Researcher Mahmoud A. Wahab has released a study proposing that the disconnected letter "Nun" opening Surah Al-Qalam in the Qur'an encodes the concept of primordial waters from ancient Egyptian religion. The book, titled The Disconnected Letter 'Nun' at Surah Al-Qalam: In Relation to Ancient Egyptian Religion, Hebrew Bible & Qur'anic Coherence, argues this interpretation emerges from examining the Qur'an's internal structure rather than treating the letter as an undecipherable cipher.
Wahab's methodology prioritizes Qur'anic coherence, viewing each surah as a thematic unit with purposeful arrangement. He examines Surah Al-Qalam's position between Al-Mulk, which addresses divine sovereignty and creation, and Al-Haqqah, which describes final judgment. This placement suggests "Nun" functions as a symbolic bridge connecting creation to destiny through the theme of knowledge represented by the Pen mentioned in the surah's opening oath.
The study draws parallels between this Qur'anic symbol and ancient Egyptian cosmology, where Nun represents the limitless primordial ocean from which creation emerged. Egyptian ritual life continually referenced this concept through sacred lakes, libations, and Nile inundation practices. Wahab also examines Hebrew Bible parallels, noting scholarship that identifies correspondences between Egyptian Nun and the Hebrew tĕhôm (the Deep) in Genesis creation narratives.
This research matters because it demonstrates how Qur'anic arrangement and thematic unity can illuminate the muqaṭṭaʿāt—the disconnected letters that begin certain Qur'anic chapters. Wahab's approach uses comparative materials from earlier religious traditions as supporting witnesses rather than authoritative sources, maintaining Qur'anic interpretive primacy while exploring symbolic connections across Abrahamic faiths and ancient Egyptian thought.
The study's methodological contribution lies in its integrative reading that connects creation, knowledge, and judgment within the Qur'an's own architectural framework. By foregrounding Qur'anic coherence and examining the immediate context of Surah Al-Qalam within its neighboring chapters, Wahab offers a compact interpretation that may influence future scholarship on Qur'anic exegesis and comparative religious studies.
