Key takeaway
Quran 10:90–92 says that as Pharaoh drowned he declared belief, and was told: "So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign." The Bible narrates the drowning but does not mention the preservation of the body. Many mummies of New Kingdom pharaohs were rediscovered in 1881 (the Deir el-Bahari cache) and 1898 (tomb KV35) and can be seen today. Which pharaoh confronted Moses is unknown and debated.
The verses
۞ وَجَـٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدْرَكَهُ ٱلْغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَتْ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓا۟ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ ٩٠ ءَآلْـَٔـٰنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ ٩١ فَٱلْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ ءَايَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَغَـٰفِلُونَ ٩٢
90 And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims." 91 Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters? 92 So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign. And indeed, many among the people, of Our signs, are heedless.
Key Arabic terms
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ | nunajjīka bi-badanika | "We will rescue you with your body," i.e. deliver your body from the sea |
| ءَايَةً | āya | a sign |
The verses
The Children of Israel crossed the sea, and Pharaoh pursued them "in tyranny and enmity." When drowning overtook him he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe." The answer came: "Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before" (Quran 10:91). Then Quran 10:92: his body would be saved "that you may be to those who succeed you a sign."
The royal mummies
In 1881 a hidden tomb at Deir el-Bahari (TT320) was found to contain dozens of royal mummies, moved there in antiquity to protect them from tomb robbers, among them Ramesses II. In 1898 Victor Loret found further royal mummies in the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35), including Merneptah. The French physician Maurice Bucaille, who took part in the medical study of Ramesses II's mummy in Paris in 1976, wrote about this verse in The Bible, the Qur'an and Science.
Which pharaoh?
Neither the Quran nor the Bible names the pharaoh of the Exodus, and historians have proposed several candidates, Ramesses II and Merneptah among them. There is no consensus, and no mummy has been confirmed as the Pharaoh of Moses. The verse's statement stands without needing to identify him: his body was delivered from the sea as a lesson for later generations.
Balanced assessment
Moderate A reasonable, accurate correspondence; the words have other valid meanings or the fact was partly known before.
The verse contains a detail absent from the earlier scriptural account, and the survival of pharaonic bodies is a historical fact. Claims that a particular mummy "is" the Pharaoh of Moses go beyond the evidence and should be avoided.
Frequently asked questions
Was Pharaoh's body preserved according to the Quran?
Quran 10:92 says Allah would save Pharaoh's body as a sign for those after him. Many royal mummies were rediscovered in 1881 and 1898, though which pharaoh faced Moses is unknown.
References
Quran
- Quran 10:90–92, Saheeh International translation (Quran.com)
Science & history
Classical exegesis is summarized from the standard commentaries (e.g. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Qurṭubī). See our methodology.
Cite this page
Quran Scientific Miracles. “Pharaoh's Body as a Sign.” https://quranscientificmiracles.com/topics/pharaohs-body-preserved/ (reviewed 2026-10-20).