Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.

9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

The Qur’an states that the Jews say, “`Uzair is the son of God” [Q.9:30].
This statement was clarified by Prophet Muhammad‫ ﷺ‬in an authentic
tradition which explains that `Uzair is worshipped by the Jews as the
literal son of God.1 At the time of Revelation, the Jews never denied
worshiping `Uzair.2 However, after the death of the Prophet‫ﷺ‬, some
Muslims began to suggest that `Uzair was `Ezra the Scribe.3 In response,
the Jews denied having ever said that `Ezra was the son of God, let alone
having worshiped him as such. Consequently, they used this suggestion as
evidence that the Qur’an was nothing more than a fabrication. This paper
will compare the linguistic similarities (in both pronunciation & meaning)

1 The context of the tradition is Judgement Day:

(…) it will be said to the Jews, "What did you used to worship?' They will reply, 'We used to worship ‘Uzair [ ‫] ُعزَيْر‬, the
son of God.' It will be said to them, 'You are liars, for God has neither a wife nor a son (…)’ Then it will be said to the
Christians, 'What did you used to worship?’ They will reply, 'We used to worship Messiah, the son of God.' It will be
said, 'You are liars, for God has neither a wife nor a son (…)’
Sahih al-Bukhari - Graded Authentic
For the complete tradition see: Sahih al-Bukhari - #7439.

2 Abu Kurayb narrated…on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said:

Salam bin Mishkam, Numan bin Awfa, Shas bin Qais, and Malik bin Al-Sayf came to the Messenger of God, may God
bless him and grant him peace, and they said: How can we follow you when you have abandoned our qiblah, and you
do not claim that `Uzair is the son of God? So God sent down concerning these words: ‘The Jews say that `Uzair is
the son of God and the Christians say the Messiah is the son of God…[Q.9:30]’.
Al-Qasim narrated to us… on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, Who said: I heard Abdullah bin Ubaid bin Umair, saying:
“And the Jews said: Uzair is the son of God” [Q.9:30]”, he said: One man said it, his name is Finhas [ibn ‘Azura], he is
the one who said: “Indeed, God is Poor and We are Rich [Q.3:181]”
See: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī - Jāmi’ al-bayān ‘an ta’wīl āy al-Qur’ān c.922CE. Q.9:30
Finhas [ Pinhas ben ‘Azaryah ] was a very prominent rabbi of Medina as seen in the tradition below:
Abu Bakr went into a Jewish school and found a good many men gathered round a certain Finhas, one of their
learned rabbis, and another rabbi called Ashya'. Abu Bakr called on the former to fear God and become a Muslim
because he knew that Muhammad was the apostle of God who had brought the truth from Him and that they would
find it written in the Torah and the Gospel. Finhas replied: 'We are not poor compared to Allah but He is poor
compared to us [Q.3:181]. We do not humble ourselves to Him as He humbles Himself to us; we are independent of
Him while He needs us. Had he been independent of us He would not ask us to lend Him our money as your master
pretends, prohibiting you to take interest and allowing us to. Had He been independent of us He would not have given
us interest. ’Ab'u Bakr was enraged and hit Finhas hard in the face, saying, ‘Were it not for the treaty between us I
would cut off your head, you enemy of Allah!’(…)
For the full account see: The Life of Muhammad - A Translation of Ishaq’s Sirat Rasol Allah with Introduction and
Notes by A. Guillaume, Oxford University Press, 1998, Pg.263.

3In Arabic, the name `Uzair is deemed derogatory (belittling), it can be used as a diminutive of `Azra (Heb. `Ezra)
and has a negative connotation in the Quran.
See: Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible Criticism, By Hava Lazarus-Yafeh, Princeton University Press,
1992, p.54.

1 © 2021 David Levy

 Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

between the Greco-Egyptian Osiris (Usire) and the Qur’anic `Uzair of Q.

9:30. The results will demonstrate that the Jews do not worship `Ezra the
scribe. Rather, they worship Osiris in accordance with the secret oral
traditions of the Jewish Kabbalah which were received from the ancient
Egyptians who preceded them.4

Historically speaking, it can be argued that the Jews, as a whole, have

generally appeared to practice a monotheistic belief in the God of Abraham
with exception to the infamous incident of the golden calf.5 Exodus 27-29
gives the impression that the entire Jewish nation was implicated in the
worship of the calf with exception to the Tribe of Levi. 6 The worship of the
golden calf had emerged from an ancient Egyptian context and was
traditionally identified with the Apis Bull of Ancient Egyptian Religion.7

4Recommended reading: The Secret Lore Of Ancient Egypt: Its Impact On The West - Eric Hornung,Trans. David
Lorton, Cornell University Press, 2001. esp. pages 16, 80.

5 Golden calf - An idol worshipped by the Hebrews during the period of the Exodus from Egypt in the 13th century BC
and during the age of Jeroboam I, king of Israel, in the 10th century BC. Mentioned in Exodus 32 and I Kings 12 in
the Old Testament, worship of the golden calf is seen as a supreme act of apostasy, the rejection of a faith once
confessed. The figure is probably a representation of the Egyptian bull god Apis…
Apis (Α᾿πις), the sacred bull of Memphis, worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a symbol of Osiris,
the god of the Nile, the husband of Isis, and the great divinity of Egypt…The worship of the golden calf by the
Israelites in the wilderness, and also the employment of golden calves as symbols of the Deity by Jeroboam, have
been very generally referred to the Egyptian worship of Apis.
Source: The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. James Strong and John McClintock;
Haper and Brothers; NY; 1880. vol.1, ‘APIS’, p.288.
See also: Smith's Dict. of Class. Mythol. s.v. SEE CALF (GOLDEN)
See also: Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "golden calf". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Sep. 2023, https://
www.britannica.com/topic/golden-calf. Accessed 5 October 2023.
cf. The golden calves of Jeroboam, and compare with the Ancient Egyptian “Isis Cow” and “Apis Calf” duo.

