| THE HISTORICAL
MIRACLES OF THE QUR'AN
 "HAMAN"
AND ANCIENT EGYPT MONUMENTS
PROPHET
MUSA (AS) AND SEA'S SPLITTING IN TWO
THE
TROUBLES WHICH AFFLICTED PHARAOH AND THOSE AROUND HIM
THE
PROPHET MUSA (AS) REFERRED TO AS A MAGICIAN
THE
WORD "PHARAOH" IN THE QUR'AN
NUH'S
FLOOD
THE
CITY OF IRAM
THE
CITIES OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
THE
PEOPLE OF SABA AND THE ARIM FLOOD
THE
PEOPLE OF AL-HIJR
"HAMAN" AND ANCIENT EGYPT MONUMENTS
The name "Haman" was not known until the decoding
of Egyptian hieroglyphics in the 19th century. When the hieroglyphics
were decoded, it was understood that Haman was a close helper
of the Pharaoh and was "the head of the stone quarries."
(Above are shown ancient Egyptian construction workers). The most
important point here is that Haman is mentioned in the Qur'an
as the person who directed construction work under the command
of the Pharaoh. This means that information that could not have
been known by anybody else at that time was given in the Qur'an,
a point most worthy of note.
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The Qur'an relates the life of the Prophet Musa (as) with great clarity.
As it tells of the conflict with the Pharaoh and his dealings with the
Children of Israel, the Qur'an reveals a wealth of information about ancient
Egypt. The significance of many of these historical points have only recently
come to the attention of the learned people of the world. If one considers
these points with reason, it quickly becomes clear that the Qur'an, and
the fountain of information contained within it, has been revealed by
the All-Wise Allah for it correlates directly with all major scientific,
historic and archaeological finds in recent times.
One such example of this wisdom can be found in the Qur'anic references
to Haman: a character whose name is mentioned in the Qur'an, along with
the Pharaoh. He is mentioned in six different places in the Qur'an, in
which it informs us that he was one of Pharaoh's closest allies.
Surprisingly, the name "Haman" is never mentioned in those sections of
the Torah pertaining to the life of the Prophet Musa (as). However, the
mention of Haman can be found in the last chapters of the Old Testament
as the helper of a Babylonian king who inflicted many cruelties on the
Israelites approximately 1,100 years after the Prophet Musa (as).The Qur'an,
far more in tune with recent archaeological discoveries, does indeed contain
the word "Haman" in reference to the life of the Prophet Musa (as).
The criticisms thrown at the book of Islam by some non-Muslims have disappeared
by the wayside as an Egyptian hieroglyphic script had been deciphered,
approximately 200 years ago, and the name "Haman" discovered in the ancient
scripts. Until the 18th century, the writings and inscriptions
of ancient Egypt could not be understood. The language of ancient Egypt
was made up of symbols rather than words: hieroglyphics. These pictures,
which tell stories and keep records of important events in the same way
that modern words do, was usually engraved on rock or stone and many examples
survived through the ages. With the spread of Christianity and other cultural
influences in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Egypt forsook its ancient beliefs
along with the hieroglyphic writing which was synonymous with that now
defunct belief system. The last known example of the use of hieroglyphic
writing was an inscription dated 394. The language of pictures and symbols
was forgotten, leaving nobody who could read and understand it. Naturally,
this made historical and archaeological study virtually impossible. This
situation remained-until just over two centuries ago.
In 1799, much to the delight of historians and other learned people,
the mystery of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics was solved by the discovery
of a tablet called the "Rosetta Stone." This amazing find dated back to
196 B.C. The importance of this inscription was that it was written in
three different forms of writing: hieroglyphics, demotic (a simplified
form of ancient Egyptian hieratic writing) and Greek. With the help of
the Greek script, the ancient Egyptian writings were decoded. The translation
of the inscription was completed by a Frenchman named Jean-Françoise Champollion.
Hence, a forgotten language and the events related in it were brought
to light. In this way, a great deal of knowledge about the civilization,
religion and social life of ancient Egypt became available to mankind
and this opened the way to greater knowledge about this important era
in human history.
Through the decoding of hieroglyph, an important piece
of knowledge was revealed: The name "Haman" was indeed mentioned in Egyptian
inscriptions. This name was referred to in a monument in the Hof Museum
in Vienna. This same inscription also indicated the close relationship
between Haman and the Pharaoh.200
In the dictionary of People in the New Kingdom,
that was prepared based on the entire collection of inscriptions, Haman
is said to be "the head of stone quarry workers."201
The result revealed a very important truth: Unlike the false assertion
of the opponents of the Qur'an, Haman was a person who lived in Egypt
at the time of the Prophet Musa (as). He had been close to the Pharaoh
and had been involved in construction work, just as imparted in the Qur'an.
Pharaoh said, "Council, I do not know of any other
god for you apart from Me. Haman, kindle a fire for me over the clay
and build me a lofty tower so that perhaps I may be able to climb up
to Musa's god! I consider him a blatant liar." (Qur'an, 28:38)
The verse in the Qur'an describing the event where the Pharaoh asked
Haman to build a tower is in perfect agreement with this archaeological
finding. Through this brilliant discovery, the irrational claims of the
opponents of the Qur'an were demonstrated to be false and intellectually
worthless.
In a miraculous way, the Qur'an conveys to us historical information
that could not have been possessed or understood at the time of the Prophet
(saas). Hieroglyphics could not be deciphered until the late 1700s so
the information could not have been ascertained from Egyptian sources.
When the name "Haman" was discovered in the ancient scripts, it was further
proof of the infallibility of Allah's Word.
PROPHET MUSA (AS) AND SEA'S SPLITTING IN TWO
The kings of Egypt-known as "Pharaohs" (or "Fir'awn" in the Arabic of
the Qur'an)-regarded themselves as divine in the polytheistic, superstitious
religion of ancient Egypt. At a time when the people of Egypt favoured
a superstitious belief system over a divine belief system-the same era
in which when the Children of Israel were enslaved-Allah sent the Prophet
Musa (as) as a messenger to the tribe of Egypt.
