The Role of Non-Muslims in Islamic Development

There is a verse in the Quran: We shall save your body this day, so that you may be a sign for those who come after you. (10:92) This refers to the Egyptian ruler, Pharoah, a contemporary of the Prophet Moses. As we know, Pharoah had been drowned by God in the deep waters of the sea. At that moment God had decreed the preservation of Pharaoh’s body in order that it might be a sign of God for future generations. However, neither at the time of revelation of the Quran, nor even a thousand years later, did anyone have any knowledge regarding Pharaoh’s body; it remained absolutely unknown to the Muslim world. It was not until the end of the nineteenth century that this preserved body was discovered. This prediction of the Quran had been fulfilled to the letter. However, this task was performed entirely by non-Muslims. It was a French scholar, Professor Loret, who discovered this mummified body of Pharoah at Thebes in the King’s Valley, from where it was transported to Cairo. Professor. Elliot Smith removed its wrapping on the 8th of July, 1907. He gives a detailed description of this operation and examination of the body in his book, The Royal Mummies (1912).