Did a Zealous Disciple of Prophet Joseph Influence Pharaoh Akhenaten?

Pharaoh Akhenaten ruled Egypt for 13 years, from 1355-1338 B.C.E. He is famous for openly rejecting the traditional Egyptian Gods and their priesthoods, in favor of worshipping just one of the many Egyptian Gods: Aten, the disk of the sun.

Of course, Pharaoh Akhenaten did not encourage the Egyptian people to stop worshipping Pharaoh Akhenaten himself; that would have been too much to ask.

Pharaoh Akhenaten was a young teenage boy when his father died; and he was influenced by some of his father’s advisors, who had been trying to slowdown the ever increasing wealth and power of the Egyptian priesthood.

While it is clear that Akhenaten could never be called a Prophet of the One God, it is possible that one of his advisors could have been a monotheist since the only ongoing monotheistic religious community in the world had been living in Egypt for several generations.

French Egyptologist Alain Zivie points to Pharaoh Amenhotep III’s vizier ‘Abdiel whose Semitic name means ‘a servant of [the god] El’.

‘Abdiel’s name is unusual. In Egyptian, it is ‘Aper-El. ‘Aper is the Egyptian way to render the Semitic word ‘abed, which means “servant.” So, Alain Zivie believes that the vizier’s name actually would have been pronounced “‘Abdiel.”

The second part of his name consists of the name of the god El, the head of the Syro-Canaanite pantheon. Thus, “Abdiel” means “servant of [the god] El.” El is also the generic Semitic term for “god” and one of the names of the one God in the Hebrew Bible.

In 1980, Alain Zivie began excavating a rock-cut tomb in Saqqara, Egypt (near Cairo). In 1987, he discovered the tomb’s burial chamber with the remains of the Egyptian vizier ‘Abdiel, his wife Tauret, and his son Huy. A wooden list of some of ‘Abdiel’s prestigious titles along with the tomb’s inscriptions and illustrations, give us a picture of ‘Abdiel’s importance in ancient Egypt.

Could Abdiel, the servant of God, have been Prophet Joseph the son of Prophet Jacob? Perhaps. The Qur’an states that the Egyptian who bought Joseph as his slave, thought about adopting Joseph as his son (Qur’an 12:21) and when Joseph reached the age of maturity “We granted him judgement and knowledge. Thus do We reward those who do good.” (12:22).

Using these words the Quran usually means, We bestowed on him (Joseph) Prophethood, for the Arabic word hukmun stands for both judgment and authority and the word ilmun stands for knowledge directly revealed to Prophets by Allah.

Thus, the Arabic words of the text mean God gave Prophet Joseph the power, authority and knowledge needed for judging rightly the affairs of the people. More likely Abdiel was an over zealous disciple of Prophet Joseph who would never have used pressure to convert polytheists to Israel’s one and only God.

In his article “Pharaoh’s Man, ‘Abdiel: The Vizier with a Semitic Name” published in the July/August 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Alain Zivie explores Abdiel’s intriguing Vizier role for two Pharaohs, Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV; better known by his later name Akhenaten; who pushed the Egyptian court and nobility into worshipping only the Solar disc Aten, instead of all the traditional Gods that Egyptians had worshipped for over 2,000 years.

This was the most revolutionary event in Egypt’s religious history, and it failed because Akhenaten died as a young man, and his young son also died a few years later. The general who was acting regent then took over; and at his death the next general started the 19th dynasty and ruled in his own name: Rameses.

The Torah states, “When a new king (dynasty), to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt” Pharaoh said to his court nobles, “Look, the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if a war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” (Exodus 1:8-10)

That is what Pharaoh (Ramses I) said, but what he really meant was: although the Egyptian nobles outnumber the Israelites, the Jewish belief in only one God has already influenced two previous Pharaohs (Amenhotep III and Akhenaten).

If the Israelite belief in only one God spreads from some of the nobility into the general population, many people might stop believing that Pharaoh himself is the son of God, and that would be very dangerous for the traditional authority of our religious and political establishment, so we should oppress the Israelites.

Pharaoh Ramses engaged in what today psychologists call projection. Ramses takes his own semi and sub-conscious desires to push away the dreaded monotheistic ideas that denied Pharaoh’s divinity as a son of God; and projects these desires on the Children of Israel.

The Qur’an reveals the true thoughts of Ramses when it states: The Chiefs (Nobles) of Pharaoh claim that Prophet Moses’s plans are to get them (the Egyptians) out of their land. (7:110) and Pharaoh claims that Prophet Moses’s plan is to drive his (Pharaoh’s) people out of the land. (7:123)

The Qur’an also explicitly reveals: “He (Pharaoh Ramses) said: “Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?” (20:57) and “They (the Nobles) said: “These two (Prophet Aaron and Prophet Moses) are certainly magicians: their object is to drive you (Pharaoh Ramses) out from your land with their magic, and to do away with your most cherished (priestly) institutions”. (20:63)

Thus, the well meaning but erroneous attempt of the Egyptian vizier ‘Abdiel, ‘the servant (prophet?) of El” to influence Pharaoh Akhenaten and the royal court to forcefully spread monotheism among Egypt’s nobility and then the general population: failed.