However,
Pharaoh and his court, and the people of Egypt in general, almost universally
refused to abandon their idolatrous beliefs when the Prophet Musa (as)
called them to divine religion and the Oneness of Allah. The Prophet Musa
(as) revealed to Pharaoh and his courtiers that they should avoid false
worship, warning them of Allah's wrath. In response to this, they rose
up and slandered the Prophet Musa (as): They accused him of being mad,
of being a sorcerer and of falsehood. Pharaoh and his people refused to
submit to the Prophet Musa (as) even though many troubles were visited
upon them. They refused to accept Allah as the only God. They even held
the Prophet Musa (as) responsible for what had befallen them and sought
to exile him from Egypt. In the Qur'an, Allah makes this reference to
the Prophet Musa (as) and the believers with him:
We revealed to Musa: "Travel with Our servants by night.
You will certainly be pursued." Pharaoh sent marshals into the cities:
"These people are a small group and we find them irritating and we constitute
a vigilant majority." We expelled them from gardens and springs, from
treasures and a splendid situation. So it was! And We bequeathed them
to the tribe of Israel. So they pursued them towards the east. (Qur'an,
26:52-60)
The map shows the route taken by the Prophet
Musa (as) after leaving Egypt and the estimated location of the
site where the sea divided.
The diagram shows the shallow and deeper areas. It is at this
point that the Sinai Peninsula and Arabia approach each other
most closely.
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As revealed in the Qur'an, the two communities met at the edge of the
sea following this pursuit. Allah divided the sea and saved the Prophet
Musa (as) and the believers with him, destroying Pharaoh and his people.
This aid from Allah is revealed thus:
So We revealed to Musa, "Strike the sea with your staff."
And it split in two, each part like a towering cliff. And We brought
the others right up to it. We rescued Musa and all those who were with
him. Then We drowned the rest. There is certainly a Sign in that yet
most of them are not believers. Truly your Lord is the Almighty, the
Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 26:63-68)
In connection with this subject, the following account has recently been
found in papyruses from the time of Pharaoh:
From Amenamoni, head of the protective books of the
white room of the palace, to the scribe Penterhor:
When this letter reaches you and has been read point by point, surrender
your heart to the sharpest pain, like a leaf before the storm, when
you learn of the sorrowful disaster of the drowning in the whirlpool…
Calamity struck him suddenly and inescapably. Depict the destruction
of the lords, the lord of the tribes, the king of the east and the west.
The sleep in the waters has made something helpless out of something
great. What news can compare to the news I have sent you?202
This miracle, experienced by the Prophet Musa (as) and the Children of
Israel as they crossed the Red Sea, has been the subject of many studies.
Archaeological investigations have established not only the path taken
to the Red Sea after leaving Egypt, but also that the place where Pharaoh
and the Prophet Musa (as) and his tribe met was one surrounded by mountains.
(Allah knows best.)
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The mountain known as Jabal-al
Musa is generally regarded as being in the Sinai Peninsula. However,
recent findings have shown that it is actually on the Arabian shore
of the Red Sea. |
|
Following a long and difficult
journey for the Prophet Musa (as) and the Israelites, a passage
out between the mountains could be seen. |
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That part of the Sinai Peninsula
opening onto the Gulf. |
Following a great deal of study and investigation taking this as the
starting point, scientists came to striking conclusions with regard to
how the sea was divided into two. These conclusions are in full agreement
with those revealed in the Qur'an. The way that historical events described
in the Qur'an are today illuminated by historical records is without doubt
an important miracle of the book of Islam.
Pharaoh’s royal chariot is on display in a museum in Egypt.
A similar example was found during excavations in the location where
the sea divided. |
Naum Volzinger and Alexei Androsov, two Russian mathematicians, proved
that the Prophet Musa (as) could indeed have parted the sea. Unlike those
scientists who concentrated on the probability of such a miracle, the
Russian mathematicians investigated the conditions that might have led
to the miracle. In turn, this led to the confirmation of the miracle itself.
According to the study which was
published in the Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, there was
a reef, which was close to the surface in the Red Sea at that time. From
there, the scientists set about establishing the speed of the wind and
the strength of the storm needed to leave the reef high and dry at low
tide. As a result, it became apparent that a wind speed of 30 metres per
second would have caused the sea to retract, leaving the reef exposed.
Naum Volzinger, of the Institute of Oceanography of the Russian Academy
of Sciences, stated that "if the [east] wind blew all night at a speed
of 30 metres per second then the reef would be dry." He also said that
"it would take the Jews-there were 600,000 of them-four hours to cross
the 7 kilometre reef that runs from one coast to another… then, in half
an hour, the waters would come back."203
In addition, Volzinger said that he and his colleague Androsov studied
the issue strictly from Isaac Newton's point of view. As he put it, "I
am convinced that God rules the Earth through the laws of physics."204
It must not be forgotten that there is always a possibility of this natural
phenomenon taking place. If Allah so desires, this miracle can take place
again when the requisite conditions-such as windspeed, time and place-are
met. However, the truly miraculous aspect here is the fact that these
events took place just when the Prophet Musa (as) and his tribe were about
to be vanquished. The fact that the waters withdrew just as the Prophet
Musa (as) and the community with him were about to cross them-not to mention
the way that the waters returned just as Pharaoh and his army were crossing-is
a clear example of the aid that Allah gives to the faithful. Indeed, the
way that the Prophet Musa (as) relied on and trusted in Allah is an example
of the most pleasing moral values:
And when the two hosts came into sight of one another
Musa's companions said, "We will surely be overtaken!" He said, "Never!
