Babylon in the Quran and Islamic Commentaries
The word Babylon is mentioned only once in the Quran, as the city where Harut and Marut taught people magic. (Al-Baqarah 2:102) Abraham's debate with his people (Al-An'am 6:74-81; Al-Shu'ara 26:72-73; Al-Anbiya 21:53-54; Al-Ankabut 29:16), his breaking of idols (Al-Anbiya 21:58), his throwing into the fire (Al-Anbiya 21:68-69; Al-Ankabut 29:24), his debate with Nimrod (Al-Baqarah 2:258), and then the construction of a high tower to confront Abraham's God (An-Nahl 16:26) are also attributed to Babylon. Babylon is also identified as the place of exile for the Jews, whose rebellion and oppression are mentioned in verses 4-7 of Al-Isra'/17.
Abraham (peace be upon him) and Nimrod in Babylon
Most Muslim commentators consider Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) to be a resident of Babylon and a contemporary of Nimrod. According to the Quran, he lived in a land steeped in polytheism, and after many efforts to guide the people, only Lot believed in him, and they emigrated together. (Al-Ankabut 29:26)
The Bible identifies Abraham’s birthplace as “Orchaldean,” which many Muslims relate to Babylon due to phonetic similarity with the Fourth Babylonian Dynasty. Nimrod is also described as the ruler of the earth and the founder of Babylon in Biblical texts.
Abraham questioned the idol worship of his people (Al-Anbiya 21:52), and their response—that they were following their forefathers—(Al-Anbiya 21:53; Al-Shu'ara 26:74) shows the deep-rooted nature of idolatry among them (Al-Shu'ara 26:76). Even after he broke the idols (Al-Anbiya 21:58), they failed to realize the impotence of their gods and looked for someone to blame (Al-Anbiya 21:59).
Abraham’s critique of idolatry and his uncle Azar’s misguidance (Al-Anbiya 21:54) shook their beliefs: “They said, 'Have you come to us with the truth, or are you one of the playthings?'” (Al-Anbiya 21:55) because they had not reached truth through reasoning, and his arguments were unfamiliar to them. (Al-Anbiya 21:56) He then introduced the One God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, a completely different being from the localized Babylonian deities.
Worship of Celestial Bodies in Babylon
The Quran (Al-An'am 6:76-78) refers to the worship of celestial bodies in Babylon, which Abraham rejected through logic and reflection. Despite Babylon’s advancements in material civilization, its spiritual reasoning was primitive. Nimrod, when confronted by Abraham’s statement that God gives life and death, attempted to imitate by killing one man and freeing another (Al-Baqarah 2:258).
Nimrod even attempted to fly to the sky using four eagles to confront Abraham’s God. When that failed, he ordered the construction of a massive tower in Babylon. Some commentators connect this with verse An-Nahl 16:26: “Those before them had already plotted, but Allah brought their building down to its foundations…” suggesting the tower was destroyed by divine punishment via an earthquake, storm, or the angel Gabriel.
The Confusion of Languages and the Tower of Babel
The fall of the tower is associated with the confusion of languages—each group began to speak a different tongue, unable to understand one another, leading to dispersion. This is where the name Babylon is often associated with “bulbulat al-alsun” or the mixing of languages.
In the Biblical version (Genesis), after the flood, humans wanted to build a tower to reach the heavens and prevent their dispersion. God changed their language to halt the project. Archaeological evidence suggests the tower was a ziggurat, a type of temple. Excavations in the 19th century uncovered ruins of the temple of Marduk, believed to be the Tower of Babel, built during Hammurabi’s time.
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