6Defending the faith in the God revealed to Moses against the calf worshippers were the Levites, who became the
priestly caste.
See: Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "golden calf". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Sep. 2023, https://
www.britannica.com/topic/golden-calf. Accessed 5 October 2023.

7 The golden calf has been identified as an Egyptian Apis bull for at least the last 1600 years as seen in the Apostolic
Constitutions (4/5th cent.):
‘Propose to thyself to distinguish what rules were from the law of nature, and what were added afterwards, or were
such additional rules as were introduced and given in the wilderness to the Israelites after the making of the calf; for
the law contains those precepts which were spoken by the Lord God before the people fell into idolatry, and made a
calf like the Egyptian Apis--that is, the ten commandments.’
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles: Book I, Section II, VI
Now the law is the decalogue, which the Lord promulgated to them with an audible voice, before the people made
that calf which represented the Egyptian Apis.
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles: Book VI, Section IV, XX
See also: Constitutions of the Holy Apostles: Book V, Section II, XII & Book IV Chapter X

2 © 2021 David Levy

 Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

For the Egyptians, the Apis Bull was worshiped as a symbol of Ptah and
Osiris, 8 whereas the Greeks worshipped the Apis as the incarnation of the
soul of Osiris, ignoring the connection with Ptah.9 Therefore, because the
golden calf was identified with the Apis bull, it is probable that the Jewish
adoration of the golden calf was also the worship of Osiris incarnate. 10

8 Although the Apis Bull was identified with Ptah, it was also identified as Re (the sun) as well as Horus, son of Isis. An inscription on
the official royal stelae from the Serapeum at North Saqqara identifies the Apis as such: “Apis is Ptah, Apis is Re, Apis is Horus, son
of Isis” . It is important to note that Ptah, Re and Horus have all been identified in some way with Osiris; Horus, son of Isis as the
reincarnation of his father—Osiris, and Re (the sun), as the medium for the death and resurrection cycle of Osiris. With respect to
the relationship between Osiris and Ptah, it is more complex and even less understood. However, owing to the syncretistic tendency
of Ancient Egyptian Religion, Osiris came to be identified with Sokar as far back as in the Old Kingdom Pyramid texts.
Consequently, because Ptah was considered to be identical with Sokar, and as the latter was thought to be identical with Osiris, the
natural consequence ensued that Ptah, Sokar and Osiris were identified with one another. This identification occurs in texts as far
back as the Middle Kingdom. The syncretized gods such as Ptah-Sokar-Osiris and Ptah-Osiris [var. Osiris-Ptah] were generally
conceived and depicted in the form of Osiris and to a lesser degree, as mixed forms. During the New Kingdom a special form of
Osiris was worshipped as “Osiris-Ptah - Lord of Life”. It was also during this time that an important symbol of Osiris, the Djed-pillar,
became connected in various ways with Ptah as well. In addition, Ptah and Osiris were often represented as sitting or standing back
to back as mortuary gods on the same footing, one facing south and the other facing north. This imagery may symbolize the two
faces of the same god, one watching over the land of the living and one watching over the land of the dead. From the New Kingdom
onward, it was extremely rare to see Ptah as an independent god, since he was typically fused with other gods, especially Osiris.
Some texts from this time period onward have even identified Ptah with Osiris himself where Ptah appears as ruler of the
Underworld Afterlife (the function of Osiris).
Source: The God Ptah, By Maj Sandman Holmberg, Lund, 1946. Pp.100,138-39, 146-47,157,163, 218, 235-n.65.
For Apis as Re and Horus see: The rise and development of the solar cult and architecture in Ancient Egypt, Nuzzolo, Massimiliano /
Krejčí, Jaromír - “Apis is Ptah, Apis is Ra, Apis is Horus, son of Isis”: the solar aspects of the divine Apis bull and the royal ideology
of the Late Period (664–332 BCE) by Nenad Marković, Harrassowitz/Verlag, 2020.(pp. 235-251).
For Horus as the reincarnation of Osiris see: “The reincarnation of Osiris in the person of his son, Horus, who then rises into the
daytime sky as the sun god and ascends the throne of Egypt as the king, constitutes the central motif of another cosmological
composition, the so-called Awakening of Osiris and Transit of the Solar Barques…”
See: Roberson 2013, 9–17, and 128 ff.
See also: Roberson, Joshua Aaron. “The ‘Jackal Hymn of the West’ in the Book of the Night”. Volume 1 Revealing, transforming,
and display in Egyptian hieroglyphs, edited by David Klotz and Andréas Stauder, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2020, pp. 149-194.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110683882-006
For Osiris as Re see: The Enigmatic Netherworld Books of The Solar-Osirian Unity, Darnell, John Coleman, 2004 by Academic
Press Fribourg / Paulusverlag Fribourg Switzerland Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Göttingen.
For Ptah as Osiris see: The God Ptah, By Maj Sandman Holmberg, Lund, 1946. Pp.100,138-39, 146-47,157,163, 218, 235-n.65.
For Osiris as Apis see: “Osiris-Apis”, var. “Apis-Osiris”.

9 See: Plutarch’s De Iside et Osiride, 34, 364 D. (circa 100CE). Loeb Classical Library, Plutarch Moralia vol.V - De Iside De Osiride,
With an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt, Harvard University Press 1936. pp.51,71.
See also: The Greco/Egyptian “Serapis” [Osiris-Apis].

10It was first suggested that Osiris was `Uzair [Q.9:30] in 1908 by Mohamed Magdi Bey who implied that the
Hebrews worshipped Osiris as part of the Ancient Egyptian Apis Bull cult during the time of Moses:
The Hebrews, too, after leaving Egypt and during the absence of Moses, wanted to return to the Egyptian cults and
many among them worshiped Osiris (Ousir) ‫[ العزير‬sic] in the desert, which flustered Moses, on his return from Mount
Sinai.
Mohamed Magdi Bey, Counselor of the Indigenous Court of Appeal - Egypt 1908
Source: Les Anciens Égyptiens Et Les Anciens Arabes Adoraient-Ils Mémes Divinités? Par, Mohamed Magdi Bey,
Conseiller à la Cour d’Appel Indigène. Bulletin De La Société Khédiviale De Géographie - VII* Série -- No 3. Le E
Caire Imprimerie Nationale, 1908. p. 144.
For the incident of the golden calf see: Q.7:148 & Q.20:88.