My Lord is with me and He will guide me." (Qur'an, 26:61-62)
THE TROUBLES WHICH AFFLICTED PHARAOH AND THOSE AROUND
HIM
Pharaoh and those people close to him were so devoted to their polytheistic
system and pagan beliefs that not even message of the Prophet Musa (as),
armed with wisdom and spectacular miracles, could soften their hearts
and thus turn them away from baseless superstitions. They also openly
stated this fact:
They said, "No matter what kind of Sign you bring us
to bewitch us, we will not believe in you." (Qur'an, 7:132)
Because of their haughty attitude, Allah sent to them afflictions, described
as "Signs, clear and distinct" in one verse, in order
to punish them for their haughtiness. (Qur'an, 7:133) The first of these
was drought. As a result, there was a fall in production. The relevant
verse of the Qur'an states:
We seized Pharaoh's people with years of drought and
scarcity of fruits so that hopefully they would pay heed. (Qur'an, 7:130)
The Egyptians' agricultural systems depended on the River Nile and changes
in natural conditions did not therefore generally affect them. However,
Pharaoh and those around him suffered greatly because of their pride and
refusal to recognise Allah's Messenger. Yet instead of "paying heed,"
they regarded these events as bad luck caused by the Prophet Musa (as)
and the Tribe of Israel. Following that, Allah sent a series of tribulations.
We are told of these in the Qur'an:
So We sent down on them floods, locusts, lice,
frogs and blood, Signs, clear and distinct, but they proved arrogant
and were an evildoing people. (Qur'an, 7:133)
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In the early 19th century a papyrus dating back to the Middle Kingdom
was discovered in Egypt. The papyrus was taken to the Leiden Museum
in Holland and translated by A.H. Gardiner in 1909. The entire text
appears in the book Admonitions of an Egyptian from a Hieratic Papyrus
in Leiden, and describes major changes in Egypt; famine, drought,
the slaves’ flight from Egypt with their assets, and death
all over the nation. The papyrus was written by an Egyptian called
Ipuwer and it appears from its contents that this individual personally
witnessed the disasters that struck Egypt. This papyrus is a most
significant hand-written description of the catastrophes, the death
of Egyptian society and the destruction of Pharaoh.
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The details in the papyrus regarding the disasters that struck the people
of Egypt are just as described in the Qur'an. In the Qur'an, we are told
about these catastrophes. This Islamic account of this period of human
history has been confirmed by the discovery in Egypt, in the early 19th
century, of the Ipuwer papyruses dating back to the Middle Kingdom. After
the discovery of this papyrus, it was sent to the Leiden Dutch Museum
in 1909 and translated by A. H. Gardiner, a prominent scholar of ancient
Egypt. In the papyrus were described such disasters in Egypt as famine,
drought and the fleeing of the slaves from Egypt. Moreover, it appears
that the writer of the papyrus, one Ipuwer, had actually witnessed these
events. This is how the Ipuwer papyrus refers to these catastrophes described
in the Qur'an:
Plague is throughout the land. Blood is everywhere.205
The river is blood.206
Forsooth, that has perished which yesterday was seen.
The land is left over to its weariness like the cutting of flax.207
Lower Egypt weeps... The entire palace is without
its revenues. To it belong (by right) wheat and barley, geese and fish.208
Forsooth, grain has perished on every side.209
The land-to its whole extent confusion and terrible
noise… For nine days there was no exit from the palace and no one could
see the face of his fellow… Towns were destroyed by mighty tides… Upper
Egypt suffered devastation… blood everywhere… pestilence throughout
the country… No one really sails north to Byblos today. What shall we
do for cedar for our mummies?… Gold is lacking…210
Men shrink from tasting-human beings, and thirst
after water.211
That is our water! That is our happiness! What shall
we do in respect thereof? All is ruin!212
The towns are destroyed. Upper Egypt has become dry.213
The residence is overturned in a minute.214
The chain of disasters which struck the people of Egypt,
according to this document, conforms perfectly with the Qur'anic account
of these matters.215 This
papyrus, which closely parallels the catastrophes which struck Egypt in
the time of Pharaoh, once again demonstrates the Qur'an to be divine in
origin.
THE PROPHET MUSA (AS) REFERRED TO AS A MAGICIAN
In papyruses from the time of Pharaoh, the Prophet Musa (as) is regularly
referred to as a magician. (The papyruses in question are held in the
British Museum.) Despite all the best efforts of Pharaoh and his supporters,
they were never able to get the better of the Prophet Musa (as) in their
all-out war against him and the Children of Israel.
This is written on the second day of the seventh month of Payni during
the reign of Ramses, the elder brother of Ammon, the Sun's son who is
the administrator of justice, and who lives eternally like his father,
the Sun… When you receive this letter, rise, set to work and undertake
the supervision of the fields. When you hear the news of a new misfortune
such as a flood ruining the entire cereals, think. Hemton destroyed
them by consuming them greedily, granaries are cracked, rats are clumped
in fields, fleas are like hurricane, scorpions are eating up greedily,
wounds caused by little flies are too many to count. And these grieve
the people… The Scribe [probably referring to the Prophet
Musa (as)] fulfilled the purpose to destroy the total amount
of cereals… Sorceries are like their bread. Scribe… is the
first of men in the art of writing.
The reference to the Prophet Musa (as), and the "magician" accusations
hurled at him, can be found in the following verses:
They said, "Magician, invoke your Lord for us by the
contract He has made with you and we shall certainly follow the guidance."
(Qur'an, 43:49)
They said, "No matter what kind of Sign you bring us
to bewitch us, we will not believe in you." (Qur'an, 7:132)
THE WORD "PHARAOH" IN THE QUR'AN
In
the Old Testament, the Egyptian ruler during the period of Prophet Ibrahim
(as) and Prophet Yusuf (as) are named "Pharaoh." However, this title was
actually employed after the eras in which these two Prophets lived.
While addressing the Egyptian ruler at the time of Prophet Yusuf (as),
the word "Al-Malik" in Arabic is used in the Qur'an: It refers
to a ruler, king or sultan:
The King said, 'Bring him to me straight away!'… (Qur'an,
12:50)
The ruler of Egypt in the time of the Prophet Musa (as) is referred to
as "Pharaoh." This distinction in the Qur'an is not made in the Old and
New Testaments nor by Jewish historians. In the Bible, the word "Pharaoh"
is used, in every reference to an Egyptian monarch. On the other hand,
the Qur'an is far more concise and accurate in the terminology it employs.
