Harut and Marut. Abu Ja’far said: ‘The Angels have been descending from the sky to the earth during every day and night, preserving the deeds amidst the people of the earth, from the children of Adam and the Jinn. So they were writing their deeds and ascending with these to the sky’.
He said: ‘The people of the sky, from the disobedient people of the midst of the earth clamoured. They quarrelled in what is between them from what they were listening and seeing of their fabricating the lies upon God and their audacity upon Him and they removed God from what His creatures were saying and describing.
A group of the Angels said, ‘O our Lord! Are You not Angered from what Your creatures are doing in Your earth and what they are describing the lies regarding You and saying the falsehood, and they are indulging in the acts of disobediences, and You have Prohibited them from these? Then You are being Lenient from them and they are in Your Grip and Your Power and in the midst of Your Given well-being!’
Abu Ja’far said: ‘So God Loved to Show the Power to the Angels and implementation of His Command among entirety of His creatures, and to Make the Angels understand what He had Conferred upon them with He Turned away from them from the works of His creatures, and what He had Natured them (Angels) upon from the obedience and their protection from the sins with’.
He said: ‘So God Revealed to the Angels: “Delegate to Angels from you all until I Send them down to the earth. Then I shall Make to be in them both of the natures of feeding and drinking, and desires and greed and the hopes like what I have Made it to be in the children of Adam. Then I shall Inform them regarding the obedience to Me!”’
He said: ‘They deputised Harut and Marut for that, and they were the severest of the Angels in words regarding the faults of the children of Adam and had Preferred the Wrath of God upon them’.
He said: ‘God Revealed to them both: “Go down to the earth, for I have Made among you two, from the natures of the feeding and the drinking, and the desires and the greed, and the hopes like what I have Made it to be in the children of Adam!”
He said: ‘Then God Revealed to them both: “Look (be careful) that you do not associate anything with Me nor kill the soul which God has Forbidden, nor commit adultery, nor drink the wine!”’
He said: ‘Then God Scraped off from the seven skies in order to Show them His Power, then Sent them down to the earth in the image of the humans and their clothing. They came down in an area of Babel. A shiny building appeared to them, so they went towards it, and there they were in the presence of a beautiful woman with excellent adornments, perfumed, walking coming towards them’.
He said: ‘When they looked at her and spoke to her and contemplated her, she occurred in their hearts with intense occurrence due to the placing of the desires which had been Made to be in them. They referred to her with a reference of temptation and isolation and they wanted herself (physically).
She said to them, ‘There is a religion I am making a religion with it and in my religion, I am not able upon answering you two to what you are wanting except if you were to enter into my religion which I am making it a religion with’.
They said to her, ‘And what is your religion?’ She said, ‘There is a god for me, one who were to worship him and prostrate to him, there would be the way for me to answer him to all what he asks me for’. They said to her, ‘And what is your god?’ She said, ‘My god is this idol!’’
He said: ‘One of them looked at his companion. He said, ‘These are two characteristics from what we have been forbidden from, the Shirk (association) and the adultery, because if we were to prostrate to this idol and worship it, we would be associating with God, and we would rather be associating with God in order to arrive to the adultery, and it is that we are seeking, the adultery. We will not be given it except with the Shirk’’.
He said: ‘They deliberated between them, and the desire which had been Made to be in them, overcame. They said to her, ‘We shall answer you to what you are asking’. She said, ‘So it is for you to drink this wine, for it is an offering of yours, and by it you would be arriving to what you are wanting’.
They deliberated between them and said, ‘These are three characteristics from what our Lord has Forbidden from – the Shirk, and the adultery, and drinking the wine, and rather we will be entering into drinking the wine, and the Shirk until we can arrive to the adultery’.
They deliberated between them and said, ‘How mighty is the test with you! We hereby answer you to what you are asking!’ She said, ‘It is up to you, so drink from this wine, and worship this idol and prostrate to it!’ They drank the wine and worshipped the idol, then they wanted her physically.
When she prepared for them and they prepared for her, a beggar entered to them begging. When he saw them and they saw him, they were alarmed from him. He said to them, ‘You are dreading alarmed. You have isolated with this beautiful, perfumed woman? You are evil men!’ And he went out from them.
She said to them, ‘No, by my god! You will not be arriving to me now, and this man will be notifying your state, and he knows of your place, and he will go out now and inform with your news! But rush to this man and kill him before he exposes you two and exposes me! Then it would be up to you to take your need, and you will be reassured, secure!’’
He said: ‘They stood to the man and caught him and killed him, then they returned to her. But they could not see her, and their evil was manifested to them, and their feathers (wings) were Snatched away from them and dropped in their hands’.
