Fatwa ID: 02921

Answered by:  Molana Muddasser Dhedhy​

Question:

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

what does it say in the Qur'an and muffasirun about pyramids in Egypt?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Quran has mentioned many accounts from history, some in elaborate detail and others have been mentioned briefly for us to take lessons and wisdom from. There has not been a clear mention of the pyramids of Egypt in enough description for us to know for certain, however, Allah (SWT) does mention the following in Surah Qasas:

And Pharaoh said, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Haman, [a fire] upon the clay and make for me a tower that I may look at the God of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars" (28:38).

He also mentions a similar statement in Surah Mu’min:

And Pharaoh said, "O Haman, construct for me a tower that I might reach the ways – The ways into the heavens – so that I may look at the deity of Moses; but indeed, I think he is a liar" (40:36-37).

Imam Baghawi writes that the majority of the Mufassireen (commentators of the Qur`aan) have mentioned that Hamaan gathered slaves and workers in huge numbers to such an extent that there were fifty thousand architects alone. These workers included brick bakers, limestone gathers, wood collectors, carpenters and various other craftsmen. These people got together and constructed the strongest and highest building of their time.^[1]

These and various similar descriptions seem to suggest that the towers Haamaan was instructed to build may have been the pyramids now located in Egypt, in particular, the pyramid of Giza. However, there are no precise and accurate indicators that can help us ascertain that this tower was indeed one of the pyramids we know of today.

Only Allah Ta'ala knows best.

Answered by Molana Muddasser Dhedhy

Checked by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham