"Pharaoh" From a Quranic Perspective

How many Fir`auns (Pharaoh) were there according to Islam?

Thank you for your question.

One important point to note in the context of the question is that the title, "Pharaoh" (Firaun, in Arabic), is not used by the noble Quran for any king of the times of prophets Abraham and Joseph (peace be upon them). This is true whereas we see the Bible using that name to refer to kings of those times.

And it is to be underscored that the Quran calls the king of Egypt during Prophet Moses' time (peace be upon him), "Pharaoh".

In other words, according to the Quran, only one king of Egypt is called Pharaoh and he was the king of Egypt during Prophet Moses' time.

The Biblical narrative of Genesis mentions the king who was a contemporary of Abraham as Pharaoh several times such as the following:

Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had. (Genesis 12:20, New International Version)

Similarly the king of Egypt during Prophet Joseph's time also is called Pharaoh a number of times.

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:14, New International Version)

And in the Book of Exodus, the king who ruled Egypt in Prophet Moses' time was also referred to as Pharaoh:

When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian... (Exodus 2:15 New International Version)

In contrast to the above, the noble Quran uses the title "Pharaoh" only for the King of Egypt during Prophet Moses' time.

*{Moses said: O Pharaoh! I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.}* (Al-A`raf 7:104)

*{Then after them sent We Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his chiefs with Our Signs. But they were arrogant: they were a people in sin.}* (Yunus 10:75)

The most widely held view regarding the age of Abraham is that it was about 2000-1700 BC. For example, after a lengthy discussion of the historicity of the events surrounding the narrative of Abraham in the book of Genesis, the Anchor Bible Dictionary says:

To place Abraham at the beginning of the 2d millennium B.C. is, therefore, sustainable. (Anchor Bible Dictionary, 40)

Kenneth Kitchen dates the life of Abraham to the period between 1674-1553 BC during the time of the Hyksos, collating the Genesis evidence with ancient Egyptian history. (74)

The Hyksos belonged to a group of mixed Semitic-Asiatics who infiltrated Egypt and became rulers of Lower Egypt during the period between 1674-1553 BC. The majority of scholars support the view that Prophet Joseph's appearance in Egypt was during the time of the Hyksos.

Joseph's rise to an important position in the house of Potiphar (Genesis 39) and his appointment to the task of collecting grain during the years of plenty (Genesis 41) were possible because foreigners had significant places in the Hyksos government. (Lockyer, 324)

Furthermore, the Jewish Encyclopedia mentions that the Pharaoh who made Joseph the practical ruler of Egypt was one of the Hyksos kings. (The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, 252)

As for Moses, The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia states that his period was the third or fourth quarter of the 13th century BC, and accordingly, Ramses II or Merneptah was the Pharaoh of the Exodus. (252)

"Pharaoh" is a term used by modern writers to refer to the Egyptian king. This word is the Greek form of the ancient Egyptian phrase per-aa ('the great house') which was originally used to refer to the royal palace rather than the king. From the New Kingdom onwards, the term was used to refer to the king himself. (Shaw & Nicholson, 222)

Historians divide the story of Ancient Egypt into three periods: The Old Kingdom (about 2615-1991 BC) the Middle Kingdom (1991-1670 BC) and the New Kingdom (1570-332 BC).

Concerning the name, "Pharaoh", The Encyclopedia of the Bible reads as follows:

Pharaoh: Ruler over Egypt also known as "the King of Upper and Lower Egypt." He lived in a palace known as the "great house," which was symbol of his authority. The Egyptian word for the palace was applied to the kings of the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BC).... The use of the title Pharaoh in Genesis may be anachronistic in that Moses in covering the events of the patriarchs in relation to Egypt used the commonly accepted term "Pharaoh" even though the title was not in use at the time of the patriarchs. (Cf. Genesis 12:15-20; 37:36). (Encyclopedia Of The Bible,1668-1669)

Thus all the evidences show that the term "Pharaoh" used in the Hebrew Bible during the time of Abraham and Joseph (peace be upon them all) for the rulers of Egypt is anachronistic.