The use of the word "Pharaoh" in Egyptian history belongs
only to the late period. This particular title began to be employed in
the 14th century B.C., during the reign of Amenhotep IV. The Prophet Yusuf
(as) lived at least 200 years before that time.216
The Encyclopaedia Britannica says that the word "Pharaoh" was
a title of respect used from the New Kingdom (beginning with the 18th
dynasty; B.C. 1539-1292) until the 22nd dynasty (B.C. 945-730), after
which this term of address became the title of the king. Further information
on this subject comes from the Academic American Encyclopaedia,
which states that the title of Pharaoh began to be used in the New Kingdom.
In this way We give you
news of what has gone before and We have given you a reminder direct
from Us. Those who turn away from it will bear a heavy burden on
the Day of Rising.
(Qur’an, 20: 99-100) |
As we have seen, the use of the word "Pharaoh" dates from a specific
period in history. For that reason, the fact that the Qur'an distinguishes
between the different Egyptian titles in different Egyptian eras is yet
another proof that the Qur'an is Allah's Word.
NUH'S FLOOD
We sent Nuh to his people and he remained among them
for fifty short of a thousand years; yet the Flood engulfed them while
they were wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 29:14)
The Prophet Nuh (as) was sent to his people by Allah. They had distanced
themselves from the commandments of the Lord and ascribed partners to
Him. The Prophet Nuh (as) warned them that they should serve Allah alone
and abandon the false worship which they had established in their community.
Although the Prophet Nuh (as) called on his people with great eloquence
and wisdom, and warned them against the punishment of Allah, they rejected
the Prophet and continued to associate partners to Him. At this, Allah
told the Prophet Nuh (as) that He would punish the deniers by drowning
them. But He also informed His Messenger that His mercy would save the
believers, those who embraced true religion and worshipped the One and
Only God. The destruction of the people of Nuh and the salvation of the
believers is described thus in the Qur'an:
But they denied him so We rescued him and those with
him in the Ark. And We drowned the people who denied Our Signs. They
were a blind people. (Qur'an, 7:64)
When the time of punishment came, the water in the ground combined with
violent rains to cause a giant flood. (Allah knows best.) It is revealed
that before the flood came, Allah spoke to the Prophet Nuh (as):
We revealed to him: "Build the Ship under Our supervision
and as We reveal. When Our command comes and water bubbles up from the
earth, load into it a pair of every species, and your family-except
for those among them against whom the word has already gone ahead. And
do not address Me concerning those who do wrong. They shall be drowned."
(Qur'an, 23:27)
Apart from those who boarded Prophet Nuh's (as) Ark, the entire tribe
was drowned. The dead included the Prophet's son who thought he could
escape by seeking shelter on a mountain.
It was said, "Earth, swallow up your water!" and, "Heaven,
hold back your rain!" And the water subsided and the affair was concluded
and the Ark came to land on al-Judi. And it was said, "Away with the
people of the wrongdoers!" (Qur'an, 11:44)
Compared to the flood accounts contained in Jewish scriptures, and indeed
the various cultural beliefs of other peoples, the Qur'anic account, which
was revealed by Allah and is the only divine text to have remained uncorrupted,
stands as the most reliable of all these accounts. The Torah, a corrupted
text, says that this flood was universal and covered the whole world.
On the contrary, it appears from the relevant verses that the flood was
a regional one and punished not the whole world but only the tribe that
rejected the Prophet Nuh (as). Those who were destroyed in it were the
people who rejected the message of the Prophet Nuh (as) and persisted
in their denial. There is no indication in the Qur'an that the flood was
universal. The verses on the subject read:
We sent Nuh to his people: "I am a clear warner to
you. Worship none but Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a painful
day." (Qur'an, 11:25-26)
But they denied him so We rescued him and those with
him in the Ark. And We drowned the people who denied Our Signs. They
were a blind people. (Qur'an, 7:64)
So We rescued him and those with him by mercy from
Us, and We cut off the last remnant of those who denied Our Signs and
were not believers. (Qur'an, 7:72)
As we have seen, we are told in the Qur'an that only the people of the
Prophet Nuh (as) were destroyed, not the whole world. The corrected states
of the corrupted accounts in Christian and Jewish scriptures in the Qur'an
prove that it is, in its entirety, a book sent down by Allah.
Excavations in the region where the flood is believed to have occurred
also show that the flood was not a universal event, but a wide-scale disaster
that affected part of Mesopotamia.
When the waters subsided, the Ark came to rest. As revealed in the Qur'an,
the resting place of the ark was al-Judi. The word "judi" is sometimes
taken to mean a particular mountain, although the Arabic word itself means
"high place, hill." From that point of view, the word "judi"
can refer to the waters reaching only up to a certain height and not to
the covering of all the land. In other words, we learn from the Qur'an
that the flood did not swallow up all the land and all the mountains on
Earth-as is related in Jewish scriptures and other legends-but only one
particular region.
Archaeological Evidence for the Flood
According to the archaeological findings, Nuh’s Flood took place
on the Mesopotamian Plain, the shape of which was very different to
that of today. The present-day limits of the plain are shown with
a dotted red line in the above diagram. The wide region beyond that
line is known to have been part of the sea at that time. |
If a natural disaster, sudden migration or war, for example, should result
in the destruction of a civilisation, traces of that civilisation are
well-protected. The houses people lived in and the objects people used
in their daily lives are quickly buried under the earth. These are thus
conserved for long periods without being touched by human hands. For students
of the past, they provide invaluable clues when they are finally brought
to light.
In recent times, the discovery of a large amount of evidence concerning
Nuh's Flood has come to the attention of the world's most prominent archaeologists
and historians. The Flood, believed to have occurred around 3000 B.C.,
destroyed an entire civilisation and allowed an entirely new one to be
founded in its place. That evidence of the Flood was preserved for thousands
of years provides a deterrent to those people who have come after this
punishment of the wicked.
Many excavations have been carried out to study the flood, which was
localised on and around the Mesopotamian Plains. Digs in the region have
encountered traces of a flood in four main cities on the Mesopotamian
Plain: Ur, Erech, Kish and Shuruppak. Excavations in these cities have
shown that these cities were hit by flooding around 3000 B.C.
The oldest of the remains of the civilisation in the city of Ur-today
known as Tell al Muqqayar-date back to 7000 B.C. The city of Ur, one of
the oldest human civilisations, was a settlement region in which consecutive
civilisations were born and died.
