Islamic tradition Tower of Babel

turris babel athanasius kircher

although not mentioned name, quran has story similarities biblical story of tower of babel, although set in egypt of moses: pharaoh asks haman build him stone (or clay) tower can mount heaven , confront god of moses.

another story in sura 2:102 mentions name of babil, tells of when 2 angels harut , marut taught magic people in babylon , warned them magic sin , teaching them magic test of faith. tale babil appears more in writings of yaqut (i, 448 f.) , lisān al-ʿarab (ar) (xiii. 72), without tower: mankind swept winds plain afterward called babil , assigned separate languages god, , scattered again in same way. in history of prophets , kings 9th-century muslim theologian al-tabari, fuller version given: nimrod has tower built in babil, god destroys it, , language of mankind, formerly syriac, confused 72 languages. muslim historian of 13th century, abu al-fida relates same story, adding patriarch eber (an ancestor of abraham) allowed keep original tongue, hebrew in case, because not partake in building.

although variations similar biblical narrative of tower of babel exist within islamic tradition, central theme of god separating humankind on basis of language alien islam according author yahiya emerick. in islamic belief, argues, god created nations know each other , not separated.