In short, referring to the Egyptian king who was a contemporary of Prophet Joseph, the Quran uses the title "king" (Arabic, malik). Also, the Quran does not call the king of Prophet Abraham's time, Pharaoh. And as for the king who ruled during the time of Prophet Moses, the Quran repeatedly calls him Pharaoh (Arabic, Firaun).

The Quran is not a book of history and it refers to whatever is relevant to its narrations either from history or from science. That is to say, the Quran's avoidance of the term 'Pharaoh' for the kings of Abraham and Joseph is historically correct. So is its calling the king of Egypt during Moses' time as Pharaoh.

For the references I have relied on the learned article entitled: "Quranic Accuracy Vs. Biblical Error: The Kings & Pharaohs Of Egypt" by M S M Saifullah, Abdullah David & Elias Karim.

I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch.

Salam.

Works Cited:

Anchor Bible Dictionary. Vol. 1. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Elwell, W. A. Encyclopedia of The Bible. Vol. 2. 1988.

Kitchen, K. A. The Bible In Its World: Archaeology And The Bible Today. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, 1977.

Lockyer, H. (Ed.) Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1986

Shaw, I & Nicholson, P. British Museum Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum Press, 1995.

The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. London & New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1916.The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Ktav Publishing House, Inc., 1969.

Source: Islamonline.net

The Prophet In His House

The Apostle of God (PBUH) occupied himself at his home like a common man. As 'Aisha relates, he used to clean his clothes, milch the sheep and himself do his odd jobs. She also says that he would mend his clothes, repair his shoes and do similar other works. When asked how the Prophet occupied himself at home, she replied, "He used to keep himself busy in household chores and went out when the time for prayer came."

In another report related on her authority, she is reported to have said, "The Prophet of God used to repair his shoes, mend his clothes and occupied himself at home even as any of you occupy yourself." 'Aisha relates, "God's Messenger was very softhearted, the kindliest of all. He laughed often and smiled much." Anas says that he had not seen a man who was more clement and nice to his household members than the Apostle of God." It is related on the authority of 'Aisha that the Prophet said, "The best of you is one who is most nice to his wife and children and I am the nicest among you." Abu Huraira said that the Prophet never expressed disapproval of any food, if he desired he ate it, and if he disliked he left it alone."

The Apostle of God occupied himself at his home like a common man. As 'Aisha relates, he used to clean his clothes, milch the sheep and himself do his odd jobs. She also says that he would mend his clothes, repair his shoes and do similar other works. When asked how the Prophet occupied himself at home, she replied, "He used to keep himself busy in household chores and went out when the time for prayer came."

In another report related on her authority, she is reported to have said, "The Prophet of God used to repair his shoes, mend his clothes and occupied himself at home even as any of you occupy yourself." 'Aisha relates, "God's Messenger was very softhearted, the kindliest of all. He laughed often and smiled much." Anas says that he had not seen a man who was more clement and nice to his household members than the Apostle of God." It is related on the authority of 'Aisha that the Prophet said, "The best of you is one who is most nice to his wife and children and I am the nicest among you." Abu Huraira said that the Prophet never expressed disapproval of any food, if he desired he ate it, and if he disliked he left it alone."

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Source: C. Scott Barr

Today's Quran: The Same Revelation?

Q: Is the Quran we have today the same as that was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him)? What proof do we have to ensure this? I heard it's only recorded by Muslim historians and not non-Muslims? Is the Arabic spoken today in Arabia the same as Quran? If so, why do we have so many different translations of the Quran? Please help.

A: Salam, dear questioner.

Let me first of all thank you for such a creative and innovative question that reflects your critical mind and your real search for ascertaining the authenticity of everything around you.

In fact, we are required to do so, since Almighty Allah has gifted us with minds to use in finding the truth and working hard to achieve the highest level of certainty about our beliefs. In our quest for this, we should stick to objectivity and be totally dedicated to truth.