The archaeological discoveries which came from study of Ur unearthed
information which clearly informs us that a civilisation there was interrupted
by a terrible flood and that new civilisations gradually sprang up in
its place. Leonard Woolley led a joint excavation by the British Museum
and the University of Pennsylvania in the desert area between Baghdad
and the Persian Gulf. Woolley's excavations are described by the German
archaeologist Werner Keller as follows:
"The graves of the kings of Ur" - so Woolley, in
the exuberance of his delight at discovering them, had dubbed the tombs
of Sumerian nobles whose truly regal splendour had been exposed when
the spades of the archaeologists attacked a fifty-foot mound south of
the temple and found a long row of superimposed graves. The stone vaults
were veritable treasure chests, for they were filled with all the costly
goblets, wonderfully shaped jugs and vases, bronze tableware, mother
of pearl mosaics, lapis lazuli, and silver surrounded these bodies which
had mouldered into dust. Harps and lyres rested against the walls…
When after several days some of Woolley's workmen called out to him,
"We are on ground level", he let himself down onto the floor of the
shaft to satisfy himself. Woolley's first thought was "This is it at
last". It was sand, pure sand of a kind that could only have been deposited
by water.
They decided to dig on and make the shaft deeper. Deeper and deeper
went the spades into the ground: three feet, six feet - still pure mud.
Suddenly, at ten feet, the layer of mud stopped as abruptly as it had
started. Under this clay deposit of almost ten feet thick, they had
struck fresh evidence of human habitation…
The Flood - that was the only possible explanation of this great clay
deposit beneath the hill at Ur, which quite clearly separated two epochs
of settlement…217
Excavations in the Mesopotamian Plain revealed the presence of a layer
of mud and clay at a depth of 2.5 metres (8 feet). This stratum in
all probability consisted of clay carried by the waters of the Flood,
and is to be found only under the Mesopotamian Plain. |
Microscopic analysis revealed that this great clay deposit beneath the
hill at Ur had accumulated here as a result of a flood, one so large and
powerful as to annihilate ancient Sumerian civilisation. The epic of Gilgamesh
and the story of Nuh were united in this shaft dug deep under the Mesopotamian
desert.
Max Mallowan related the thoughts of Leonard Woolley,
who said that such a huge mass of alluvium formed in a single time-slice
could only be the result of a huge flood disaster. Woolley also described
the flood layer, which separated the Sumerian city of Ur from the city
of Al-Ubaid whose inhabitants used painted pottery, as the remains of
the Flood.218
These facts demonstrated that the city of Ur was one
of those places affected by the Flood. The German archaeologist Werner
Keller also described the importance of the excavation in question. He
has gone on record to say that the yield of city-remains beneath a muddy
layer in the archaeological excavations made in Mesopotamia proves that
there was indeed a flood in the region.219
Another Mesopotamian city to bear the traces of the
Flood is the "Kish of the Sumerians," the present-day Tall Al-Uhaimer.
Ancient Sumerian records describe this city as the "seat of the first
postdiluvian dynasty."220
The southern Mesopotamian city of Shuruppak, the present-day
Tall Fa'rah, also bears evident traces of the Flood. Archaeological investigations
were carried out in this city between 1920 and 1930 by Erich Schmidt of
the University of Pennsylvania. These excavations uncovered three layers
of habitation which stretched from the late prehistoric period to the
3rd dynasty of Ur (2112-2004 B.C.). The most distinctive finds were ruins
of well-built houses along with cuneiform tablets of administrative records
and lists of words, indicating a highly developed society already in existence
toward the end of the 4th millennium B.C.221
When one examines the opinions of these learned scientists,
it is clear that they believe that the evidence which supports the Flood
account is overwhelming. According to this opinion, this terrible flood
took place in or around 3000-2900 B.C. According to Mallowan's account,
4-5 metres below the earth, Schmidt had reached a yellow soil layer (formed
by flood) made up of a mixture of clay and sand. This layer was closer
to the plain level than the tumulus profile and it could be observed all
around the tumulus. Schmidt defined this layer made up of a mixture of
clay and sand, which remained from the time of Ancient Kingdom of Cemdet
Nasr, as "a sand with its origins in the river" and associated it with
Nuh's Flood.222
In short, the excavations in the city of Shuruppak
once again revealed the traces of a flood around 3000-2900 B.C. Together
with the other cities, Shuruppak was in all probability struck by the
Flood.223
The last settlement containing evidence of being struck
by the Flood is the city of Erech, south of Shuruppak. Today, it is known
as Tall Al-Warka. As in the other cities, a flood layer was also discovered
here. Like the other cities, this flood layer has been dated to 3000-2900
B.C.224
The Euphrates and Tigris rivers divide Mesopotamia from one end to the
other. It appears that in the era in question, these two rivers overflowed,
together with all other water sources, great and small, combining with
rainwater to create an enormous flood. This phenomenon is reported in
these terms in the Qur'an:
So We opened the gates of heaven with torrential water
and made the earth burst forth with gushing springs. And the waters
met together in a way which was decreed. We bore him on a planked and
well-caulked ship. (Qur'an, 54:11-13)
When the clues obtained from the research are evaluated, they indicate
that the Flood covered all of the Mesopotamian plains. When we look at
the succession of cities-Ur, Erech, Shuruppak and Kish-that bear the traces
of the Flood, we see that they all lie in a line. In addition, the geographical
structure of the Mesopotamian Plain was very different in around 3000
B.C. compared to its constitution today. At that time, the bed of the
River Euphrates was much further to the east than it is today, lying on
a line passing through Ur, Erech, Shuruppak and Kish. It therefore appears
that the Euphrates burst its banks in this region and destroyed the four
cities. (Allah knows best.)