3 © 2021 David Levy

 Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

Then he [The Samiri11] brought out for them a calf, an incarnation [jasad] 12
that lowed; and they said, ‘This is your god, and the god of Moses, whom he
has forgotten.’ - Q.20:88

In consideration of the above, it is conceivable that the worship of Osiris

has been preserved within the secret oral traditions of the Jews, and
specifically amongst the “elect saints” and “privileged initiates” of the
Kabbalah,13 a tradition which may be alluded to in the following verses:

11 The Qur’an repudiates the Biblical narrative that Prophet Aaron (the brother of Moses) created the golden calf.
Instead, the Qur’an states that “The Samiri” created the calf.
cf. The role of the Egyptian smr (and sem) priest in the “opening of the mouth” (resurrection of the dead) ritual and
the council of the Smrw-9 who severed as courtiers to the king/pharaoh.
Recommended reading: Smr, his Title and Role in the Funerary Rituals in the New Kingdom Theban Tombs - PHD
Thesis By Mohamed Ismail I. Aboul-Atta, Supervised by Professor of Egyptology - Prof. Dr. Said G. Gohary, Cairo
University, 2005.
See also: Liturgy of the Opening the Mouth for Breathing - Mark Smith, Griffith Institute, Oxford, 1993.

12 Arabic: ‘jasad’ lit. body, flesh, incarnation. “He became, or assumed, a َ‫سد‬
َ ‫ج‬,
َ or body; or became corporeal, or
incarnate; and thus it is used by late writers, and in the present day”
See: ‫ جسد‬- Arabic-English Lexicon, Edward William Lane, Stanley Lane-Poole (Editor), F. Ungar Pub. Co, New York,
1955-56. cf. golden calf ”jasad” see: Q.7:148 & Q.20:88.

13 As per Kabbalistic tradition, a group of unidentified “elect saints” from a “remote past” were privy to esoteric
(Divine) Revelation. These secret revelations were concealed from the public in the form of oral traditions and
transmitted exclusively to “privileged initiates” as a method of preservation.
See: The Secret Lore Of Ancient Egypt: Its Impact On The West - Eric Hornung, Trans. David Lorton, Cornell
University Press, 2001. esp. p.16, 80.
See also: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). “cabala”. The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
cf. n.14

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 Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

“The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the son of God’; and the Christians say, ‘The Messiah is
the son of god.’ These are the sayings of their oral traditions,14 imitating the
disbelievers who preceded them.15 May God destroy them; how deluded they
are! They have taken their rabbis and their monks as lords from under God,16 as
well as the Messiah, son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to

14 i.e., Kabbalah - lit. “received [oral tradition]”, sometimes translated as “mysticism” or “occult knowledge”. The
Kabbalah is the ancient Jewish tradition of mystical interpretation of the Torah, first transmitted orally and using
esoteric methods (including ciphers). The word comes from the Hebrew qabbālāh “tradition,” literally, “something
received,” i.e., “handed down”; see also ‘cabal’.
The chief characteristic of the Kabbalah is that, unlike the Scriptures, it was entrusted only to the few elect ones;
wherefore, according to IV Esdras xiv. 5, 6, Moses, on Mount Sinai, when receiving both the Law and the knowledge
of wondrous things, was told by the Lord: “These words shalt thou declare, and these shalt thou hide.”
In Jewish tradition, there are three ways that occult knowledge can be obtained:
1. By interpreting sacred texts to uncover nistar (“hidden” meaning)
2. By oral transmission of tradition from a Kabbalistic master
3. By direct revelation, which might include visitation by an angel or Elijah, spirit possession, or other supra-rational
experience.
“Judaism is one of the oldest living esoteric traditions in the world. Virtually every form of western mysticism and
spiritualism known today draws upon Jewish mythic and occult teachings--magic, angelology, alchemy, numerology,
astral projection, dream interpretation, astrology, amulets, divination, altered states of consciousness, alternate
healing and rituals of power—all have roots in the Jewish occult."
See: Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism, by Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis, Llewellyn Publications, xi, 2007.
For more on the Kabbalah see: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "cabala". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New
York: Funk & Wagnalls.
cf. n.13

15 Here, the term “disbelievers” i.e. “those who disbelieved” has been rendered from the Arabic term kafiru, from the
word kafir and the root k-f-r. Although the term is typically translated as infidel or disbeliever, the literal meaning is
“one who covers up, one who conceals”. However, in a religious sense, it refers to the one who covers up knowledge
of the truth. Thus, the word kafir may be more accurately translated in English as “occultist” esp. in the etymological
sense [cf. n.12,13]. In particular, the “disbelievers (occultists) who preceded them” may be identified with the so called
“elect saints of a remote past” as per Kabbalistic tradition [cf. n.12-13].
The classical Qur’anic commentaries report several traditions which explain that the Jews’ and Christians’ blind
adherence to oral traditions, without prophetic or scriptural origin, is indicative of their idolatry. In essence, they have
abandoned the Word of God by replacing it with the oral traditions of their Rabbis and Monks who have merely
imitated the oral traditions of the idolaters from before the inception of Judaism (e.g., the ancient Egyptians and
Babylonians). See: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī - Jāmi’ al-bayān ‘an ta’wīl āy al-Qur’ān c.922CE, Q.9:30-31.
See also: Amin al-Islam al-Tabrisi, Majma’ al-bayan fi tafsir al-Qur’an c.1153CE, Q.9:30-31.
cf. n.16

16 Al-Thaalabi narrated with his chain of transmission on the authority of Adi bin Hatim, who said:
“I came to the Messenger of God‫ﷺ‬, carrying a cross of gold around my neck. He said to me: ‘O Adi, cast this idol off
of your neck.’ So I threw it away, then I came to him while he was reciting this verse from Surat Al-Baraa [Q.9:31]
{“They have taken their rabbis and their monks as lords…”} until he finished it. I said to him, “We do not worship
them.” He said, “Did they not forbid what God permitted, whereupon you considered it forbidden, and did they not
permit what God forbade, whereupon you considered it permissible?” I responded, “Yes,” The Prophet‫ ﷺ‬then said,
“That is the worship offered to them.”
See: The Study Quran - Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Harper One, 2015, Q.9:31, Pg.515.
cf. n.13-15.

