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The question

Is it true that the word "Pharaoh" is of Greek origin and that the Qur'an adopted it from them?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

There is no problem with the foreign proper nouns in the Quran. The Quran narrates reality as it occurred, mentioning people and places by their common names. Proper nouns are not translated. Al-Qurtubi stated that there is no disagreement regarding the presence of non-Arabic proper nouns in the Quran.

The claim that the origin of the word "Pharaoh" is Greek does not undermine the Quran, for this name spread among nations and reached the Arabs, so the Quran addressed them with a term they understood.

The suspicion that the Quran took words and stories from other languages and books is a falsehood, because it would necessitate that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was knowledgeable in multiple languages and possessed a massive library, which is impossible. The Prophet was illiterate and grew up in Mecca, which was devoid of knowledge and books.

Historical research and interpretations of ancient eras are not all correct or based on established scientific proofs; rather, they are human endeavors. Therefore, one should not rely on the words of a single researcher about the origin of a word and consider it a scientific fact.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported

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Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
7637
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
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