Allah imparted the news of Nuh's Flood in order that it should act as
a deterrent for those of that time and a valuable lesson to those who
were to come after, people like us. By means of the Prophets and books,
He sent guidance to different societies. However, each time the texts
which were brought to the people by Allah's Prophets were corrupted from
their original forms. Men added cultural, mystical or mythological elements
to the true account of the Flood. The Qur'an, because it is from Allah
and because He preserves it eternally, is the only source compatible with
the archaeological findings of the past. (See Harun Yahya, Perished
Nations, Ta - Ha Publishers, 2002)
THE CITY OF IRAM
At the beginning of 1990, press-releases in the well-known newspapers
of the world declared "Fabled Lost Arabian city found," "Arabian city
of Legend found" and "The Atlantis of the Sands, Ubar." What rendered
this archaeological find particularly intriguing was the fact that this
city is mentioned in the Qur'an. Many people had previously suggested
'Ad was a legend or that the location in question could never be found.
Such people could not conceal their astonishment at this phenomenal discovery.
It was Nicholas Clapp, a noted documentary
filmmaker and a lecturer on archaeology, who found this legendary city
mentioned in the Qur'an.225
Being an Arabophile and a winning documentary film maker, Clapp had come
across a very interesting book during his research on Arabian history.
This book was Arabia Felix, written by the English researcher Bertram
Thomas in 1932. Arabia Felix was the Roman designation for the southern
part of the Arabian Peninsula which today includes Yemen and much of Oman.
The Greeks called this area "Eudaimon Arabia" and medieval Arab scholars
called it "Al-Yaman as-Saeed."226
All of these names mean "Happy Yemen," because the people living in that
region used to serve as middlemen in the lucrative spice trade between
India and places north of the Arabian Peninsula. In addition, the people
living in this region produced and distributed "frankincense," an aromatic
resin from rare trees.
The English researcher Thomas described these tribes
at length and claimed that he found the traces of an ancient city founded
by one of these tribes.227 This was the city
known as "Ubar" by the Bedouins. In one of the trips he made to the region,
the Bedouins living in the desert had shown him well-worn tracks and stated
that these tracks led toward the ancient city of Ubar. Thomas, who showed
great interest in the subject, died before being able to complete his
research.
Whole societies have passed
away before your time, so travel about the earth and see the final
fate of the deniers.
(Qur’an, 3:137) |
Clapp, who examined what the English researcher Thomas
wrote, was convinced of the existence of the lost city described in the
book. He quickly started his research, attempting to carry on from where
Thomas had left the project. Clapp took two different approaches in his
mission to prove the existence of Ubar. First, he found the tracks which
the Bedouins said existed and in order to aid his work, he applied to
NASA to provide the satellite images of the area. After a long struggle,
he succeeded in persuading the authorities to take the pictures of the
region he so craved.228
The above satellite photographs show a section of Oman in the
south of the Arabian Peninsula. In the photographs of the city
of Ubar, viewed from space by NASA in 1992, were identified traces
of ancient desert tracks. The people of ‘Ad, revealed 1,400
years ago in the Qur’an, emerged as one of the miracles
of the Qur’an through modern-day technology.
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Clapp went on to study the ancient manuscripts and maps in the Huntington
library in California. Here, he quickly found a map covering the region
he was studying so intensely. He found a map drawn by the Greek-Egyptian
geographer Ptolemy in 200, which showed the location of an old city found
in the region and the paths which actually led up to this city.
Meanwhile, his research received a further boost when he received the
news that satellite photographs had been taken by members of NASA. In
the pictures, caravan trails, which were virtually invisible to the naked
eye, caught Clapp's attention. They could only be seen as a whole from
the sky. Comparing these pictures with the old map he had in hand, Clapp
immediately realised that the trails in the old map corresponded with
the trails in the pictures taken from the satellite. The final destination
of these trails was a broad site understood to have once been a city.
Finally, thanks to the work of Clapp and Thomas before him-along with
a helping hand from NASA researchers-the location of this legendary city,
which had been subject of the stories told orally by the Bedouins, was
discovered. After a short while, excavations began and remains of an old
city were brought to light. This lost city was dubbed "Ubar, the Atlantis
of the Sands."
But let us ask: What was it that proved this to be the city of the people
of 'Ad mentioned in the Qur'an?
From the very beginning of the study of the site, it was understood that
this ruined city belonged to 'Ad. Researchers discovered Iram's pillars,
which were specifically mentioned in the Qur'an, in the form of towers
in the land of the people of 'Ad. Dr. Juris Zarins, a member of the research
team leading the excavation, said that since the towers were alleged to
be the distinctive feature of Ubar and since Iram was mentioned as having
towers or pillars, this then was the strongest proof so far that the site
they had unearthed was Iram, the city of 'Ad described in the Qur'an:
Do you not see what your Lord did with 'Ad-Iram of
the Columns whose like was not created in any land? (Qur'an, 89:6-8)
As seen, that the information provided by the Qur'an about the events
of the past is in total agreement with historical information is another
evidence of the fact that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah.
THE CITIES OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
A photograph of the Dead Sea
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The Prophet Lut (as) lived at the same time as the Prophet Ibrahim (as)
and was sent as a Messenger to a neighbouring tribe to the Prophet Ibrahim
(as). That tribe, according to the Qur'an, practiced a perversion never
before seen in the world: homosexuality. When the Prophet Lut (as) told
the people to abandon one of the greatest sins and delivered to them the
message of Allah, they rejected him. They denied that he was a Prophet
and continued with their horrid lifestyle. As a result of this, the tribe
was destroyed in a terrible disaster by Allah.
And Lut, when he said to his people, "Do you commit
an obscenity not perpetrated before you by anyone in all the worlds?
You come with lust to men instead of women. You are indeed a depraved
people." (Qur'an, 7:80-81)
We rained down a rain upon them. See the final fate
of the evildoers! (Qur'an, 7:84)
[Our Messengers said to Lut,] "We will bring down on
the inhabitants of this city a devastating punishment from heaven because
of their deviance." We have left a Clear Sign of them behind for people
who use their intellect. (Qur'an, 29:34-35)
This city, in which the Prophet Lut (as) lived and which was later destroyed,
is called "Sodom" in the Old Testament. It appears that this people, who
lived to the north of the Red Sea, was destroyed in a manner compatible
with the description in the Qur'an. Archaeological excavations have revealed
that the city lay close to the Dead Sea on the present-day Israeli-Jordanian
border. According to scientists, the area is covered in large deposits
of sulphur. For this reason, no life in the form of animals or plants
is to be found there and the region stands as a symbol of destruction.