5 © 2021 David Levy

 Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

worship one God; there is no god but Him. Exalted is He above whatever they
associate with Him.” - Q.9:30-31

This paper has been excerpted and adapted from a more comprehensive
thesis which analyses the historical details of the problematic claim that
`Uzair was `Ezra the Scribe, as well as a vast array of contextual evidence
which supports the view that Osiris is the Qur’anic `Uzair of Q.9:30.17
Therefore, this essay will not delve into the issues mentioned above, rather,
it will focus upon the linguistic evidence which, even by itself, substantiates
the view that `Uzair is indeed Osiris of Ancient Egyptian Religion.

The Pronunciation of Osiris

The name “Osiris” is the Latin transliteration of the Greek Ὄσιρις, which
is an adaption of the original Egyptian name symbolized by the throne and
eye hieroglyphs ( 𓊨 𓁹 ).18 It has been proposed that the throne glyph may
have been pronounced; “us”,19 and that the eye glyph was pronounced;
“eer”.20 Although the original vocalization and meaning of this

17 See: Osiris in the Qur’an: “The Jews say, `Uzair is the Son of God” -Q.9:30- `Uzair is Osiris, The Ancient Egyptian
acculturation of `Aza & `Azael (`Azazel), by Abu Muhammad David Levy, 2024.
https://independent.academia.edu/Saad3834

18 [Gardiner’s Sign List: 𓊨 =Q1 and 𓁹 =D4] The earliest known form of the name Osiris dates back to the reign of
King Isesi of the late 5th Dynasty and was written vertically with the throne placed above the eye , a variant
depicts the eye above the throne. Later versions were typically written horizontally and often included an image of
Osiris as the determinative for “god” . Some notable versions exchange the throne glyph with the sceptre ,
while others exchange the eye glyph with the sun glyph & . A later depiction of the name exchanges the
traditional throne with a palanquin (portable throne chair) . Several forms of the name are listed below:

etc.
See:The Name of Osiris (and Isis), James P. Allen, Lingus Aegyptia, V.21, 2013, p.10.
See also: A.O Bolshakov, ‘Princess Hm.t-ra(w): the First Mention of Osiris?’, CdE 134 (1992), pp.203-210.
See also: Osiris and The Egyptian Resurrection, E.A. Wallace Budge, Dover Publications Inc, New York 1973, p24-27

19 Technically /u:s/, also “as, os, or ws” .

20 Also “yeer, or iri”.

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`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

combination remains heavily disputed,21 Egyptologists have suggested

several possibilities, the most common of which are as follows: Asar,
Ausare, Wesir, Ousire, User, Usir, or Usire.22

If the Greek adaption of the name is any indication of the original Egyptian
pronunciation, then it should have been vocalized as “Ousire”. However,
perhaps an even more accurate vocalization would be “Usire”, as it was
reported that the priests vocalized it differently than the common-folk,
preferring the ancient Attic Greek Υ (long o͞ o) over the classical Ὄ (oh).23

21See: Yoshi Muchiki, On the transliteration of the name Osiris* , The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology Vol. 76, Sage
Publications Inc., 1990, pp.191-194.
See also: John Gwyn Griffiths, Origins of Osiris and his Cult, Brill 1980, pp.91-92.
Also: David Lorton, Considerations on the Origin and name of Osiris, Varia Aegyptiaca 1,1985 pp.116-117,124 n.27[c]
Also: James P. Allen, The Name of Osiris (and Isis), James P. Allen, Lingus Aegyptia, V.21, 2013. p.11.
Also: Mark Smith, Following Osiris: Perspectives on the Osirian Afterlife from Four Millenia, Oxford, 2017. pp.124-125
Also: E.A. Wallace Budge, Osiris and The Egyptian Resurrection, Dover Publications Inc, New York 1973. pp.24-27.
Also: Heinrich Brugsch, Religion und Mythologie der alten Aegypter, J.C. Hinrichs, Leipzig, 1885-88. pp.81-83.

22 In academic circles, the form “Wsjr” is commonly used for the spelling of Osiris ( also: ꜣsjr and jsjrj ). However, this
spelling is not meant to be pronounced ‘wisjer’ as it may appear. It is important to note that the academic
transliteration symbols are only a convention that Egyptologists use to represent the consonants of Ancient Egyptian:
they are not an accurate guide to the way those consonants actually sounded. Egyptology has used several systems
of transliteration as well as several different systems of transcription. These different systems make it confusing for
the layman when going from one publication to another. That being said, the ‘Wsjr’ spelling is meant to be
pronounced as either Wesir(e) or Usir(e) as per the phonetic transliteration explanations below:
‘w’ - Mostly like English w as in wet. In some cases, however, it may have been pronounced like the English vowels u
in glue or a in father.
‘j’ - In most cases, j probably had no sound of its own, but only served to indicate that a syllable began or ended with
a vowel. In most words, however, j seems to have been pronounced as ee as in meet—and in other words as a
glottal stop or y.
See: Middle Egyptian - An Introduction To The Language And Culture Of Hieroglyphs, James P. Allen Second Edition,
Revised, Cambridge University Press, 2010, pp.15-20.