The Torah is silent about this shameful episode because ‘Abdiel, ‘the servant of El” should not have encouraged Pharaoh Akhenaten to pressure people to become monotheists. As the Qur’an proclaims: “There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut, and believes in Allah, has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it; for Allah Hears and Knows. (2:256)

‘Abdiel had many titles, including “vizier,” “chief in the entire land,” “messenger of the king” (ambassador), and “father of the god” (a senior advisor who knew Pharaoh as a child). ‘Abdiel is the only vizier in the history of ancient Egypt to be called “child of the kap” (someone palace raised or educated). He also bears the title “first servant of Aten in …”

Although this title’s ending is not readable, the surviving part shows that ‘Abdiel was connected to the Egyptian god Aten, whose worship rose to prominence during Akhenaten’s reign. In 1320 B.C.E., after Akhenaten’s religious revolution failed, those pro Israelite monotheistic inclined notables were sent into exile in the Canaan province, more specifically in Shechem and Urushalim (Jerusalem).

The discovery by Alain Zivie of the tomb of Akhenaten’s vizier Abdi-El at Memphis suggests a close family relationship between Abdi-Heba, Mayor-Governor of Urushalim, and Akhenaten’s top officials. The Qur’an makes the thoughts and fears of Pharaoh clear and explains why the Children Of Israel inherited the land of their ancestor Prophet Ya’kub/Israel.

“We made the (Children Of Israel) people who were deemed weak, to inherit the Eastern lands and the Western of it (Arabic: wamagharibaha) which We had blessed (Arabic – Barakna Fiha); and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled in the Children of Israel because they bore (sufferings) patiently; and We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people used to make and what they built” (7:137)

We read about ‘millat Ibrahim’ in a number of Qur’an verses such as 2:130, 2:135, 3:95, 4:125, 6:16 and 16:123. In all the verses that mention the words ‘Millat Ibrahim’ (except for 2:130 and 4:125) these words are followed by the words ‘Millat Ibrahim’: “the monotheist, he was not one of the mushrikeen”.

So the Qur’an’s definition of the words ‘Millat Ibrahim’ is belief in imageless Monotheism (as Jews do) and never associating partners with God (as Trinitarian Christians do). Consequently, when God commands Prophet Muhammad to follow ‘Millat Ibrahim’, God is commanding all of us to follow imageless Monotheism and refrain from Shirk (associating partners with God).

When Prophet Joseph declared that he follows ‘Millat Ibrahim’ he quickly added that it dictates to them (Joseph and his people the Banu Israel) not to associate anything/anyone with God: “And I followed the beliefs of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is not for us (Banu Israel) to associate anything with God. Such is God’s favor upon us and upon the other people [nations and tribes], but most people (polytheists) are not thankful.” (12:38)

This is the Qur’an’s definition of the Arabic word ‘millat’ (as religion or religious community) The deliberate insertion of the words ‘the Monotheist, he was not among those who commit shirk’ after the words ‘Millat Ibrahim’ in 4 of the 6 verses which contain the words ‘Millat Ibrahim’ compels us to accept that the words ‘Millat Ibrahim’ refer to Abraham’s beliefs which are imageless Monotheism and not any one particular religious community with its own specific ritual beliefs.

Further evidence confirming that the word ‘millat’ does not refer to religion in general but that it means ‘creed’ is found in the following verse: “I have left behind the creed of a people who do not believe in God, and with regard to the Hereafter, they are disbelievers. 12:37

These words, uttered by the prophet Joseph, speak of the ‘millat’ of those who were atheists, they did not believe in God nor the Hereafter. Atheists do not have a religion but they have a creed (atheism). Equally, as per 12:37, the word ‘millat’ cannot be speaking of the rituals and practices since atheists do not have religious rituals and practices.

More evidence for this definition of the Arabic word ‘millat’ is found in this Quranic verse: “Neither the Jews nor the Nazarenes will approve of you unless you follow their (own specific) creed.” 2:120 God is the speaker in 2:120, and states that the religion given by all God’s prophets to all People of the Book (Jews, Christians, Sabians and Muslims) is Unitarian monotheism and God calls it islam (without a capital I) (3:19).

All those who submit to this one Unitarian Imageless God are muslims in general. Muslims with a capital M refers to the believers in the one Unitarian Imageless God who follow Prophet Muhammad and practice the rituals of the Islamic community. This Unitarian Imageless monotheism is not the only religion authorized and accepted by God; but it is the latest revelation and the one closest to its original revelation.

For Jews, their millat (religion and religious community) was expanded by their man-made traditions and the interpretations of their Rabbis. In addition to the law of God, given to them in the Torah, they added what they call the ‘Oral Law’ which is contained in the Talmud (Mishnah and Gemara). In upholding the Talmud, they have set up a man made source of law besides the God given Torah.

For Christians, their millat (religion and religious community) has largely deviated from the original message given to Jesus. Christianity is based on such doctrines as the ‘Trinity’, the ‘Original Sin’, the ‘Vicarious Atonement’, the ‘Salvation only through Jesus’, the ‘son of god’, and the ‘Resurrection of Jesus’. All these doctrines are the basis of a religious belief system that was never approved by God, and is not in line with the teachings of the original Scripture given to them.

Prophet Abraham, like all the other prophets including Prophet Muhammad, was a muslim and not a member of the Jewish, Christian or Islamic religious community at that time; because there was no Jewish, Christian or Islamic religious community then.

“And who would be averse to the religion of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself. And We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous.” ( 2:130) They say, “Be Jews or Christians [so] you will be guided.” Say,”Rather, [we follow] the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the polytheists.” (2:135)

Say, “Allah has told the truth. So follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of the polytheists.” (3:95) And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend. (4:125)

Say, “Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a correct religion, the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allah.” (6:161)

Then We revealed to you, [O Muhammad], to follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of those who associate with Allah. (16:123)

O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant [with you] that I will fulfill your covenant [with Me], and be afraid [only] of Me. (2:40)