TITLES OF EGYPTIAN RULERS IN THE QUR'AN
Musa was not the only prophet to have lived in ancient Egypt. The Prophet Yusuf had also lived in Egypt long before the time of Musa.
In the stories of Musa and Yusuf in the Qur'an, we come across a detail which is worth mentioning. To refer to the Egyptian ruler at the time of Yusuf, the word "malik" (the King) is used in the Qur'an:
The King (Malik) said, "Bring him (Yusuf) to me straight away! So I may draw him very close to me." When he had spoken with him, he declared, "Today you are trusted, established in our sight." (Qur'an, 12: 54)
In the time of Musa, however, the Egyptian ruler is referred to as the "Pharaoh":
We gave Musa nine Clear Signs. Ask the tribe of Israel about when he came to them and Pharaoh said to him, "Musa, I think you are bewitched." (Qur'an, 17: 101)
Historical records now available provide the reasons for the different names used to refer to these two rulers of Egypt. In ancient Egypt, the term "pharaoh" originally referred to the royal palace. During the reign of the ancient kingdoms, the rulers did not hold such a title. The word "pharaoh" came to be used as a synonym for the Egyptian king under the New Kingdom (starting in the 18th dynasty, 1539-1292 B.C.), and by the 22nd dynasty (c. 945-c. 730 B.C.) it had been adopted as an epithet of respect.1
Here again, the miraculous qualities of the Qur'an are evidenced once again: because the Prophet Yusuf lived much before the New Kingdom, the Qur'an refers to the Egyptian king who was contemporary of Yusuf with the word "malik" and not "pharaoh." Musa, on the other hand, lived during the time of the New Kingdom, and, therefore, the Egyptian ruler who was contemporary of Musa was referred to in the Qur'an as "pharaoh."
Clearly, such a distinction implies a certain knowledge of the history of the ancient Egypt. However, as mentioned earlier, the history of Ancient Egypt was completely forgotten by the 4th century, since hieroglyphic writing was not deciphered until the 19th century. Therefore, during the period the Qur'an was revealed, no in-depth knowledge of Egyptian history was available. This fact is yet another piece of evidence, among countless of others, proving the fact that Qur'an is the word of God.
*dari si mbah Harun Yahya
Musa was not the only prophet to have lived in ancient Egypt. The Prophet Yusuf had also lived in Egypt long before the time of Musa.
In the stories of Musa and Yusuf in the Qur'an, we come across a detail which is worth mentioning. To refer to the Egyptian ruler at the time of Yusuf, the word "malik" (the King) is used in the Qur'an:
The King (Malik) said, "Bring him (Yusuf) to me straight away! So I may draw him very close to me." When he had spoken with him, he declared, "Today you are trusted, established in our sight." (Qur'an, 12: 54)
In the time of Musa, however, the Egyptian ruler is referred to as the "Pharaoh":
We gave Musa nine Clear Signs. Ask the tribe of Israel about when he came to them and Pharaoh said to him, "Musa, I think you are bewitched." (Qur'an, 17: 101)
Historical records now available provide the reasons for the different names used to refer to these two rulers of Egypt. In ancient Egypt, the term "pharaoh" originally referred to the royal palace. During the reign of the ancient kingdoms, the rulers did not hold such a title. The word "pharaoh" came to be used as a synonym for the Egyptian king under the New Kingdom (starting in the 18th dynasty, 1539-1292 B.C.), and by the 22nd dynasty (c. 945-c. 730 B.C.) it had been adopted as an epithet of respect.1
Here again, the miraculous qualities of the Qur'an are evidenced once again: because the Prophet Yusuf lived much before the New Kingdom, the Qur'an refers to the Egyptian king who was contemporary of Yusuf with the word "malik" and not "pharaoh." Musa, on the other hand, lived during the time of the New Kingdom, and, therefore, the Egyptian ruler who was contemporary of Musa was referred to in the Qur'an as "pharaoh."
Clearly, such a distinction implies a certain knowledge of the history of the ancient Egypt. However, as mentioned earlier, the history of Ancient Egypt was completely forgotten by the 4th century, since hieroglyphic writing was not deciphered until the 19th century. Therefore, during the period the Qur'an was revealed, no in-depth knowledge of Egyptian history was available. This fact is yet another piece of evidence, among countless of others, proving the fact that Qur'an is the word of God.
*dari si mbah Harun Yahya
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