Aaron (هارون) was the younger brother of Moses, who according to Quranic and Biblical traditions shared in his prophethood. He is a prophet, high priest, and the brother of Moses in the Abrahamic religions. Aaron [Arabic: Harun] is brother of Moses and Miriam. Quran 19:53 refers to Haroun as a prophet, and in Exodus 7:1 it is stated that God made Aaron to be the prophet of Moses.

The figure of Aaron emerges in the Late Bronze Age narrative framework of Exodus and Numbers, roughly placed by biblical chronology in the 13th century BCE, though this dating remains speculative and uncorroborated archaeologically. In these narratives, Aaron serves as the spokesperson and assistant to Moses during the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt, acting both as mediator with Pharaoh and later as the chief officiant in Israelite ritual practices. He is a founding figure in the establishment of the hereditary priesthood (the Aaronide priesthood), which becomes central in the religious life of Israel and, later, the structure of the Jerusalem Temple. Scholarly debates surrounding Aaron often revolve around whether the texts reflect a historical individual or a retrospective theological construct used to legitimize the Zadokite priesthood in the First Temple period (circa 10th–6th century BCE).

According to biblical narrative, Aaron was born in Egypt into the tribe of Levi, the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the elder brother of Moses and Miriam. He played a key role during the events of the Exodus, confronting Pharaoh with Moses and performing signs. After the crossing of the Red Sea, Aaron was appointed high priest and consecrated for service in the Tabernacle. His sons Nadab and Abihu, as well as Eleazar and Ithamar, also became priests, though Nadab and Abihu were later consumed by divine fire for offering "unauthorized fire" (esh zarah) in Leviticus 10. Aaron himself is associated with both leadership and failure—most notably in the episode of the golden calf, where he fashions an idol for the Israelites during Moses’s absence (Exodus 32), a narrative that likely preserves a polemical strand against northern cultic practices. Aaron’s death is described as occurring at Mount Hor, with his priestly garments passed to his son Eleazar—a transition that marks the continuity of cultic authority. The exact historicity of these events remains unverified by material evidence.

circa 1400 BCE

Judaism
In Judaism, Aaron is regarded as the first kohen gadol (High Priest) and the archetype of priestly holiness. Rabbinic literature elaborates on Aaron’s character as a man of peace and reconciliation (rodef shalom), often contrasting his approachability with Moses’s more stern leadership. The Aaronide lineage forms the backbone of the Israelite priesthood, with descent from Aaron a requirement for high priestly office in Temple Judaism. The priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24–26 is traditionally ascribed to Aaron, and many synagogue liturgies retain this as the Birkat Kohanim. The golden calf episode is treated in post-biblical Jewish thought with nuance—some interpret Aaron’s actions as an attempt to delay full apostasy or protect the people from divine wrath. The continuity of the Aaronide line and its centrality in Temple ritual underlines the importance of Aaron in the evolution of Jewish worship.

Christianity
In Christianity, Aaron is primarily understood within the context of typology. He is presented as a foreshadowing of Christ, the ultimate high priest, particularly in the Epistle to the Hebrews (chapter 5–7), where Jesus is contrasted with the Aaronic priesthood and elevated as belonging to the “order of Melchizedek”—a higher, eternal priesthood. Aaron's role as mediator between God and the people mirrors the Christian understanding of Christ's intercessory role, though the epistle simultaneously critiques the limitations of the Levitical system. Despite this theological repositioning, Aaron retains respect as a foundational religious figure. Patristic authors such as Origen and Augustine interpreted Aaron allegorically, often exploring the tension between law and grace, priesthood and prophecy, external ritual and internal faith. He is commemorated as a saint in some Christian traditions, particularly in Eastern Orthodoxy, where he appears on liturgical calendars.

Islamic Tradition
In Islam, Aaron (هارون) is known as Harun and is regarded as a prophet (nabī) and righteous servant of Allah. He appears in multiple surahs of the Qur'an, often in conjunction with Musa (Moses), with whom he shares the mission of confronting Pharaoh. In Islamic tradition, Aaron is presented as a prophet in his own right, chosen by Allah to support Musa and share the burden of revelation (Qur'an 20:29–32). Unlike in the biblical tradition, the golden calf episode in the Qur'an exonerates Aaron of blame; he is depicted as having resisted the people’s idolatry but being overpowered by them (Qur'an 20:90–94). His role reinforces the Islamic emphasis on prophetic integrity and the idea that Allah’s messengers are protected from major sin (ismah). While Islam does not attribute priestly functions to Aaron, his legacy is one of piety, obedience, and support in divine mission. He is honored as one of the salihin (righteous), and his tomb is traditionally identified at Jabal Hārūn near Petra in modern day Jordan, though this attribution is not confirmed archaeologically.

circa 1400 BCE

Maqam Haroun
The shrine believed to mark the grave of Haroun stands atop Jabal Haroun ("Mountain of Aaron"), a prominent peak located southwest of Petra in modern-day Jordan. While the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 10:6) records that Aaron died at Moserah in the wilderness of Sinai, a parallel tradition in Numbers 20:22–29 situates his death on Mount Hor, which later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions have identified with Jabal Haroun. This association, though not archaeologically verified, has been maintained in local and regional memory since at least the Byzantine period.

The current shrine structure was restored in 1320 CE during the Mamluk period by Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, who commissioned renovations at several sites of religious importance across the Levant. The building reflects characteristic Mamluk architectural features and consists of a domed sanctuary enclosing a prayer hall, beneath which lies a crypt that is traditionally regarded as the burial chamber of Aaron. The whitewashed dome, visible from considerable distance, makes the site a prominent landmark.

The site has been venerated by Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike, though access and usage have varied across periods. Pilgrimage to Jabal Haroun was historically attested among local Bedouin tribes as well as among medieval travelers. Modern archaeological surveys in the surrounding area have identified remains of a monastic complex, water cisterns, and ancillary buildings, suggesting that the site was part of a broader cultic and possibly monastic landscape during Late Antiquity.