23 According to Plutarch, Hellanicus of Lesbos [c. 480 bc—c. 395 bc] reported to have overheard the priests
pronounce the name of Osiris as “Ὕσιρις” (Attic: “ΥΣΙΡΙΣ” - phon. “Husi:ris” [with a long /i:/ in the penult]) as opposed
to the common-folk who pronounced it “Ὄσιρις” (Osiris). Hellanicus lived during the the Attic Greek era [c. 500–
300 BCE] when the Greek Ὕ (upsilon) was pronounced similar to the French u , German ü , or a close back rounded
vowel like the English "long o͞o” , while the classical Greek Ὄ (omicron) was pronounced “oh”. Plutarch believed that
the priest’s pronunciation was derived from the true nature of Osiris.
For the report of Hellanicus see:
See: Plutarch’s De Iside et Osiride, 34, 364 D. (circa 100CE). Loeb Classical Library, Plutarch Moralia vol.V - De Iside
De Osiride, With an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt, Harvard University Press 1936. pp.83-85.
See also: The Origins of Osiris and His Cult - John Gwyn Grifiths, BRILL, 1980, Pg.94.
For the pronunciation of the ancient Attic Greek Ὕ see:
Woodard, Roger D. (June 12, 1997). Greek Writing from Knossos to Homer: A Linguistic Interpretation of the Origin of
the Greek Alphabet and the Continuity of Ancient Greek Literacy. Pp.136.
See also: Mastronarde, Donald J. (Feb. 21, 2013), Introduction to Attic Greek. University of California Press. p.12.

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`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

This vocalization is rendered from the Attic Greek “ΥΣΙΡΙΣ” (phon.

“Husi:ris”) and excludes the opening rough breathing h sound and the -is
ending which are merely constructs of the Greek language that do not
apply to the phonetics of the original Egyptian name. 24 Plutarch was under
the impression that the priestly pronunciation of Osiris was indicative of
his true nature.25

In Coptic, the language closest to Ancient Egyptian, the name of Osiris

was ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ = (phon.“Ousire”) , which is practically the same as the Greek
Usire. 26 It is important to recognize that the Greeks had actually heard
Osiris’ name vocalized by the Egyptians themselves. Therefore, a fair
assumption would be that the Greek pronunciation “Usire” (ΥΣΙΡΙΣ var.
Ὄσιρις) remains the closest approximation of the Egyptian original.

The form “Usire” bears an uncanny resemblance to the Arabic

pronunciation of `Uzair (‫ر‬// / / ْ‫زَي‬/ / / /‫) ُع‬. The main differences between the two are
the `ayin and the zai. However, these differences may be reconciled when
considering that the sound of `ayin (`a) and zai (z) are occasionally
exchanged for alif (a) and sin (s) when crossing over into different
languages. What’s more, the sounds of these letters were pronounced very
similarly in different Egyptian dialects during the Middle Kingdom where
the Egyptian a(lif) was sometimes pronounced as a glottal stop, like that of

24 When used as an initial letter, the Classical, Y (upsilon) always carried the ‘rough breathing' sound (equivalent to
h). The endings such as; -ις,-ος, -ης (-is, -us, -es) are merely the Greek and Latin grammatical terminations. Other
examples of Hellenized Egyptian names are: Isis, Horus, Serapis, Apis, Sokaris, Anubis etc. The Greeks also
Hellenized Persian names as well such as Darius Cyrus and Xerxes, the Latin ending -us is the converted Greek
ending -ος, and the ending -es is the converted Greek ending -ης. However, the original foreign names completely
lacked such Hellenized endings.

25 See: Plutarch’s De Iside et Osiride, 34, 364 D. (circa 100CE). Loeb Classical Library, Plutarch Moralia vol.V - De
Iside De Osiride, With an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt, Harvard University Press 1936. pp.83-85.

26 Variant spelling ; ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲓ, vocalized as “Ousiri”.

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an `a(yin),27 whereas the Egyptian z(ai) became interchangeable with s(in)

both vocally and in writing.28 That said, Ancient Greek did not have an
equivalent to the Semitic `ayin, while the sound represented by z(eta)
before 400 BC is disputed and not likely applicable.29

Not only is the Qur’anic name `Uzair similar to the Egyptian Usire. The
evidence above demonstrates the possibility that the Egyptian name for
Osiris (Usire) was pronounced in some ancient Egyptian dialects as
“`Uzair”, which is virtually indiscernible from the Qur’anic vocalization of
the Arabic ‫ر‬// / ‫زَ ْي‬/ / /‫`( ُع‬Uzair). Furthermore, scholars have suggested that Osiris
and the name thereof may not even be of Egyptian origin.30 Thus, it is
conceivable that Osiris was the name of an entity which may have been
introduced by the Hebrews who came to Egypt from the land of Canaan
sometime before the New Kingdom era [1640 BCE].31 If so, the name
Osiris may have been vocalized by the Jews in an ancient dialect of

27Some Egyptologists attest that the Egyptian alef was bivalent and in many words, pronounced as a glottal stop,
similar to the Semitic `ayin. See: The Ancient World - Egyptological Miscellanies; A Tribute to Professor Ronald J.
Williams. Vol. VI, nos. 1 - 4, Edited by J. K. Hoffmeier & E. S. Meltzer, Afroasiatic Vaia II, 109 - 114, 1983.
See also: Middle Egyptian - An Introduction To The Language And Culture Of Hieroglyphs, James P. Allen Second
Edition, Revised, Cambridge University Press, 2010, pp.15,19.

28See: Middle Egyptian - An Introduction To The Language And Culture Of Hieroglyphs, James P. Allen Second
Edition, Revised, Cambridge University Press, 2010, pp.15-19.