Promise of Protection

You asked if the Quran we have today is the same one which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The simple and the clear answer is yes. It is the same exact one without any addition or omission and the evidence is self-evident inside the Quran as well as outside it.

Let me give you some explanation here. The first place we should go to ascertain the fact about the authenticity of the Quran should be the Quran itself. We can simply read in the Quran such a great and unfailing pledge in which Almighty Allah says:

*{Surely, We have revealed the Reminder and We will most surely be its guardian.}* (Al-Hijr 15:9)

Logically speaking, the Quran being the final message of Allah is going to be unchangeable till the Day of Judgment. For this job to be fulfilled, it has to remain the same because if, God forbids, any change occurs, there will be no point behind its being the final message of Allah.

Therefore, Almighty Allah Who knows the hearts and the nature of human beings has taken the responsibility of guarding and protecting the Quran from any change, so that it keeps on fulfilling its job and guiding all human beings till the Last Day.

Unanimity of Muslim Scholars

The unanimity of Muslim scholars throughout the ages has also proved that the Quran we have is the same which the Prophet had. The same holds true for some unbiased Orientalist scholars who studied the Quran and found the style and the wording exactly the same as that which was common during the time of the Prophet himself.

Another point that needs reflection is that the Quran contains many scientific miracles that were proven to be correct only recently; it therefore stands to reason that had there been any change in the Quran, such verses or many of them, would have disappeared and even changed, and thus proven wrong.

Oral Transmission

Moreover, the Quran has been handed down through generations and centuries by means of oral transmission alongside the written text and that one of the unique merits of Muslims is their ability of maintaining an unbroken chain proving the authenticity of their texts throughout all these centuries.

Many people memorize the Quran in various parts of the world. All of them meet in one place at one time and recite the same Quran. This leaves no doubt that the Quran we have today is the exact one that was recited fifteen hundred years ago when the Prophet was alive.

Language of the Quran

Another logical proof is the decline in the level of the Arabic language and the spoken dialects which we find everywhere in the Arab world.

The deterioration in the level of the spoken Arabic, although affecting the tongues of people, did not in fact come close to the Quranic text. It is because of this that we find the Quranic text being unique in the way it is recited and the way it is written.

It is different in the written form as well as the oral form from the other written or oral texts.

Why? Because it was protected against the factors of time and space.

And for this job to be completed, Allah has enabled many scholars who specialized in the Quranic text whether in the written or the oral form and made their vocation in life to transmit it as exactly as it existed in the Prophet's life.

Quranic Manuscripts

Another physical proof showing the authenticity of the Quran is the large number of Quranic manuscripts dating back to the early times of Islam. One of the manuscripts existing today is the personal copy of the mus-haf (physical copy of the Quran) that belonged to Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan.

This copy still carries the traces of the blood of Uthman who was killed when he was reciting the Quran not long ago after the death of the Prophet. The manuscript has been examined not only by Muslims but also by non-Muslims, and it exists till today as standing evidence of the authenticity of the Quran.

By bringing this manuscript and comparing it with all other manuscripts that have been written through different generations in different parts of the Muslim world, we can see how exactly the same they are.

We can also notice the difference between the text written there and the normal way of writing Arabic words and the question will rise: why did not the normal way of writing affect the way of writing the Quranic text? The simple answer to this is that the uniqueness of the Quran made it very special and as a way of keeping this specialty is keeping it in the same formula it was firstly written.

Challenging the Quran

A long time ago, the Quran challenged people to produce something similar to one verse or ten verses or one surah of it. The challenge was not met and people are still unable to meet the challenge which means the text is still the same miraculous one that was recited during the Prophet's lifetime.

Of course, some biased non-Muslim Orientalists have tried their best to raise misconceptions regarding the authenticity of the Quranic text we have today.

These attempts have been very old indeed and all of them have failed to prove anything.

Why So Many Translations?

As for the question why there are many different translations of the Quran, in fact, this has nothing to do with the text.

Rather, the translations are merely human attempts to understand the Divine text. Because they are merely human and not Divine, such attempts will be limited and imperfect.

