Determine whether هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ were "Angels" or two men of authority
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002.102
YUSUFALI They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon the blasphemers Were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men Magic, and such things as came down at babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying "We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme." They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew!
PICKTHAL And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not; but the devils disbelieved, teaching mankind magic and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they (the two angels) teach it to anyone till they had said We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not (in the guidance of Allah). And from these two (angles) people learn that by which they cause division between man and wife; but they injure thereby no-one save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficketh therein will have no (happy) portion in the Hereafter; and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew.
SHAKIR And they followed what the Shaitans chanted of sorcery in the reign of Sulaiman, and Sulaiman was not an unbeliever, but the Shaitans disbelieved, they taught men sorcery and that was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut, yet these two taught no man until they had said, "Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever." Even then men learned from these two, magic by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot hurt with it any one except with Allah's permission, and they learned what harmed them and did not profit them, and certainly they know that he who bought it should have no share of good in the hereafter and evil was the price for which they sold their souls, had they but known this.Progressive Muslims 2102 And they followed what the devils recited regarding Solomon?s kingship. Solomon did not reject, but it was the devils that rejected by teaching people magic, and teaching them what was sent down on the two angels in Babylon, Haroot and Maroot. They did not teach anyone until they would say ?We are a test, so do not lose faith!? Thus they teach what can separate between a person and his mate; but they cannot harm anyone except by God?s permission. And they learn what harms them and does not benefit them, and they have known that he who purchases such has no place in the Hereafter. Miserable indeed is what they purchased with their souls if only they knew!
Mazhar A. Nurani And they consciously inclined towards pursuing that which the Satanic minded ones used to spread/ communicate to people in the kingdom of Sulie'maan . It was not Sulie'maan who denied but it were the evil/Satanic-ones who denied remaining in the state that these Satanic character evil men taught to people the magic/illusory tricks and they taught people such things which had been transpired to the Malakain/two prominent men of leadership position within the city Babylon, named Ha'root and Ma'root. And Ha'root and Ma'root both used not to teach to any single person unless both would have respectively made this claim before his client ; "We are but the skilled/specialists; therefore you/client should not refuse to learn it"; whereupon/resultantly interested people purposefully made themselves agree to learn from one of them such techniques through which they could sow discord between the targeted husband and the wife of him. And/but merely by attaining this knowledge they could certainly not become injurer for anyone except if Allah's prior consent/permission was also there. And they purposefully made themselves learn that which only caused them loss but not profited them. And indeed they already knew that the one would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter who consciously and purposely had made such tactics a profession/business activity. And certainly vile was that/the price with/for which they did sell/bargained their selves, had they but knew/understood/realized .
Word by Word Analysis by Mazhar A. Nurani
Of Leed's 'Varsity
http//corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=2&verse=102#(21024)
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Mazhar
I believe they were two men of autority , because malakayn has two meanings in arabic, 2 angels or 2 kings, more realistic i go for 2 men of authority , could be messnegers with a mission for the trial for these people
Religious people love sensational stories, they love it if it were angels, so they go for angels