Did Pharaoh Have Children? Clarifying the Authentic Story of His Daughter’s Hairdresser

Did Pharaoh Have Children? Understanding Surah Al-Qasas and the Story of the Hairdresser

Question: There is an inspiring story about Pharaoh’s daughter’s hairdresser that you mentioned is authentic. However, I read in the commentary of Surah Al-Qasas, verse 9 (أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا), that Pharaoh was childless. My question is, did Pharaoh have children or not?

Answer: The verse in the Quran does not state that Pharaoh was childless; rather, it expresses the desire to adopt Musa (Moses) as a son. The commentary you read mentioning Pharaoh’s lack of children likely does not have any supporting evidence. 

As for the story of the hairdresser, there is evidence supporting it. When there is established evidence, it takes precedence over unsupported claims. Therefore, based on the established evidence, we can say that Pharaoh did have children.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi حفظه الله

❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