Egypt – The World's First Superpower
Egypt was the first major superpower in the world, and the city of the Pharaohs belonged to this land. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had clearly foretold before his passing that Muslims would one day conquer Egypt. However, he advised that when this happens, Muslims should treat the common people of Egypt with kindness because they are our relatives.
A few years after the Prophet’s passing, under the leadership of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Muslims defeated the Roman and Persian Empires, conquering vast territories. However, as soon as they did so, a massive problem arose. A deadly disease spread across these newly conquered lands, slowing down the Muslim army and claiming the lives of many top Muslim generals. This allowed new generals to rise and take leadership positions.
Due to the deaths of many key generals, Caliph Umar appointed new commanders, with Amr ibn al-As as the Muslim army chief in Egypt. Slowly, the disease subsided. When Caliph Umar learned of this in Medina, he decided to personally assess and control the situation. Before leaving, he entrusted the governance of Medina and all of Arabia to Ali ibn Abi Talib, ensuring that if anything happened to him, Ali would automatically become the next caliph.
Upon reaching Syria, Umar met the new army chief, Amr ibn al-As, who presented a bold plan: instead of stopping, Muslims should move towards a new world—Egypt. But why Egypt? Muslims could also march toward the Roman capital. Egypt was no ordinary land; for thousands of years, it had been one of the richest regions in the world. The Quran repeatedly highlights its significance.
The Rise of Egypt’s Power
Egypt became powerful due to a single crucial resource—water. Five thousand years ago, the world's most valuable asset was water, and whoever had the most water dominated the world. The Nile River, the largest river in the world, was in Egypt, making it a center of prosperity. Over time, people from all over the world settled there, transforming Egypt into the most powerful region, with its people among the wealthiest.
One such man, King Narmer, emerged from among them. He unified Egypt and established the world’s first monarchy. But wait—how do we know all this from 5,000 years ago? Look at these two ancient tablets. These contain the oldest known Egyptian writings, clearly depicting King Narmer.
Over the next 1,000 years, the Egyptian Empire grew stronger and ruled the world. After reigning as a global superpower for a millennium, the Egyptian Pharaohs became convinced that no one in the universe was greater than them. This led them to make a claim never made before—they declared themselves gods.
The Pharaohs Declaring Themselves Gods
The Pharaohs did not just claim kingship; they declared themselves divine. They established a religion where Pharaoh was the only god on earth, and the people could only attain paradise if they remained his obedient slaves. This ensured no rebellion against Pharaoh's rule.
Gradually, changes occurred in this religion, leading to a strange new concept—not every Pharaoh was a god, only those whose bodies remained intact after death until the end of time. This sparked a race among the Pharaohs to preserve their bodies forever, giving rise to the concept of mummies.
The Mummification Process
As soon as a Pharaoh died, ancient surgeons performed a complex preservation process:
1. They drained all the blood from the body.
2. A special hook was inserted through the nose to extract the brain.
3. All internal organs, including the lungs, liver, and kidneys, were removed, except the heart, which was carefully placed in a separate jar.
4. The body was then submerged in water mixed with a special type of salt for 40 days.
5. Afterward, the empty body was filled with sand to maintain its shape.
6. Finally, it was coated with oil and honey before being wrapped in white linen bandages.
The mummified body was placed in an expensive coffin alongside food, drink, gold, and, most importantly, its heart.
Beyond Mummies: Building Monuments
Over time, the race to achieve immortality extended beyond mummification. Pharaohs began constructing enormous structures over their mummies, starting with temples and eventually leading to the construction of the great pyramids.
