Before continuing with telling you about more honorable Prophets of God, we tell of an event that occurred after the death of Prophet Solomon. This event is cited in the Qur’an, in Suratul-Baqarah, verse 102.
During the time of Prophet Solomon were a group of the Children of Israel who gave up Islam, the Religion of Israel (Jacob) and all the other Prophets. Instead of following the Torah and the wisdoms of the book given to Prophet David, Az-Zabur, they became sorcerers. They had books of sorcery from the devils.
THE CUNNING WAYS OF THE DEVILS
In those days, the devils used to ascend to high points and could eavesdrop on the conversation of the angels. The angels would talk with each other about some things copied from the Guarded Tablet, concerning what would happen on Earth that year.
The devils would go, with information they overheard from the angels, to the humans on Earth who were sorcerers. The devils would speak with these human sorcerers and give them information. The sorcerers and those they told would see that what the devils told became true.
Consequently, some people started to trust those sorcerers. The sorcerers would then add false information, making seventy lies along with each truth. People wrote the statements of the sorcerers and compiled books. It began to be spread that the jinn and the sorcerers knew the entire unknown. Believing that jinn and sorcerers know the unknown is blasphemy.
Prophet Solomon sent some of his soldiers to collect those books of the sorcerers and to put them in a chest. Then Prophet Solomon had that chest buried under his throne. None of the devils could approach the throne of Solomon for fear of being burnt.
Solomon threatened the devils saying, “If I hear anyone say that the demons know the unknown, I shall break that person’s neck.” The devils were enraged because God endowed on Solomon command over the devils, even though the devils did not convert to Islam.
They talked about deaths, disasters and the like. Since the birth of Prophet Muhammad, the devils could not go up and hear those conversations of the angels. If they attempt to, a flaming comet is thrown at them (Suratul-Mulk, verse 5).
SATAN LIES ABOUT PROPHET SOLOMON
After Prophet Solomon died, Satan appeared in the form of a man to a group of the Children of Israel. He said, “Shall I show you the way to a never-ending treasure, no matter how much you take from it?” When they said yes, the devil said, “Solomon was not a Prophet. Nay, he was instead a sorcerer! Dig under his throne and find out!” The Muslims of the time, when they got word of this, were enraged. They said, “Solomon was truly a Prophet of God, a pious Muslim who never engaged in sorcery!”
Satan came back to those he spoke with and showed them where to dig for the box of books. The men told Satan, “You dig and get this box.” Satan told them, “No, I won’t do that, but I am right here, near you. If you do not find the box where I tell you, you may kill me!”
Those fools dug and found the box. They opened it and took out the books of the sorcerers. Then Satan told them, “Solomon used to control the humans, jinn and the birds with this magic.” The fools said, “We see and believe that Solomon was a sorcerer. This is the magic with which he commanded and subdued us!”
Then Satan flew away and continued to spread the lie that Prophet Solomon was a sorcerer. Satan added that the righteous follower of Prophet Solomon, Asaf Ibn Barkhiya, also was a sorcerer. Remember that he was the one who brought the throne of Bilqis to Prophet Solomon, by God’s will.
Hence, those blasphemers among the Children of Israel started to practice what they read in those books. These human sorcerers would be tutored by devils. They claimed to be Prophets and challenged the people with their witchcraft.
God then sent two angels to the Earth named Harut and Marut. These two angels were sent to teach the people the difference between the tricks of the sorcerers and real miracles of Prophets of God.
The angels taught that those sorcerers were not really Prophets, so that they would not fool people. Witchcraft can be opposed by more powerful witchcraft, and a sorcerer can defeat another sorcerer.
In sorcery there is a lot of delusion. Sorcerers call on devils to work for them with their evil directives. Since humans do not see the jinn, much harm is done.
Miracles of Prophets, on the other hand, are not the work of devils. God created those extraordinary events without devils being involved. When a Prophet confronted a blasphemer with a miracle, the blasphemer never could duplicate the miracle. This proves to the people that God supports a Prophet, and the blasphemer is not.
GOD MADE TWO ANGELS DESCEND SHOWING THE TRUTH
The two angels, Harut and Marut, descended to reveal to the people the difference between sorcery (a forbidden practice) and miracles (that are the proof of Prophethood).
Harut and Marut taught sorcery to warn the people about it, and not to encourage them to do it. Didn’t the Prophets teach about blasphemy, murder, fornication, and other sins so that we do not do them? The Prophets did not teach us exactly what sins are, so that we do them!
When Harut and Marut taught sorcery, they warned that this ought not be done, and that it was a test. The people passed the test if they did not perform sorcery. They passed the test if they taught the others the difference between the ugly practice of sorcery and the good miracles God bestowed on Prophets. They did not pass the test if they took the knowledge of sorcery and practiced it.
A false tale is told that those honorable angels, who are not male or female, met a beautiful woman and fornicated with her. Even when angels appear in the form of a man, they do not have any genitals. How could anyone believe that false story? Furthermore, fornication is a great sin, and angels never disobey God.
Ignorant people concoct many lies about honorable Prophets, angels and other Muslims. These lies are set forth with the intent to slander the noble, righteous Muslims. We ask God that the true information in this book will dispel many of these lies.