He said: ‘God Revealed to them: “I had Sent you two down to the earth with My creatures for an hour from the day, and you disobeyed me with four of the (acts of) disobediences! All of these, I had Forbidden you from, and had Fore warned you regarding these, but you did not watch out for Me and were not ashamed from Me, and you had both been the severest of the ones resenting upon the disobedient people of the earth and sought My Concern and My Anger upon them due to what I had Made to be in you both, from the natures of My creatures and My having Fortified you from the disobedience. So how is your view of the place of abandonment regarding you both, choosing the punishment of the world or Punishment of the Hereafter?”
One of them said to his companion, ‘We shall enjoy from our desires in the world, then we shall go to it the Punishment of the Hereafter’. The other one said, ‘The punishment of the world, there is a period for it and a termination, and the Punishment of the Hereafter is permanent, there is no termination for it. So we shouldn’t be choosing Punishment of the Hereafter, the permanent, the severe, over the punishment of the world, the terminating, the perishing’’.
He said: ‘They chose punishment of the world. So they were teaching sorcery to the people in the land of Babel. Then when they had taught sorcery to the people, they were Raised from the earth to the air. So they are being punished overturned, suspended in the air, up to the Day of Judgement.’’ [Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 55-56, Page 461-463]
2 - تفسير علي بن إبراهيم: عن أبيه، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن علي ابن رئاب، عن محمد بن قيس، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: سأله عطا - ونحن بمكة - عن هاروت وماروت، فقال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: إن الملائكة كانوا ينزلون من السماء إلى الأرض في كل يوم وليلة، يحفظون أعمال أوساط أهل الأرض من ولد آدم و الجن، فيكتبون أعمالهم ويعرجون بها إلى السماء، قال: فضج أهل السماء من معاصي أهل أوساط الأرض، فتوامزوا (3) فيما بينهم مما يسمعون ويرون من افترائهم الكذب على الله تبارك وتعالى وجرأتهم عليه ونزهوا الله مما يقول فيه خلقه ويصفون فقالت طائفة من الملائكة: يا ربنا ما تغضب مما يعمل خلقك في أرضك وما يصفون فيك الكذب ويقولون الزور ويرتكبون المعاصي وقد نهيتهم عنها، ثم أنت تحلم عنهم وهم في قبضتك وقدرتك وخلال عافيتك، قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: فأحب الله أن يري الملائكة القدرة ونافذ أمره في جميع خلقه، ويعرف الملائكة ما من به عليهم مما (1) عدله عنهم من صنع خلقه، وما طبعهم عليه من الطاعة، وعصمهم به من الذنوب. قال: فأوحى الله إلى الملائكة أن انتدبوا (2) منكم ملكين حتى أهبطهما إلى الأرض ثم أجعل فيهما من طبائع المطعم والمشرب والشهوة والحرص والأمل مثل ما جعلته في ولد آدم، ثم أختبرهما في الطاعة لي قال: فندبوا لذلك هاروت وماروت، وكانا أشد (3) الملائكة قولا في العيب لولد آدم واستئثار غضب الله عليهم. قال: فأوحى الله إليهما أن اهبطا إلى الأرض، فقد جعلت فيكما من طبائع المطعم والمشرب والشهوة والحرص والأمل مثل ما جعلت في ولد آدم. قال: ثم أوحى الله إليهما انظرا أن لا تشركا بي شيئا، ولا تقتلا النفس التي حرم الله، ولا تزنيا، ولا تشربا الخمر، قال: ثم كشط عن السماوات السبع ليريهما قدرته، ثم أهبطهما إلى الأرض في صورة البشر ولباسهم، فهبطا ناحية بابل، فرفع لهما بناء مشرف (4) فأقبلا نحوه، فإذا بحضرته امرأة جميلة حسناء مزينة معطرة [مسفرة] مقبلة نحوهما، قال: فلما نظرا إليها وناطقاها وتأملاها وقعت في قلوبهما موقعا شديدا لموضع الشهوة التي جعلت فيهما، فرجعا إليها رجوع فتنة وخذلان وراوداها عن نفسها. فقالت لهما: إن لي دينا أدين به، وليس أقدر في ديني على أن أجيبكما إلى ما تريدان إلا أن تدخلا في ديني الذي أدين به، فقالا لها: وما دينك؟ قالت: لي إله من عبده وسجد له كان لي السبيل إلى أن أجيبه إلى كل ما سألني، فقالا لها: وما إلهك؟ قالت: إلهي هذا الصنم، قال: فنظر أحدهما إلى صاحبه، فقال: هاتان خصلتان مما نهينا عنهما: الشرك، والزنا، لأنا إن سجدنا لهذا الصنم و عبدناه أشركنا بالله، وإنما نشرك بالله لنصل إلى الزنا، وهو ذا نحن نطلب الزنا فليس نعطى إلا بالشرك. قال: فائتمرا بينهما، فغلبتهما الشهوة التي جعلت فيهما فقالا لها: نجيبك إلى ما سألت، فقالت: فدونكما، فاشربا هذه الخمر فإنه قربان لكما، وبه تصلان إلى ما تريدان، فائتمرا بينهما فقالا: هذه ثلاث خصال مما نهانا ربنا عنها: الشرك، والزنا، وشرب الخمر، وإنما ندخل في شرب الخمر و الشرك حتى نصل إلى الزنا، فائتمرا بينهما، فقالا: ما أعظم البلية بك! قد أجبناك إلى ما سألت، قالت: فدونكما فاشربا من هذه الخمر، واعبدا هذا الصنم، واسجدا له فشربا الخمر، وعبدا الصنم، ثم راوداهما عن نفسها، فلما تهيأت لهما وتهيئا لها دخل عليهما سائل يسأل [هذه] فلما أن رآهما ورأياه ذعرا منه فقال لهما: إنكما نابان (1) ذعران، قد خلوتما بهذه المرأة المعطرة الحسناء، إنكما لرجلا سوء، و خرج عنهما. فقالت لهما: لا وإلهي ما تصلان الآن إلي وقد اطلع هذا الرجل على حالكما وعرف مكانكما، ويخرج الآن ويخبر بخبركما، ولكن بادرا إلى هذا الرجل فاقتلاه قبل أن يفضحكما ويفضحني ثم دونكما، فاقضيا حاجتكما و أنتما مطمئنان آمنان قال: فقاما إلى الرجل فأدركاه فقتلاه ثم رجعا إليها، فلم يرياها وبدت لهما سوآتهما ونزع عنهما رياشهما وأسقطا في أيديهما، قال: فأوحى الله إليهما أن أهبطتكما إلى الأرض مع خلقي ساعة من النهار فعصيتماني بأربع من معاصي كلها قد نهيتكما عنها وتقدمت إليكما فيها فلم تراقباني (2) ولم تستحييا مني وقد كنتما أشد من نقم على أهل الأرض المعاصي واستجر أسفي وغضبي عليهم لما جعلت فيكما من طبع خلقي وعصمتي إياكما من المعاصي، فكيف رأيتما موضع خذلاني فيكما؟ اختارا عذاب الدنيا أو عذاب الآخرة، فقال أحدهما لصاحبه: نتمتع من شهواتنا في الدنيا إذ صرنا إليها إلى أن نصير إلى عذاب الآخرة. فقال الآخر: إن عذاب الدنيا له مدة وانقطاع، وعذاب الآخرة دائم لا انقطاع له فلسنا نختار عذاب الآخرة الدائم الشديد على عذاب الدنيا المنقطع الفاني. قال: فاختارا عذاب الدنيا، فكانا يعلمان الناس السحر في أرض بابل، ثم لما علما الناس السحر رفعا من الأرض إلى الهواء، فهما معذبان منكسان معلقان في الهواء إلى يوم القيامة
Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlissi († 1699) :
Then he said to him: ‘Approach!’ He went near him. He asked him about things. He informed him. He said, ‘Inform me about this red planet’ – meaning Venus.
He said: ‘God Notified the Angels upon His creatures, and they were upon acts of disobediences of disobeying Him. The two Angels Harut and Marut said, ‘They are the ones You Created their father by Your Hands, and Your Angels had prostrated to Him, they are disobeying You!’
He Said: “Perhaps when you are tested with the likes of which they are tested with, you would be disobeying Me like what they are disobeying Me!” They both said, ‘No, by Your Might!’
He said: ‘He Tried them both with the like of that He has Tried the children of Adam, of the desires. Then He Commanded them that they will neither associate anything with Him, nor kill the soul which God has Forbidden, nor commit adultery, nor drink the wine. Then He Sent them down to the earth.
They were judging between the people, this one in an area, and this one in an area. They were with that until one of them came to this celestial body you are disputing to, and she was from the most beautiful of the people. She fascinated him. He said to her, ‘You are right, and I will not judge for you until you give yourself to me’. She promised him a day.
Then another came. When she disputed to him, she occurred in his self and fascinated him, just as she had fascinated the other one. He said to her similar to the words of his companion. She promised him the time which she had promised his companion.
They both gathered in her presence during that time, and each one was embarrassed from his companion when he saw him, and they both lowered their heads and bowed it. Then the shame was removed from them, so one of them said to his companion, ‘O you! I have come for that which you have come for’’.
He said: ‘Then they desired her of herself, but she refused unto them until if they were to prostrate to her idol, and drink from her drink. And they refused to her, and asked her, but she refused until if they were to drink from her drink. So when they had drunk, they prayed to her idol.
