The causes of Harut and Marut descending to the earth

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: "And what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut" [Surah al-Baqarah: 102], that he said: After Sayyiduna Adam (peace be upon him), when people fell into shirk, took idols as objects of worship and began worshipping others besides Allah, the angels began to supplicate against them, saying: O our Lord! You created these servants of Yours and gave them the finest form, You provided for them and were generous to them, yet they disobeyed You and began worshipping others; they kept supplicating against them continuously. Then the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, said to them: They are in the unseen (a state of trial). But the angels did not accept their excuse. Then Allah said: Choose two from among yourselves whom I will send down to the earth and give commands and prohibitions. So they chose Harut and Marut. Then the narrator related their lengthy story and said: When the two of them drank wine and became intoxicated, they committed an evil act with the woman and killed a soul. At this there was an uproar among the angels; they looked at the two of them and at their deeds. Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "And the angels glorify with the praise of their Lord and seek forgiveness for those on earth." [Surah al-Shura: 5] The narrator says: After that the angels began to understand the excuse of the people of the earth and to supplicate for them.
This hadith is sahih (authentic) in its chain of narration, and the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he was standing at Arafat. He looked at the sun when it had sunk low like a shield at the time of setting, and he wept a great deal and recited this saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: "It is Allah who has sent down the Book with the truth and the Balance. And what will make you know? Perhaps the Hour is near" up to "the All-Strong, the Almighty" [Surah al-Shura: 17 - 19]. Abdah said to him: O Abu Abd al-Rahman! I have stood here with you many times, but you never did this! He replied: I remembered the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he (peace and blessings be upon him) stood at this very place of mine, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people! Compared with what has passed of this world of yours, there remains of it only as much as remains of this day of yours (until sunset) after what has passed of it."
This hadith is sahih (authentic) in its chain of narration, and the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: "Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We increase for him in his harvest; and whoever desires the harvest of this world, We give him thereof, and he will have no share in the Hereafter." [Surah al-Shura: 20] Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: O son of Adam! Devote yourself to My worship, and I will fill your chest with contentment (freedom from want) and block the path of your poverty. And if you do not do so, I will fill your chest with preoccupations and I will not remove your poverty."
This hadith is sahih (authentic) in its chain of narration, and the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.