Haman
He is a character mentioned in the Qur’anic texts. He was known as the vizier in the time of the Prophet Moses and the closest person to Pharaoh. The Qur’an explicitly refers to Haman in verses that highlight the injustice of Pharaoh, Haman, and their soldiers, as shown in Surah Al-Qasas (28:38). This verse also indicates that Haman held the position of foreman in the quarries.
It is noteworthy that during the reign of Pharaoh Moses there is no record of any other minister bearing the name Haman. This means that if the role of Haman was a common occupation, his name would likely have been repeated in other historical periods with different pharaohs. However, mention of Haman is limited to this historical context.
The Qur’anic narrative highlights the cooperation between Pharaoh and Haman in their injustice and defiance of God’s commandments. Haman's role as a minister and a figure involved in the management of the work underscores the importance of his place in the historical narrative of the time of the Prophet Moses. The Quranic verses serve as a reminder of the consequences of their actions and the divine justice that prevailed in the end.
Pharaoh's self-exaltation
In his saying: “And I do not know for you any god other than Me” (Surat Al-Qasas, 38: 28), Pharaoh claimed, as stated in the Qur’an, one god for himself. Archaeological research on ancient Egyptian civilization supports the idea that the pharaohs, dating back to the Fourth Dynasty, claimed divine status, often aligning themselves with the sun god Ra, a prominent deity in ancient Egyptian worship.
The veneration of Ra was so ingrained in Egyptian culture that the name found its way into the titles of the pharaohs, such as “Ra-neb,” meaning the Golden Lord. This, according to the famous archaeologist Breasted, is a clear indication of the pharaohs’ self-deification. The inscriptions preserved in the pyramids include hymns of veneration of the sun, in which the identity of the king is intertwined with the sun god.
It is noteworthy that during the reign of Pharaoh Moses there is no record of any other minister bearing the name Haman. This means that if the role of Haman was a common occupation, his name would likely have been repeated in other historical periods with different pharaohs. However, mention of Haman is limited to this historical context.
The name Haman is mentioned explicitly in the Qur’an six times
1. Surat Al-Ankabut (29:39): “And [mention] Qarun, Pharaoh, and Haman. Moses had come to them with clear proofs, but they were arrogant on earth and were not outdone.
2. Surat Al-Qasas (28: 4-8): “Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into sects. He weakened a group of them, slaughtering their sons and sparing their women. He was one of the spoilers. And We wanted to bestow blessings upon those who were oppressed in the land, and to make them imams, and to make them heirs, and to establish power over them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers what they were warning about. And We inspired Moses' mother to breastfeed him. If you fear for him, then throw him into the river and do not be afraid or sad. We have returned him to you and made him one of the messengers.”
3. Surat Al-Qasas (28:38): “And Pharaoh said, ‘O eminent ones, I did not know that you had a god other than me.’” So, O Haman, burn clay for me and make me a tower so that I may look to the God of Moses. “And I think he is one of the liars.”
4. Surat Ghafir (40: 23-24): “And We sent Moses with Our signs and clear authority to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun. They said: A lying magician!
5. Surat Ghafir (40: 36-37): “And Pharaoh said, ‘O Haman, build for me a tower, so that I may reach the roads - the roads of heaven - so that I may behold the divinity of Moses.’” But actually, I think he's a liar.
In these verses, Haman is depicted as the minister and confidant of Pharaoh in the time of the Prophet Moses. His involvement in defying God's commandments is clear, underscoring the consequences of arrogance and injustice. The Qur’anic account serves as a reminder of the divine justice that prevails over those who transgress God’s limits.
Pharaoh's self-exaltation
In his saying: “And I do not know for you any god other than Me” (Surat Al-Qasas, 38: 28), Pharaoh claimed, as stated in the Qur’an, one god for himself. Archaeological research on ancient Egyptian civilization supports the idea that the pharaohs, dating back to the Fourth Dynasty, claimed divine status, often aligning themselves with the sun god Ra, a prominent deity in ancient Egyptian worship.
The veneration of Ra was so ingrained in Egyptian culture that the name found its way into the titles of the pharaohs, such as “Ra-neb,” meaning the Golden Lord. This, according to the famous archaeologist Breasted, is a clear indication of the pharaohs’ self-deification. The inscriptions preserved in the pyramids include hymns of veneration of the sun, in which the identity of the king is intertwined with the sun god.
These hymns deal with Egypt, and enumerate the benefits that the land received under the protection and independence of the sun god. In this context, Pharaoh is portrayed as an earthly beneficiary of the same divine blessings, drawing a parallel between Egypt's prosperity and the divine gifts bestowed upon Pharaoh. Thus, it is expected that Pharaoh would receive the same offerings that were made to Egypt, reinforcing the idea that he is the earthly manifestation of the sun god.
The inscriptions highlight the divine connection to Pharaoh, as his identity is intertwined with the worship of Ra or Horus. This archaeological evidence complements the Qur’anic narrative, illustrating the historical and cultural context in which the Pharaohs, including the Pharaohs of the time of the Prophet Moses, asserted their self-exaltation and divine status in keeping with the prevailing religious beliefs of ancient Egypt.
The Pharaohs used baked bricks in construction
Pharaoh, in the Qur’anic narrative, orders Haman to build a monument using baked bricks. This is considered a historical marvel, as traditional historical beliefs said that baked bricks did not appear in ancient Egypt until the Roman era. This posed a challenge because it seemed to contradict the Quranic verses that indicate that Pharaoh asked Haman to build a monument with baked bricks or baked clay.
Historians continued this opinion for a long time until archaeologist Petrie discovered quantities of baked bricks used in building tombs and foundations dating back to the eras of the pharaohs Ramesses II, Merneptah, and Seti II of the Nineteenth Dynasty (1308-1184 BC). Petrie discovered these bricks in an archaeological site near Pi Ramses or Qantar, the capital of the Pharaohs in the eastern Delta.
This discovery reshaped historical views and provided concrete evidence that the use of baked bricks in construction actually preceded the Roman era in ancient Egypt. The Qur’anic account, which mentions Pharaoh’s command to build with baked bricks, is consistent with this archaeological discovery. It confirms the accuracy of the Qur’an in depicting historical details that conflicted with prevailing scientific opinions. This convergence between archaeological evidence and Qur’anic narrative highlights the Qur’an’s insight and originality in capturing historical nuances.
The reference is to Pharaoh's assistant named Haman
Maurice Bucaille mentions in his book “The Bible, the Qur’an, and Science” that the Qur’an refers to a person named Haman, Pharaoh’s assistant. According to Bucaille, Pharaoh commissioned Haman to build a high temple to allow him, in a mocking reference to Moses, access to the God of Moses' faith. Seeking to verify whether this name was related to a hieroglyphic name preserved in documents from the Pharaonic era, Bucaille consulted an Egyptologist who was fluent in hieroglyphics and classical Arabic.
The Egyptologist expressed skepticism, initially seeing the possibility as impossible due to the challenge of finding a text containing a hieroglyphic name complete with hieroglyphic signs, dating back to the seventh century AD. However, he recommended consulting Hermann Rank's "Dictionary of Personal Names of the New Kingdom" to ascertain whether the name appears in hieroglyphics.
To Buckai's surprise, he not only found the name as he expected, but also discovered the profession of Hamann, described in German as a "quarry foreman." Although the date of the inscription has not been determined, the occupation involved an interest in construction, which prompted consideration of the interesting parallels between the Qur'anic account of the Pharaoh's directives and the specific details found in the inscription.