29In archaic Greek the letter zeta was thought to be pronounced as either zd or dz and therefore its usage would not
have been applicable to the name, neither in the Egyptian, nor the proposed Arabic form.
According to W.S. Allen, zeta ⟨ζ⟩ in Attic Greek likely represented the consonant cluster /sd/, phonetically [zd]. For
metrical purposes it was treated as a double consonant, thus forming a heavy syllable. In Archaic Greek, when the
letter was adopted from Phoenician zayin, the sound was probably an affricate [dz]. In Koine Greek, ⟨ζ⟩ represented /
͡
z/. It is more likely that this developed from [dz] rather than from Attic /sd/. e.g. Ζεύς ('Zeus') — Archaic /dzeús/, Attic /
sdeús/ [zdeǔs], late Koine /zefs/.
See: Allen, William Sidney (1987) [1968]. Vox Graeca: the pronunciation of Classical Greek (3rd ed.). Cambridge
University Press. pp.58-59

30 See: The Origins of Osiris and His Cult - John Gwyn Grifiths, BRILL, 1980, Pg.87-99.

31 cf. Prophet Joseph's role as prime minister (‘Aziz’) of Egypt. n.49

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Hebrew as “`Uzair”, a name and pronunciation which may also have been
influenced by their Canaanite/Babylonian origins.32

The Meaning of Osiris

The Egyptian word for “name” frequently refers to a subjects “true
nature”.33 However, in order to understand the true nature of something,
one must possess contextual knowledge. With this in mind, Egyptologists
of the 20th and 21st century have long debated the meaning and etymology
of the name Osiris with very little progress.34 Although some proposals
may apply to secondary meanings as a result of the glyphs’ multiple

32 The most promising theory for the origin and etymology of Osiris is that the name came from the Babylonian 𒍂, a
title of Marduk with the proposed vocalization of “Asar (var. Asal)”. In the same way that the Egyptian hieroglyphics
incorporate the throne and an eye ideograms for the name Osiris, the cuneiform writing also incorporates throne 𒌷
and eye 𒅆 ideograms. Furthermore, the pronunciation “Asar” is also one of the main proposals for the Egyptian
name of Osiris. Curiously, in spite of this, a diligent effort to explore this etymology has been avoided.
See: The Origins of Osiris and His Cult - John Gwyn Grifiths, BRILL, 1980, Pg.90-91
Note: In some Ancient Egyptian dialects (such as the dialect of Fayyum during the Middle Kingdom), pronounced [r]
as an [I]. This would render the Egyptian name of Osiris from Usire to Usiel, or Asar to Asal depending upon the
vocalization of the vowels. These renderings also correlate with the Babylonian name “Asar/Asal” while also bearing
a resemblance to the fallen angel or “Watcher" from of the Books of Enoch known as Asael/Azael var. Usiel/Uziel.
For the pronunciation of “ r ” as “ l ” see: Middle Egyptian - An Introduction To The Language And Culture Of
Hieroglyphs, James P. Allen Second Edition, Revised, Cambridge University Press, 2010, p.16.
For the etymological connection with between Osiris and Azael see: Osiris in the Qur’an: “The Jews say, `Uzair is the
Son of God” -Q.9:30- `Uzair is Osiris, The Ancient Egyptian acculturation of `Aza & `Azael (`Azazel), by Abu
Muhammad David Levy, 2024. https://independent.academia.edu/Saad3834

33 In Egyptian, ‘name’ actually means ‘true nature’.

See: Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt , R.T. Rundle Clark, Thames & Hudson 1959, Pg. 272-n.4
See also: Occult Etymology: The Etymology of “Occult”, its Ancient Egyptian Roots and Connection to the Islamic
Prophecy of the False Messiah (al-Masīḥ al-Dajjāl), By Abu Muhammad David Levy, 2023.
https://independent.academia.edu/Saad3834

34See: The Earliest Pictorial Representation of Osiris - Racheli Shalomi-Hen, Proceedings of The Ninth International
Congress of Egyptologists v.1 & 2, 2007, p.1701
See also: n.21

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entendre,35 no authoritative opinion seems to agree with another,36 while

very few address the obvious and primary meaning of the name which will
be addressed shortly. Therefore, it may be wiser to avoid the speculation of
modern Egyptologists and re-consider the earliest explanations of the name
as reported by the classical Greek Historians.

Unlike modern Egyptologists, the Greeks actually had the privilege of

contextual knowledge in matters of Ancient Egyptian Religion, and
culture. The Greek takeover of Egypt in 332 BCE was welcomed by the
Egyptians who saw it as a liberation from Persian occupation.
Furthermore, the peaceful union between the two cultures allowed the
Greeks to absorb and assimilate valuable uncensored historical, cultural
and religious Egyptian records. The Greeks became so immersed in ancient
Egyptian culture and religion that they adopted the worship of Egyptian
gods with a particular preference for Isis, Osiris and Apis.37 The
relationship between Osiris and the Apis Bull was of special interest to the
Greeks who syncretized the two entities as “Osiris-Apis” (Gk. Serapis).38

35 Multiple entendre or wordplay was a very prominent feature of ancient Egyptian texts. Identifying puns and
wordplays of all types is important because meanings concealed by wordplay often provide additional and deeper
insight. However, the context is typically established through the word’s basic and essential meaning.

36 See: Following Osiris: Perspectives on the Osirian Afterlife from Four Millenia, Mark Smith, Oxford, 2017, p.125.
cf. n.21

37Isis and Serapis (Osiris-Apis) became the epitome of religious syncretism in Greece and Rome.
See: Witt, R.E. Isis in the Graeco-Roman World. New York: Cornell Univerity Press, 1971.
See also: Takács, Sarolta A. Isis and Sarapis in the Roman World. New York: Brill,1995.
Also: Cott, Johnathan. Isis and Osiris: exploring the goddess myth. New York: Doubleday, 1994.
Also: The Golden Ass, Penguin Classics Modern translation by E. J. Kenny 1999.
For the Egyptian influence on the Greeks see: The Secret Lore Of Ancient Egypt: Its Impact On The West - Eric
Hornung, Trans. David Lorton, Cornell University Press, 2001, pp. 22, 64-72.

38Osiris-Apis (Gk. Serapis, var. Sorapis) i.e. Apis explicitly identified as Osiris in full.
According to Plutarch, Ptolemy stole the cult statue from Sinope in Asia Minor, having been instructed in a dream by
the "unknown god" to bring the statue to Alexandria, where the statue was pronounced to be Serapis by two religious
experts. One of the experts was of the Eumolpidae, the ancient family from whose members the hierophant of the
Eleusinian Mysteries had been chosen since before history, and the other was the scholarly Egyptian priest Manetho,
which gave weight to the judgement both for the Egyptians and the Greeks.
See: Stambaugh, John E. (1972). Sarapis Under the Early Ptolemies. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 1–13, 29, 95.

