Who was Prophet Hazrat Harun – story?

Allah has sent 124,000 Prophets out of which one was Hazrat Harun عليه السلام the brother of Prophet Musa عليه السلام.

• Biblical name: Prophet Aaron.
• Full Name: Harun Ibn Imran Ibn Qahith Ibn Azar Ibn Levi Ibn Yaqub عليه السلام.
• Brother: Prophet Musa عليه السلام.

Birth of Prophet Harun

Prophet Harun عليه السلام was born in 1361 BC in present-day Egypt and died in 1238 BC at the age of 123 years. He was 5-years older than his brother Prophet Musa عليه السلام.

At that time, Pharoah used to kill all the boys of Bani Israel in one year and spare them in another year because someone had predicted that he would be killed by a boy from Bani Israel. Hazrat Harun عليه السلام was born in the year when the boys were not killed.

Prophet Harun in Quran

The name of Prophet Harun عليه السلام is mentioned 20 times in the Holy Quran at different places.

The prophethood of Harun

When Allah talked to Prophet Musa عليه السلام for the first time and asked him to go to Pharoah to invite him to Islam, he requested Allah to send his brother Harun as a helper to support what he says. – Al-Qasas 28:34

Allah said: We appointed for him—out of Our grace—his brother, Harun, as a prophet. – Maryam 19:53

Indeed, there is no one who has ever done a greater favor to his brother than Musa did for Prophet Harun عليه السلام for he interceded for him until Allah made him a Prophet and a messenger with him to Pharoah and his chiefs.

Prophet Musa عليه السلام was a Rasool of Allah while Prophet Harun عليه السلام was just a Nabi. 

• 6 differences between Rasool and Nabi.

Musa and Harun in the court of Pharoah

Prophet Musa عليه السلام and Prophet Harun عليه السلام went to the court of the Pharoah and invited them to accept the one and only Allah and accept Islam.

Prophet Harun was left with Bani Israel

Prophet Musa عليه السلام was called on Mount Sinai to take the ten commandments from Allah. Prophet Musa عليه السلام had a direct conversation with Allah Almighty and on his return, he came back with written 10 commandments. 

• Mount Sinai location.

While Musa was on Mount Sinai for 40 days, Prophet Harun عليه السلام was alone with Bani Israel in present-day Saudi Arabia.

Samri made a golden calf

Samri who was a magician made a golden calf (cow) made of gold in a way that it used to create a sound like a cow whenever air passed through it. He told them that this is their new God and you need to worship them.

People were misguided and started worshipping it. Hazrat Harun عليه السلام tried to convince them that it is just a trial but they never listened to him. They replied, “We will not cease to worship it until Moses returns to us.” – Taha 20:91

The place where Golden Calf was erected is still protected and can be visited in the Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia.

• Golden Calf Altar location.

Musa grabbed Harun with his beard

Prophet Musa عليه السلام finally returned to his people and got shocked to find them worshipping an idol.

He immediately rushed to Prophet Harun عليه السلام grabbed him by his beard and asked why didn’t he approach him when all this was happening. – Taha 20:94

On learning this, Prophet Musa sought Allah’s forgiveness and asked the Almighty to forgive him and his brother. He asked Allah to admit them in His mercy as Allah is the most merciful.

Punishment for Golden Calf worshippers

Allah gave a heavy punishment to those who worshipped the golden calf in the absence of Prophet Musa عليه السلام. Bani Israel was asked to kill calf worshippers from within their tribes in exchange for accepting repentance.

According to some historians, as many as 600,000 people from Bani Israel were killed then.

Subhan Allah, we Muslims say أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ and Allah accepts our repentance while Bani Israel had to kill their sons, brothers, and daughters for Allah’s forgiveness.

Children of Prophet Harun

Prophet Harun عليه السلام married Elishebafrom the tribe of Judah and he had 4 sons;

1. Nadab Ibn Harun.
2. Abihu Ibn Harun.
3. Eleazar Ibn Harun was the great-grandfather of Prophet Ilyas عليه السلام.
4. Itamar Ibn Harun.

Prophet Harun Death

Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه said that Allah inspired Prophet Musa عليه السلام to take Hazrat Harun عليه السلام to a particular mountain because he is about to die.

There they saw a house and there was a comfortable bed inside with delightful fragrances. Prophet Harun عليه السلام slept on that bed and died the same night.

Prophet Harun tomb

Hazrat Harun عليه السلام died in 1238 BC at the age of 123 years in present-day Egypt. However, later his tomb was moved to west Jordan at Mount Hor in Petra.

• Tomb of Prophet Haroon location.