Who is Haman in the Qur’an?

Archeological findings reveals a miraculous aspect of the Qur’an in each detail. Last data on ‘HAMAN’ who is the assistant of the Pharaoh described in the Qur’an is among them.

In 6 different verses of the Qur’an (al-Qasas, 28/6,8,38, al-‘Ankabut, 29/39, al-Mu’minun, 40/24,36), Human who is said as the one of the closest persons to the Pharaoh is a historical miracle with regards to the Qur’an.

According to these verses, Allah sent Moses to the Pharaoh, Haman and Karun with verses, miracles and proofs but they rejected his declaration by accusing him as a “liar magician”. (al-‘Ankabut 29/39; Ghafir 40/23-24) Even the pharaoh who asserted the claim of being a deity said to higher ups of his people “I don’t know any other deity other than myself for you” after the invitation of Moses for accepting Allah and Haman wanted Moses to build a tower for finding the God of Moses. (al-Qasas, 28/38; al-Mu’minun, 40/36-37) At the end, Karun, the Pharaoh and Haman were punished due to their sins. (al-‘Ankabut 29/39) Haman whose name was indicated in the Qur’an is the vizier of the Pharaoh to whom Moses challenged or an important individual at his palace or high priest of Amon culture.

On the other hand, in the chapter where the life of Moses is told, Haman is not the person who is close to the Pharaoh; he is the assistant of a Persia/Babylon king who lived 1100 years later from Moses and oppressed Jews.(KM. ESTER/Bap: 3-10). Orientalists who sees this rejoices for finding a mistake in the Qur’an. However this joy cuts short after the Egyptian hieroglyphs are solved and “Haman” name is found on the old Egyptian inscriptions.

Because hieroglyphs can’t be read until the 18th (in fact 19th) century. Because old beliefs and language of old Egypt was forgotten after the Christianity spread around the region. The last date Hieroglyph writing was used on an inscription that belongs to 394 AD. After this, this language was forgotten, until 1799 (19th Century). Secrets of this writing was solved after an inscription named “Rosetta Stone” and which belongs to 196 AD. Trait of this tablet was being written in three different writings: Hieroglyph, demotic (hand writing of hieroglyphs) and in Greek. With the help of the Greek text, the Egyptian text on the tablet was solved completely by French Jean-Françoise Champollion.

With solving the hieroglyph, an important information is reached: “Haman” name was used in the Moses period in the Egyptian inscriptions. On a monument exhibited in Hof Museum at Vienna mentions this name. On the same monument, relationship of Haman with the pharaoh was emphasized. (Walter Wreszinski, Aegyptische Inschriften aus dem K.K. Hof Museum in Wien, 1906, J C Hinrichs’ sche Buchhandlung) Starting from this information, it can be easily said that Haman brought to a high place as vizier by King Ahaşveroş and hanged with his sons –after passing judgment that they are traitors – in ESTER (Ester 7/10;9/7-10) and Haman who is close to the Pharaoh are not the same person.

We will try to explain this matter with few articles: 1. Haman written in Holy Sculpture/ESTER is a name of a person. Because it is said that: “Hammedatan Agagî Haman, son of Hammedatan” (ESTER, 3/1). Haman written in the Qur’an is a title, not a name. In the official addressing, using titles other than names is a tradition at that age. According to thsi, while assigned by the Pharaoh to build a tower, addressing that person as “HAMAN!” shows that this is a title regarding his duties.

Thus, in the “Persons in New kingdom” dictionary prepared based on all sculptures, Haman means “Chief of the workers at stone quarries”. (Hermann Ranke, Die Agyptischen Personennamen, Verzeichnis der Namen, Verlag Von J J Augustin in Glückstadt, Band I, 1935, Band II, 1952)

2. French scientist Prof. Dr. Maurice Bucaille gave “Haman” name to a French Egyptologist and said that this name is a “quotation from an Arabic manuscript” without saying it is written in the Qur’an. The expert said it is not possible that an information on the hieroglyphs is written on a Arabic manuscript at 7th Century and that he will look up name list of Pharaoh’s palace (Dictionary of Personal Names of the New Kingdom by Ranke). Then the truth emerged once more. The result was showing an important fact. Hâman was a person who was living at Egypt at the time of Hz. Musa like it was mentioned in the Qur’an and close to the Pharaoh and working for construction Works contrary to the claims of those who oppose the Qur’an. Maybe he was the Minister of Public Works!!!!

As a matter of fact, hieroglyph writings was forgotten since the times when the revelations were disclosed and no one can read these writings until 19th century: “But, it is a fact that the hieroglyphs had been totally forgotten at the time of the Qur’anic Revelation and that one could not read them until the 19th century A.D.” (Maurice Bucaille, Moses and Pharaoh in the Bible, Qur’an and History, p. 192-193)

3. These scientific findings are the proof that Haman who was one of the men of Pharaoh was really exist. Then, when we accept that the Haman in the ESTER without looking at as a tale – as some says-, we must accept that these two Haman are separate persons. As was mentioned before, Haman name was specified in the Bible. In the Ester book of the Torah, it is narrated that the Jews was oppressed, the vizier named Haman had a part in this, a Jewish girl named Ester attracted the ruler and saved the Jews by making him kill Haman, his son and many Persians…

It is understood that, like our people characterize cruel people like “pharaoh, nemrut”, the Jewish people didn’t forget the Haman name at Egypt, kept it as “cruel vizier” in their minds and called the cruel vizier as Haman during the events at Persia and recorded this in the Ester Book.

It is also possible that during rewriting of the Torah by the rabbi, Haman from Egypt and cruel vizier in Persia may be mistaken and this case occurred. Another possibility is that both have the name of Haman. Like many examples, why shouldn’t two historical figures be named Haman. (for detailed information see Akhepedia Forum)

4.Vizier of the Prophet who was named Haman and who is against Moses in Qur’an is a proof of this.. Because ; HEMAN who is a vizier responsible for the stone Works and workers is translated as hetap on the door writings in Viana University. Hemen hetap is clearly AMENHOTEP name. Writing style shows this. In this case, we are meeting with AMENHOTEP who is the vizier responsible for the stone Works in the history of Egypt. Amenhotep huy! This vizier is a person who was the vizier of both Prophet Amonhotep III and Amonhotep IV.

In summary, we can say that, finding Haman name in the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt not only nullifies the claims against the Qur’an but also shows that it came from Allah. Because a historical information who can’t be reached and solved in the period when the Qur’an came was transmitted to us.