[He is] the
Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between them,
if you are people with certainty. There is no god but Him—He
gives life and causes to die—your Lord and the Lord of your
forefathers, the previous peoples.
(Qur’an, 44:7-8) |
Sulphur is an element which appears as a result of volcanic eruptions.
Indeed, there is clear evidence in the Qur'an that the method of destruction
was earthquake and volcanic eruptions. The German archaeologist Werner
Keller says this about the region:
Together with the base of this mighty fissure, which
runs precisely through this area, the Vale of Siddim, including Sodom
and Gomorrah, plunged one day into the abyss. Their destruction came
about through a great earthquake which was probably accompanied by explosions,
lightning, issue of natural gas and general conflagration… The subsidence
released volcanic forces that had been lying dormant deep down along
the whole length of the fracture. In the upper valley of the Jordan
near Bashan there are still towering craters of extinct volcanoes; great
stretches of lava and deep layers of basalt have been deposited on the
limestone surface.229
The photographs above show the ancient settlement
area around the volcano Mount Vesuvius. It is clear from the remains
in the region that the Pompeiians who lived here enjoyed a luxurious
and splendid lifestyle.
The petrified body on the left is a remain testifying to the disasters
that struck the people of Pompeii.
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These layers of lava and basalt are the most important evidence showing
that a volcanic eruption and earthquake once took place there. In any
event Lake Lut, otherwise known as the Dead Sea, lies directly above a
seismically active region-in other words, an earthquake belt:
The base of the dead sea is located with a tectonic
rooted downfall. This valley is located in a tension stretching between
the Taberiye Lake in the north, and mid of Arabah Valley in the south.230
The technical aspect of the disaster suffered by the people of Lut has
been revealed in studies carried out by geologists. These have shown that
the earthquake which wiped out the people of Lut came about as the result
of a very long fault line. The Jordan River drops a total of 180 metres
during its 190 km course. This, and the fact that the Dead Sea is 400
metres below sea level, combined to prove that that there once took place
a major geological event in and around this area.
This interesting structure of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea comprise
only part of the crack or fissure which passes through this region. It
begins at the slopes of the Toros Mountains and runs southward past the
southern shores of the Dead Sea, through the Arabian Desert, reaching
the Gulf of Aqaba, from where it crosses the Red Sea before coming to
an end in Africa. There is major volcanic activity in those areas through
which the line passes. In fact, this occurs to such an extent that black
basalt and lava can be found in the Mountains of Galilee in Israel, in
part of the high plateaus in Jordan, the Gulf of Aqaba and other areas.
All these remains and geographical features show that there was a major
geological event at the Dead Sea.
The December 1957 edition of National Geographic magazine contained
these statements on the subject:
The mount of Sodom, a barren wasteland, rises sharply
above the dead sea. No one has ever found the destroyed cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah, but scholars believe that they stood in the Vale of Siddim
across from these cliffs. Possibly flood waters of the Dead Sea engulfed
them following an earthquake.231
One of the pieces of information regarding this destroyed city is-as
revealed in Surat al-Hijr 76-that these cities are still on the main line.
Geographers have identified this region as being on a line to the south-east
of the Dead Sea, extending from the Arabian peninsula to Syria and Egypt.
We turned the place completely upside down and rained
down on them stones of hard-baked clay. There are certainly Signs in
that for the discerning. They were beside a road which still exists.
There is certainly a Sign in that for the believers. (Qur'an, 15:74-77)
THE PEOPLE OF SABA AND THE ARIM FLOOD
Many centuries ago, the community of Saba was one of the four biggest
civilisations which lived in South Arabia.
Ruins of the Temple of Ma’rib
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Historical sources relating to Saba usually say that this was a culture
akin to that of the Phoenicians. It was particularly involved in commercial
activities. The Sabaeans are recognised by historians as a civilised and
cultured people. In the inscriptions of the rulers of Saba, words such
as "restore," "dedicate" and "construct" are frequently used. The Ma'rib
Dam, which is one of the most important monuments of this people, is an
important indication of the technological level this people had reached.
The Sabaean state had one of the strongest armies in the region and was
able to adopt an expansionist policy thanks to its potent army. With its
advanced culture and army, the Sabaean state was without question one
of the "super powers" of the region at the time. This extraordinarily
strong army of the Sabaean state is also described in the Qur'an. An expression
of the commanders of the Saba army related in the Qur'an, shows the extent
of the confidence this army had in itself. The commanders call out to
the female ruler (Queen) of the state:
… "We possess strength and we possess great force.
But the matter is in your hands so consider what you command." (Qur'an,
27:33)
Because of the Ma'rib Dam which had been constructed, with the help of
quite advanced technology for that particular era, the people of Saba
possessed an enormous irrigation capacity. The fertile soil they acquired
by virtue of this technique and their control over the trade route permitted
them a splendid lifestyle, full of well-being. However, instead of giving
thanks to Allah for all this, the Qur'an informs us that they actually
"turned away from Him." Furthermore, they refused to heed the warnings
and reminders issued to them. Because of these poor moral values, they
merited punishment in the sight of Allah and their dams collapsed and
the flood of Arim ruined all their lands.
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The Ma’rib Dam (shown in the
pictures above and to the side) was one of the major works of the
people of Saba. The dam collapsed in the flood of Arim, mentioned
in the Qur’an, and the Sabaean state was weakened economically
and eventually collapsed. |
The capital city of the Sabaean state was Ma'rib, which
was extremely wealthy thanks to its advantageous geographical position.