Therefore, we can have many translations, since all of them are human contributions and attempts of conveying the message contained in the original text which was Divinely worded and arranged.

None of these translations is perfect, protected, or even considered to be "the Quran"; only the Arabic text which is inimitable is considered the Divine revelation.

I hope this answers your question. Please stay in touch.

Salam. (Source: islamonline)

Understanding the Prophet's life

Fabrication for Material Gains?

Is it reasonable to assert that Muhammad, upon him be peace, might have claimed prophethood to attain some material gains?

This question may be answered by looking into his financial status before and after prophethood. Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad, upon whom be peace, had no financial worries. His loving and rich wife, Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, had made available to him all that he needed. As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad had a comfortable income. It is ironic that the same man, after his mission as a prophet and because of it, becomes worse off materially.

Describing their life, his wife, Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that a month or two might have elapsed before fire was lit in the Prophet's house (to cook a meal), while the household subsisted on milk and dates. (Riyad al-Saliheen) After eighteen years of his mission, when Muslims emerged victorious, we still find a kind of revolt in Muhammad's household in protest to the difficult life characterized by a considerable self-imposed material deprivation. This incident took place at the time when the Muslim treasury was under his disposal (Bukhari, Muslim).

Asked about Muhammad's bedding Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, answered, "It comprised of a piece of canvas which I spread double folded under him." Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet never kept back anything for future use, that he spent what he had on the poor and needy, and that on one occasion, Muhammad received a gift of four loaded camels, yet he took nothing for himself and he further insisted that he would not go home until the whole lot was given away to the needy. (Riyad al-Saliheen) At the time of his death, and in spite of all his victories and achievements, Muhammad, upon whom be peace, was in debt, and his shield was in the hands of a Jewish citizen of Madinah as a collateral for that debt! (Riyad al-Saliheen)

One may then inquire: Are there any materialistic motives behind Muhammad's claim of Prophethood?
Compiled From:Islam: A Way of Life and a Movement, "Muhammad's Prophethood: An Analytical View" - Jamal Badawi, pp. 69, 70

Why Was the Quran Revealed in Arabic?

Quran (41:44) "If we made it a non-Arabic Quran they would have said, "Why did it come down in that language?" Whether it is Arabic or non-Arabic, say, "For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve, they will be deaf and blind to it, as if they are being addressed from faraway."

We learn from 41:44 that the sincere believers have access to the Quran, regardless of their mother tongue.

Arabic is the most efficient language in the world, especially when it comes to the precise statement of laws. Since the Quran is a Statute Book, it was crucial that such laws must be clearly stated. God chose Arabic for His Final Testament because of the obvious reason that it is the most suitable language for that purpose. Arabic is unique in its efficiency and accuracy. For example, the word "they" in English does not tell you if "they" are males or females. In Arabic there is a "they" for the males, "HUM," and a "they" for the females, "HUNNA."

For two females, instead of "these" or "those" there is "HAATAAN" and for the two males "HAATHAN." This feature does not exist in any other language in the world. I came to appreciate this efficiency of the Arabic language when I translated, for example, 2:228.
This verse enjoins the divorcee to give up her own wishes to divorce her husband, if she discovers that she is pregnant, and the husband wishes to reconcile - the welfare of the child takes a priority. The efficiency of the Arabic language was extremely helpful in stating this law. Any other language would have made it almost impossible to point out whose wishes are to be superseded, at least not in such a few words as we see in 2:228.

The word "Qaalataa" of 28:23, for example, translates into four English words: "the two women said." Such is the efficiency of the Arabic language.

Another possible reason for choosing Arabic is the fact that "He" and "She" do not necessarily imply natural gender. Thus, when God is referred to as "He," this does not imply gender at all. God be glorified; He is neither male, nor female. The usage of "He" to refer to God in the English language, for example, has contributed to a false image of God. This was not helped by such distorted expressions as "Father" when referring to God. You never find such a reference to God in the Quran.
Praise be to God, Lord of the Universe.