Harun, known in English as Aaron (peace be upon him), was the brother of Musa (Moses) and a prophet in his own right. When Allah (﷾) sent Musa to Pharaoh, Musa asked for his brother to share the task. Allah (﷾) granted his prayer.
The Qur'an tells us little about Harun's life. This guide says only what it says, with nothing added. It is the story as Islam tells it, and it looks at Harun himself rather than retelling Musa's story.
At a glance
- Musa asked Allah (﷾) for his brother Harun as a helper, and Allah (﷾) said: “Granted is thy prayer.”
- Allah (﷾) made him a prophet, out of His mercy.
- Musa said that Harun was more eloquent than he was.
- When the people worshipped the calf, Harun warned them. He did not make it.
- Allah (﷾) gave the Book to both brothers, and sent them peace.
- Musa's prayer
Musa asks Allah (﷾) for his brother Harun to share his task, and Allah (﷾) grants it. Qur’an 20:29–36
- A prophet
Out of His mercy, Allah (﷾) makes Harun a prophet. Qur’an 19:53
- Before Pharaoh
Harun goes with Musa to Pharaoh. The magicians who believe say: “We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses”. Qur’an 20:43–44Qur’an 20:70
- In charge
Musa goes up to meet his Lord, and leaves Harun to act for him among the people. Qur’an 7:142
- The calf
The people worship the calf. Harun warns them, and they will not listen. Qur’an 20:90–94Qur’an 7:150
The Qur'an gives no dates for Harun's life, so these are the stages of his story.
Musa's prayer for his brother
Harun's story is bound up with Musa's, which Musa's guide tells in full. Musa
In the valley of Tuwa, Allah (﷾) told Musa to go to Pharaoh. Musa asked Allah (﷾) to open his heart, ease his task and loosen his tongue. Then he asked for a helper, and named the helper he wanted: Qur’an 20:24–28
And give me a Minister from my family, Aaron, my brother; Add to my strength through him, And make him share my task
He gave his reason in another place. Harun, he said, was more eloquent than he was, and he feared that people would call him a liar: Qur’an 28:34
my brother Aaron - He is more eloquent in speech than I: so send him with me as a helper, to confirm (and strengthen) me
Allah (﷾) answered at once:
Granted is thy prayer, O Moses!
Harun was not only a helper. Allah (﷾) says He gave him to Musa out of His mercy, and made him a prophet too. The two brothers went to Pharaoh together, and Allah (﷾) told them both to speak to him gently. When Pharaoh's magicians believed, they said that they believed in the Lord of both brothers. Qur’an 19:53Qur’an 20:43–44Qur’an 20:70
Harun and the calf
When Musa went up the mountain to meet his Lord, he left Harun in charge. He told him to act for him among the people, to do right, and not to follow the way of those who do mischief. Qur’an 7:142
While Musa was away, a man called al-Samiri led the people astray, and they worshipped a calf. The Musa guide tells the whole story. Here is what Harun did. He had warned them before Musa ever came back: Qur’an 20:85–88Musa
O my people! ye are being tested in this: for verily your Lord is (Allah) Most Gracious; so follow me and obey my command.
The people answered that they would keep to it until Musa came back. Harun was one man against a crowd. When Musa returned, grieved and angry, Harun told him what had happened, and why he had not done more: Qur’an 20:91Qur’an 20:92–94
Son of my mother! the people did indeed reckon me as naught, and went near to slaying me!
He also feared that Musa would say he had split the Children of Israel and had not respected his word. Musa heard his brother out. Then he prayed for himself and for Harun together, and asked Allah (﷾) for mercy for both of them. Qur’an 20:94Qur’an 7:151
A shared Book, and a shared peace
The Qur'an keeps naming the two brothers together. Allah (﷾) gave both of them the criterion (a standard to tell right from wrong). He gave them a light and a message for those who would do right. He also gave them the Book that makes things clear. Muslims understand that Book to be the Torah. Allah (﷾) says: Qur’an 21:48Qur’an 37:117
Again (of old) We bestowed Our favour on Moses and Aaron
Allah (﷾) saved them and their people, helped them, and guided them to the straight way. He left a greeting for them among the generations that came after: Qur’an 37:115–119
Peace and salutation to Moses and Aaron!
And the reason is given in the same place: they were two of Allah's (﷾) believing servants. Qur’an 37:121–122
How the Bible tells it differently
The Bible tells of Aaron too, in Exodus. He is Moses' brother and helper there as well. But the two accounts differ in some places. Muslims believe that Allah (﷾) revealed the Torah to Musa, and the Injil to Isa: the Gospel Jesus himself preached in his lifetime. The Injil is not the New Testament. The four New Testament Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were written by others, decades after Jesus was raised up. None of them names its author: the names were attached later. And the Torah we have today is not exactly as it was revealed. So where the Bible tells a story just as the Qur'an does, we believe it. Where it differs from the Qur'an or contradicts it, we do not. Where the Qur'an says nothing, we neither believe it nor deny it, as the Prophet (ﷺ) taught. Here are the main differences, with the verses. Exodus 4:14 (KJV)Qur’an 5:48Qur’an 5:46Which of the four Gospels did Jesus preach from?Who wrote the Gospels?Sahih al-Bukhari 4485How should a Muslim read the Bible?
How he became Moses' helper. In Exodus, Moses says he is not eloquent and asks God (﷾) to send someone else. The anger of the Lord is kindled against him, and God (﷾) names Aaron, the brother who can speak well, as his spokesman. In the Qur'an, Musa himself asks Allah (﷾) for Harun as a helper, and Allah (﷾) grants the prayer. Exodus 4:10–16 (KJV)Qur’an 20:25–36
The calf. In Exodus, the people ask Aaron to make them gods. He tells them to break off their gold earrings, and he fashions the calf. In the Qur'an, al-Samiri makes it, and Harun warns the people against it. The Musa guide tells this in full. Exodus 32:1–4 (KJV)Qur’an 20:85–94Were the prophets sinless?
The staff before Pharaoh. In Exodus, it is Aaron who casts down his rod before Pharaoh, and it becomes a serpent. When the magicians do the same, Aaron's rod swallows up theirs. In the Qur'an, it is Musa who throws his staff, at Allah's (﷾) command, and it swallows up what the magicians had faked. Exodus 7:10–12 (KJV)Qur’an 7:117Qur’an 20:69
What we can learn
Harun shows that a faithful helper is a gift from Allah (﷾), and that standing for the truth matters even when you stand alone.
- A good helper is a gift from Allah (﷾). Musa asked Allah (﷾) for a helper and named his brother. Allah (﷾) granted it, and made Harun a prophet.
- Ask Allah (﷾) for what helps you serve Him. Musa did not ask for wealth or comfort. He asked for a partner in the task, so that they could glorify Allah (﷾) and remember Him without stint. Qur’an 20:33–34
- Stand for the truth, even when you stand alone. Harun warned the people before Musa returned, and kept to the truth when they would not listen.
- A brother's mercy. Musa prayed for himself and his brother together. Allah (﷾) named the two brothers side by side, and sent them peace.
Harun spoke for the truth beside his brother. The call that the two of them brought is still open to everyone. Believe in the Lord of Harun and Musa, the Lord of all the worlds. Qur’an 20:70Qur’an 26:47–48