And a beggar entered and saw them both. She said to them, ‘Expel this one, for he will inform about you both!’ They stood up to him and killed him. Then they desired her of herself. She refused until they were to inform her with what they had been ascending to the sky. They refused, and she refused to do (anything). So they informed her.
She said what they informed her in order to experiment their words, and she ascended. They raised their sights towards her. The people of the sky saw her overlooking upon them both, looking at them, and she moved towards the sky. So she was Morphed, and it is the planet which you see’’. [Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 55-56, Page 466-467]
- العياشي: عن زرارة، عن أبي الطفيل، قال: كنت في مسجد الكوفة فسمعت عليا وهو على المنبر وناداه ابن الكوا وهو في مؤخر المسجد فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين ما الهدى؟ قال لعنك الله ولم يسمعه ما الهدى تريد ولكن العمى تريد، ثم قال له: ادن، فدنا منه، فسأله عن أشياء فأخبره، فقال: أخبرني عن هذه الكوكبة الحمراء - يعني الزهرة - قال: إن الله اطلع ملائكته على خلقه، وهم على معصية من معاصيه، فقال الملكان هاروت وماروت هؤلاء الذين خلقت أباهم بيدك، وأسجدت له ملائكتك يعصونك. قال: فلعلكم إذا ابتليتم بمثل الذي ابتلوا هم به عصيتموني [كما عصوني] قالا: لا وعزتك. قال: فابتلاهما بمثل الذي ابتلى به بني آدم من الشهوة، ثم أمرهما أن لا يشركا به شيئا، ولا يقتلا النفس التي حرم الله، ولا يزنيا، ولا يشربا الخمر، ثم أهبطهما إلى الأرض، فكانا يقضيان بين الناس، هذا في ناحية وهذا في ناحية، فكانا بذلك حتى أتت أحدهما هذه الكوكبة تخاصم إليه وكانت من أجمل الناس، فأعجبته، فقال لها: الحق لك ولا أقضي لك حتى تمكنيني من نفسك، فواعدت يوما، ثم أتت الآخر فلما خاصمت إليه وقعت في نفسه و أعجبته كما أعجبت الآخر، فقال لها مثل مقالة صاحبه، فواعدته الساعة التي واعدت صاحبه، فاتفقا جميعا عندها في تلك الساعة، فاستحيى كل واحد من صاحبه حيث رآه وطأطأ رؤوسهما ونكسا، ثم نزع الحياء منهما، فقال أحدهما لصاحبه: يا هذا! جاء بي الذي جاء بك، قال: ثم راوداها عن نفسها، فأبت عليهما حتى يسجدا لوثنها ويشربا من شرابها، وأبيا عليها وسألاها فأبت إلا أن يشربا من شرابها فلما شربا صليا لوثنها، ودخل مسكين فرأهما، فقالت لهما: يخرج هذا فيخبر عنكما، فقاما إليه فقتلاه، ثم راوداها عن نفسها فأبت حتى يخبراها بما يصعدان به إلى السماء، فأبيا وأبت أن تفعل، فأخبراها، فقالت ذلك لتجرب مقالتهما وصعدت، فرفعا أبصارهما إليها فرأيا أهل السماء مشرفين عليهما ينظرون إليهما، وتناهت إلى السماء فمسخت، فهي الكوكبة التي ترى.
Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlissi († 1699) :
And from
him, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Abu Wallad who said, ‘I said to
Abu Abdullah, ‘May I be sacrificed for you! A man from our companion is devout,
plentiful of Prayers. He has been Tried by the love of amusement and he listens
to the music. He said: ‘Does that prevent him from praying the prayers at its
timings, or from Fasting, or from consoling a sick one, or attending a funeral,
or visiting a brother?’ He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘That isn’t preventing
him from anything of the good and the righteous (deeds)’. He (the narrator)
said, ‘He said: ‘This is from path of the Satan. It will be
Forgiven for him if God Desires’. Then he said: ‘A group of Angels had
faulted the children of Adam regarding the pleasures and the desires. I mean
that as being the Permissible, not the Prohibited’. He said: God disdained the Believers from the children of Adam, from the faulting of the Angels to
them’. He said: ‘God Cast the pleasures and the desires in the temperament of
the Angels, lest they would be faulting the Believers’. He said: ‘When they
sensed that from their temperament, they clamoured to God from that. They said,
‘Our Lord! Your Pardon! Your Pardon! Return us to what You had Created us for
and had Chosen us to be upon, for we are fearing that we would overcome in a
confusing matter!’’ He said: ‘God Removed that from their temperament’. He
said: ‘When it will be the Day of Judgement and the people of the Paradise come
to be in the Paradise, those Angels would seek Permission to see the people of
Paradise. He would Permit them, so they will be entering to see them. They
would greet unto them and say: ‘"Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured" {13:24} – in the world from the pleasures and the desires, the
Permissible’’