The capital city was very close to the River Adhanah. The point where
the river reached Jabal Balaq was very suitable for the construction of
a dam. Making use of this condition, the Sabaean people constructed a
dam at this location at the time when their civilisation was first established,
and they began irrigation. As a result, they reached a very high level
of economic prosperity. The capital city, Ma'rib, was one of the most
developed cities of the time. The Greek writer Pliny, who had visited
the region and greatly praised it, also mentioned how green this region
was.232
The height of the dam in Ma'rib was 16 metres, its
width was 60 metres and its length was 620 metres. According to the calculations,
the total area that could be irrigated by the dam was 9,600 hectares,
of which 5,300 hectares belonged to the southern plain. The remaining
part belonged to the northern plain. These two plains were referred to
as "Ma'rib and two plains" in the Sabaean inscriptions.233
The expression in the Qur'an, "two gardens to the right and to
the left," points to the imposing gardens and vineyards in these
two valleys. Thanks to this dam and its irrigation systems, the region
became famous as the best irrigated and most fruitful area of Yemen. The
Frenchman J. Holevy and the Austrian Glaser proved from written documents
that the Ma'rib dam existed since ancient times. In documents written
in the Himer dialect, it is related that this dam rendered the territory
very productive and was the heartbeat of the economy.
The dam that collapsed in 542 led to the flood of Arim and caused enormous
damage. The vineyards, orchards and fields cultivated for hundreds of
years by the people of Saba were completely destroyed. Following the collapse
of the dam, the people of Saba appear to have entered a period of rapid
contraction, at the end of which the Sabaean state came to an end.
When we examine the Qur'an in the light of the historical data above,
we observe that there is very substantial agreement here. Archaeological
findings and the historical data both verify what is recorded in the Qur'an.
As mentioned in the verse, these people, who did not listen to the exhortations
of their Prophet and who rejected faith, were in the end punished with
a dreadful flood. This flood is described in the Qur'an in the following
verses:
There was, for Saba, aforetime, a Sign in their home-land-two
Gardens to the right and to the left. "Eat of the Sustenance [provided]
by your Lord, and be grateful to Him: a territory fair and happy, and
a Lord Oft-Forgiving!" But they turned away [from Allah], and We sent
against them the Flood [released] from the dams, and We converted their
two garden [rows] into "gardens" producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks,
and some few [stunted] Lote-trees. That was the Requital We gave them
because they ungratefully rejected Faith: And never do We give [such]
requital except to such as are ungrateful rejecters. (Qur'an, 34:15-17)
In the Qur'an, the punishment sent to the Sabaean people is named as
"Sayl al-Arim" which means the "flood of Arim." This expression
used in the Qur'an also tells us the manner in which this disaster occurred.
The word "Arim" means dam or barrier. The expression "Sayl
al-Arim" describes a flood that came about with the collapse of this
barrier. Islamic commentators have resolved the issue of time and place
being guided by the terms used in the Qur'an about the flood of Arim.
For example, Mawdudi writes in his commentary:
As also used in the expression, Sayl al-Arim, the
word "arim" is derived from the word "arimen" used in the Southern Arabic
dialect, which means "dam, barrier." In the ruins unearthed in the excavations
made in Yemen, this word was seen to be frequently used in this meaning.
For example, in the inscriptions which was ordered by Yemen's Habesh
monarch, Ebrehe (Abraha), after the restoration of the big Ma'rib wall
in 542 and 543 AD, this word was used to mean dam (barrier) time and
again. So, the expression of Sayl al- Arim means "a flood disaster which
occurs after the destruction of a dam." "… We converted their
two garden [rows] into gardens producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks,
and some few [stunted] Lote-trees" (Qur'an, 34:16). That is,
after the collapse of the dam-wall, all the country was inundated by
the flood. The canals that had been dug by the Sabaean people, and the
wall that had been constructed by building barriers between the mountains,
were destroyed and the irrigation system fell apart. As a result, the
territory, which was like a garden before, turned into a jungle. There
was no fruit left but the cherry-like fruit of little stumpy trees.234
The Christian archaeologist Werner Keller, writer of
"Und Die Bible Hat Doch Recht" (The Holy Book Was Right), accepted
that the flood of Arim occurred according to the description of the Qur'an
and wrote that the existence of such a dam and the destruction of the
whole country by its collapse proves that the example given in the Qur'an
about the people of the garden was indeed realised.235
After the disaster of the Arim flood, the region started to turn into
a desert and the Sabaean people lost their most important source of income.
Their lands, which had been agricultural havens of prosperity and financial
strength, disappeared. The people, who had not heeded the call of Allah
to believe in Him and to be grateful to Him, were in the end punished
with this disaster.
THE PEOPLE OF AL-HIJR
The people of Thamud are a tribe mentioned in the Qur'an
about whom a substantial amount is known. Historical sources confirm that
a people known as the Thamud existed many years ago. It is believed that
the people of al-Hijr referred to in the Qur'an are actually the same
people as Thamud, because another name for Thamud is "Ashab al-Hijr."
That being the case, the word "Thamud" may be the name of a people and
al-Hijr one of the cities they founded. In fact, this is exactly what
is suggested by the descriptions of the Greek geographer Pliny, who wrote
that Thamud lived in places called Domotha and Hegra, the present-day
city of Hijr.236
The oldest known historical source to refer to Thamud
are the Babylonian state records. They relate the details of the victory
of King Sargon II of Babylon over that people in the 8th century B.C.
Sargon defeated them in a war in Northern Arabia. The Greeks also mention
this people and Aristotle, Ptolemy and Pliny refer to them as the "Thamudaei"
i.e. "Thamud."237 All trace
of them vanished before the time of our Prophet (saas) in around 400-600.
The well-known ruins of Petra in Jordan
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The people of al-Hijr denied the Messengers.
We brought them Our Signs but they turned away from them. They
carved out houses from the mountains, feeling safe, but the Great
Blast seized hold of them in the morning, so all that they earned
was of no use to them.
(Qur’an, 15:80-84)
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Today, one can see the finest examples of these peoples' stonework in
the Rum Valley in Jordan, better known as Petra. Indeed, the Qur'an refers
to their expertise in stonework thus:
[Salih said to his people,] "Remember when He appointed
you successors to 'Ad and settled you in the land. You built palaces
on its plains and carved out houses from the mountains. Remember Allah's
blessings and do not go about the earth, corrupting it." (Qur'an, 7:74)
The people of al-Hijr denied the Messengers. We brought them Our Signs
but they turned away from them. They carved out houses from the mountains,
feeling safe, but the Great Blast seized hold of them in the morning,
so all that they earned was of no use to them. (Qur'an, 15:80-84)
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