سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 102
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَـٰرُوتَ وَمَـٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـٰقٍ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿102﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They followed what the Shayâtîn (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaimân (Solomon). Sulaimân did not disbelieve, but the Shayâtîn (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)." And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allâh’s Leave. And they learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they but knew.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟
wa-ittabaʿū
And they followed
مَا
mā
what
تَتْلُوا۟
tatlū
recite(d)
ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ
l-shayāṭīnu
the devils
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
مُلْكِ
mul'ki
(the) kingdom
سُلَيْمَـٰنَ ۖ
sulaymāna
(of) Sulaiman
وَمَا
wamā
And not
كَفَرَ
kafara
disbelieved
سُلَيْمَـٰنُ
sulaymānu
Sulaiman
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
[and] but
ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ
l-shayāṭīna
the devils
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
يُعَلِّمُونَ
yuʿallimūna
they teach
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the people
ٱلسِّحْرَ
l-siḥ'ra
[the] magic
وَمَآ
wamā
and what
أُنزِلَ
unzila
was sent down
عَلَى
ʿalā
to
ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ
l-malakayni
the two angels
بِبَابِلَ
bibābila
in Babylon
هَـٰرُوتَ
hārūta
Harut
وَمَـٰرُوتَ ۚ
wamārūta
and Marut
وَمَا
wamā
And not
يُعَلِّمَانِ
yuʿallimāni
they both teach
مِنْ
min
any
أَحَدٍ
aḥadin
one
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
unless
يَقُولَآ
yaqūlā
they [both] say
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
نَحْنُ
naḥnu
we
فِتْنَةٌۭ
fit'natun
(are) a trial
فَلَا
falā
so (do) not
تَكْفُرْ ۖ
takfur
disbelieve
فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ
fayataʿallamūna
But they learn
مِنْهُمَا
min'humā
from those two
مَا
mā
what
يُفَرِّقُونَ
yufarriqūna
[they] causes separation
بِهِۦ
bihi
with it
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
ٱلْمَرْءِ
l-mari
the man
وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ
wazawjihi
and his spouse
وَمَا
wamā
And not
هُم
hum
they (could)
بِضَآرِّينَ
biḍārrīna
at all [be those who] harm
بِهِۦ
bihi
with it
مِنْ
min
any
أَحَدٍ
aḥadin
one
إِلَّا
illā
except
بِإِذْنِ
bi-idh'ni
by permission
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ
wayataʿallamūna
And they learn
مَا
mā
what
يَضُرُّهُمْ
yaḍurruhum
harms them
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ
yanfaʿuhum
profits them
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And indeed
عَلِمُوا۟
ʿalimū
they knew
لَمَنِ
lamani
that whoever
ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ
ish'tarāhu
buys it
مَا
mā
not
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ
l-ākhirati
the Hereafter
مِنْ
min
any
خَلَـٰقٍۢ ۚ
khalāqin
share
وَلَبِئْسَ
walabi'sa
And surely evil
مَا
mā
(is) what
شَرَوْا۟
sharaw
they sold
بِهِۦٓ
bihi
with it
أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ
anfusahum
themselves
لَوْ
law
if
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they were
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
(to) know
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
12. 1. That is, these Jews did not care about Allah’s Book and His covenant at all; rather, by following the devil, not only did they practice magic and sorcery, but they also claimed that Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام) (Allah forbid) was not a messenger of Allah but a magician, and that he ruled only by the power of magic. Allah Almighty said that Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام) did not practice magic, because magic (sorcery) is disbelief, and how could Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام) commit such disbelief? It is said that in the time of Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام), the practice of magic had become very widespread. To put an end to it, Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام) took the books of magic and buried them under his chair or throne. After the death of Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام), those devils and magicians took out those books, not only showed them to people, but also made people believe that the secret of Prophet Sulaiman’s (عليه السلام) power and authority was this practice of magic, and on this basis, those wrongdoers even declared Prophet Sulaiman (عليه السلام) to be a disbeliever, which Allah Almighty refuted (Ibn Kathir, etc.). And Allah knows best.
