“They ˹instead˺ followed the magic promoted by the devils during the reign of Solomon. Never did Solomon disbelieve, rather the devils disbelieved. They taught magic to the people, along with what had been revealed to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût, in Babylon. The two angels never taught anyone without saying, “We are only a test ˹for you˺, so do not abandon ˹your˺ faith.” Yet people learned ˹magic˺ that caused a rift ˹even˺ between husband and wife; although their magic could not harm anyone except by Allah’s Will. They learned what harmed them and did not benefit them—although they already knew that whoever buys into magic would have no share in the Hereafter. Miserable indeed was the price for which they sold their souls, if only they knew!”

(Qur’an, 2:102)

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘯 & 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯 (𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘮)

In verse 2:102 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the role of the Jews, particularly some Jewish groups, is emphasized in the context of learning and practicing magic. This verse specifically addresses the behavior of certain Jewish scholars or followers during and after the time of Prophet Solomon. Here is an expanded explanation focusing on this aspect:

𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘴:

Historically, it is believed that certain Jewish groups accused Prophet Solomon (Sulayman) of using magic to control the jinn, animals, and to establish his kingdom. This was a false accusation, and the Quran refutes this claim, stating that Solomon did not disbelieve (i.e., he never practiced magic), but it was the disbelievers among the people, including some Jews, who introduced and propagated magic after his time. This highlights a deliberate distortion of Solomon’s legacy by attributing magical practices to him.

𝘈𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘖𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘉𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘴:

According to various Islamic commentaries (Tafsir), the verse suggests that certain Jewish individuals in Babylon turned to magic, forsaking the guidance of the Torah. After Solomon’s death, some Jewish scholars and followers began to delve into occult knowledge, which they falsely attributed to Solomon. This became a source of corruption among them. The verse indicates that rather than following divine revelation, some Jews pursued magic and sorcery, which was strictly forbidden in their scriptures.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘖𝘧 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭:

The angels Harut and Marut were sent to Babylon during a time when magic had become widespread. The Jews, already influenced by pagan practices and the Babylonian culture, were among those who sought knowledge of magic. While Harut and Marut did teach certain forms of magic, it was framed as a test to see who would remain faithful to Allah’s guidance and who would succumb to the temptation of magic. Despite the clear warnings, some Jews ignored these warnings and misused this knowledge, contributing to further moral and spiritual decline within their community.

𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘴:

Some Islamic traditions suggest that Jewish scholars played a significant role in spreading and institutionalizing magic. They would reportedly write down magical spells and sell them to people, thus profiting from this forbidden practice. By doing so, they “sold their souls,” as the verse metaphorically states, exchanging eternal salvation for temporary worldly gain. These scholars were believed to be misleading their followers, steering them away from the monotheistic teachings of the Torah and into disbelief.

𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴:

The Quran often critiques certain actions and behaviors of the Jewish community, particularly those who distorted their scriptures or misled others. In this verse, their engagement with magic is seen as part of a broader pattern of straying from the true teachings of the Torah. The verse thus serves as a warning to the Jews of Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad was delivering the message, reminding them of the consequences of deviating from divine guidance, as their ancestors had done in the past.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴:

In the broader context of Surah Al-Baqarah, this verse is part of a series of references to Jewish transgressions, including breaking covenants with Allah, worshipping the golden calf, and rejecting prophets. The reference to their involvement with magic is another example of how some Jews failed to uphold the purity of their faith, choosing worldly power and falsehood over spiritual integrity. The verse ties into a larger Quranic narrative that calls for repentance and a return to the true monotheistic path.

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯:

In summary, verse 2:102 criticizes certain Jewish individuals and scholars who engaged in and spread the practice of magic, attributing it falsely to Prophet Solomon. It highlights how they rejected divine guidance in favor of worldly pursuits, even though they were warned of the consequences. This verse serves as a reminder of the importance of staying true to faith and resisting the temptations of power, especially when it conflicts with religious teachings. The mention of Jewish groups reflects the Quran’s broader discourse on how earlier communities, including the Jews, were tested and how some failed these tests by abandoning divine commands.

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quran.com/en/al-baqarah/…