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In consideration of the above, it was reported by Diodorus Siculus [c.90-C.

30BCE] in his Bibliotheca Historica that the meaning of the name Osiris
was; “might + (fore)sight”, from πολύ “great, mighty”39 + οφθαλµός lit.“eye,
sight”, and metaphorically; “foresight”.40 Later, Plutarch [c.46-c.119CE]
echoed these claims in his Moralia41 and in his De Iside et Osiride he clarified
this position by breaking down a Ptolemaic spelling of the name (sceptre
and eye 𓌀 𓁹); translating the sceptre as δύναµις lit. “power/might” and the
eye as πρόνοια(v) lit. “foresight/providence”.42

Although the more recent Ptolemaic spelling of Osiris (𓌀 𓁹) differs from

the original (𓊨 𓁹),43 this should not be taken as an indication that the
meaning of the name, or the true nature of Osiris had changed over the
course of time. Rather, it is more likely that 𓊨 and 𓌀 are synonymous, and
thus, interchangeable. 44 Therefore, it can be deduced that the Ptolemaic

39 See next footnote (n.40) for translation

40 Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica i.11

“ πολυόφθαλμος ” - The Greek is typically translated in English as “multi-eyed” or “many eyes”. However, it may be
more accurately translated as “mighty-(fore)sight”. From “πολύ”, which primarily means “many, very, all”, but can also
signify something of great size, degree or intensity, or something of great quantity, or something that is mighty and of
great strength or force. When applied to a single person it can signify “great/mighty”. The second portion of the term
“πολυόφθαλμος” is “οφθαλμός” meaning; “eye/sight”, or metaphorically; the eye of the mind, the faculty of knowing.
Furthermore, it is used to refer to the eye(sight) of God, or the eye of a master, ruler or king. In can also used to refer
to the eye of heaven, the moon, and also the sun. The intent of the term “πολυόφθαλμος” is revealed by Diodorus
when he identifies Osiris as the sun, providing further context by quoting Homer:
“The sun, who is all-seeing, all-hearing.”
cf. The Eye of Providence. Also; (Divine) Providence.
See: “πολύς” and “ὀφθαλμός” - Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press.

41 See: Plutarch, Moralia i.10

42Plutarch, De Iside et Osiride 371e

See: “δύναμις” and “πρόνοια” - Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
See: The etymology of “foresight” (i.e., Providence):
Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of providence. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved October 19, 2023, from https://
www.etymonline.com/word/providence

43 cf. n.18

44 According to Edmund Meltzer the Egyptian 𓄊 (wsr/user) and 𓌀 (was/wꜣs) may be cognate.
See: Was Scepter & Ka-Kau, Edmund Meltzer, KMT - A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt — Kmt Communications,
pub. Carl A. Kojis, ed. Dennis C. Forbes, Volume 11: Number 1, Spring 2000, p.3.
Note: Meltzer explains his thesis with a rigorous comparison of w + s + r and w + Aleph + s, in which (1) r
corresponds to Aleph, and (2) there is a metathesis so that "s + liquid" can correspond to “liquid + s.”
cf. Osiris and The Egyptian Resurrection, E.A. Wallace Budge, Dover Publications Inc., New York 1973, p.25.

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spelling of the name exchanged the original throne glyph 𓊨 with that of the
sceptre 𓌀 (lit. might/dominion), as a way to express the most obvious and
basic meaning of the throne glyph.45 That is to say, much like a sceptre, the
concept and depiction of a throne intuitively signifies the sovereign might
of a king and the authority over his dominion.46

On the contrary, most modern Egyptologists would have one believe that
the primary meaning of the throne glyph is merely “seat/place”. A curious
view, since the throne glyph is not present in the names of any other
Egyptian entities except for the divine royal couple i.e. Osiris & Isis. This,
in and of itself, is an obvious indication that the “seat” is the throne of the
king, and that the “place” is his dominion. Furthermore, although the
vocalization of the throne glyph has been disputed in modern times, it is
generally thought to have been pronounced as “us/as/os/is or ws”, and by
comparison, the phonetic equivalents in many other ancient languages also
signify “might, dominion”.47

Interestingly, as reported by Faulkner, an additional signification of the

throne 𓊨 glyph is “position, rank of official”.48 This signification correlates
with the phonetically similar Arabic word ‫ز‬// / ‫( ع‬lit.“might”) pronounced “`uz,
`az, `oz, or `iz”. The word ‫ز‬// / / / / ‫ ع‬is the root of “`Aziz” (Arb. ‫ز‬// / / / / ‫زي‬// / / / / ‫ ع‬lit. mighty
one), an Arabic title given to Egyptian kings and high ranking officials
going back to at least the time of Prophet Joseph [Q.12:30,51,12:78,88]
who was appointed prime minister (`Aziz) of Egypt in a time no later than

45 Not only are the glyphs synonymous, they also sound alike.

46 Since the earliest advanced cultures, it has been universally understood that a throne is a symbol of divine and
secular rule and that the establishment of a throne is a defining sign of the claim to power and authority. Furthermore,
the terms “power, might and dominion” are synonymous and definitive of the word throne in both English, Arabic and
virtually every other language.

To name a few: PIE root *aug-, Avestan *auǰ-, Classical Sanskrit ईश , Phoenician 𐤆𐤏 , Ugarit 𐎓𐎇 , Mid. Persian ōz,
47

Mod. Persian ‫عز‬, Classical Syriac ‫ ܥܙܙ‬, Hebrew ‫ עז‬, Arabic ‫ عز‬etc.
↑ = "strength, power, might, sovereignty, dominion”

48See: A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian, Raymond O. Faulkner, Griffith Institute Ashmolean Museum, Oxford,
1991, pp. 206-207.

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the Middle Kingdom [c.2040-1640 BCE].49 Thus, it can be seen that the
Egyptian throne glyph is indeed a signification of a sovereign’s might and
especially one who exercises authority over their dominion. This was the
opinion of German Egyptologist Heinrich Brugsch (1827-1894)50 who
translated the original spelling of Osiris’ name as “The Might, The Power
of The Iris”,51 a translation which shares similarities to those of both
Diodorus and Plutarch nearly 2000 years earlier.52

Therefore, this paper will side with the Greek view, that the primary
meaning of the throne glyph in Osiris’ name does indeed mean “might”,53

49`Aziz can mean “king”, but, moreover, it denotes someone who or something that is grand, mighty, cherished, or
honorable; hence it can refer to a lofty or important position.
See: -The Study Quran, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Harper One, 2015. Q.12:21-22, p. 597.
`Aziz (Arb.) ٌ‫ َع ِزيز‬- Mighty, potent, powerful, or strong. Also, high, or elevated, in rank or condition or state; noble,
honourable, glorious, or illustrious: see َّ‫↓ َعز‬:
‫ عز‬- might, power, potency, strength; influence; honour, glory. A high, or elevated, rank or condition or state; nobility,
honourableness, gloriousness, or illustriousness. ُّ‫ َملِ ٌك أ َ َعز‬signifies the same as ٌ‫[ َع ِزيز‬A mighty, potent, powerful, or
strong, king; or a glorious king]. It also signifies The King; because he has the mastery over the people of his
dominions: and especially the ruler of Misr [Egypt] together with Alexandria [see: “‫]”عزيز مصر‬.
See: ‫ عزز‬- Arabic-English Lexicon, Edward William Lane, Stanley Lane-Poole (Editor), F. Ungar Pub. Co, New York,
1955-56.
See also: ‫ عزز‬- An Advanced Learner's Arabic-English Dictionary, Habib Anthony Salmoné (1889).
See also: The Encyclopaedia of Islam v.1, Leiden, E.J. Brill, 1986, p.825.
Note: Unlike the Bible, the Qur’anic story of Joseph, distinguishes between the Egyptian terms “king” and “pharaoh”
according to time period. The Qur’anic story of Joseph uses the term “king” for the Egyptian sovereign of his time
period [Q.12:43,50,54,76]. Therefore, Prophet Joseph was present in Egypt no later than the Middle Kingdom period
(2040-1640 BCE) because the preferred title for the Egyptian sovereign changed from “king” to “pharaoh” from the
New Kingdom onward as verified in the Qur’anic story of Prophet Moses [Q.2:49].
For the title of the Egyptian sovereign during different time periods see:
Historical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, 2nd Edition , Morris L. Bierbrier, Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2008, p.177.

50Heinrich Karl Brugsch [1827-1894CE] was a German Egyptologist and one of the pioneers of scientific Egyptology.
He was director of the School of Egyptology at Cairo, producing many highly valued works. Brugsch’s contributions to
Egyptology remain extremely important, especially his decipherment of Demotic (the simplified script of the later
Egyptian periods) for which he is well renowned, as well as the creation of a vast Hieroglyphic-Demotic dictionary.

51Brugsch also translates Isis 𓊨 𓏏 as “the Strong, the Mighty” See: Religion und Mythologie der alten Aegypter.
Heinrich Brugsch, Leipzig, J.C. Hinrichs, 1885-88, pp.81-83

52John Gwyn Griffiths’ interpretation of the name Osiris as; “the mighty one” is also similar.
See: The Origins of Osiris and His Cult - John Gwyn Grifiths, BRILL, 1980, Pg.94.
Recommended reading: Intellectual Decolonization and Harmful Nativism: Arabic Knowledge Production of Ancient
Egyptian Literature, Hany Rashwan (2023): Interventions, DOI: 10.1080/1369801X.2022.2161054. esp. p.13.

53The term “might” is derived from throne 𓊨 or the sceptre 𓌀 which are used interchangeably in different spelling
variants.

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with the phonetic approximation “us”. Likewise, the Greek view will be
taken with respect to the eye glyph 𓁹 of Osiris’ name in that it means
“(fore)sight” i.e., Providence, with the phonetic approximation “eer/yeer”.
The worship of Osiris was popular amongst the Greeks who had
pronounced his name as such with the understanding that it meant “might
+ (fore)sight”, a meaning contextualized by Diodorus who identified Osiris
as the sun, quoting Homer: “The Sun, who is All-Seeing, All-Hearing.” 54

The Arabized Osiris

Historically speaking, the meaning of the name “`Uzair” from Q.9:30 has
not been discussed. This was due to the widely held assumption that it
served as the Arabic diminutive of an Arabized form of “`Ezra” (Arb.
`Azra).55 However, it is possible that the name is not native to the Arabic
language, and because the name is phonetically similar to the Egyptian
name of Osiris (Usire), it is also possible that the Qur’anic `Uzair may
actually be the Arabized equivalent of the Egyptian Usire. With this in
mind, the Egyptian name Usire is a compound word consisting of two parts
(𓊨 + 𓁹) which, as mentioned above, present the meaning “might +
(fore)sight”. If indeed the Arabic `Uzair is cognate with the Egyptian
Usire, then perhaps it should also be treated as a compound word and
broken down as such: ‫ر‬// / / ‫ ي‬+ ‫ز‬// / / ‫ ع‬. The first portion of the Arabic name being
`uz (‫ز‬// / /‫ )ع‬which also means “might”,56 the second part of the name being eer/
yeer (‫ر‬// / / / / / ‫ ي‬from ‫رى‬// / / / / / ‫)ي‬, an inflection of ra’aa (‫ )رأى‬meaning; “sight of the eye/
mind”, and metaphorically “foresight”.57

54 See - Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica i.11

cf. The All-Seeing Eye of Providence. Note: the etymology of Providence is “foresight”.

55 See: Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible Criticism By Hava Lazarus-Yafeh, Princeton University Press, 1992, p.54.

56 See: ‫ عزز‬- Arabic-English Lexicon, Edward William Lane, Stanley Lane-Poole (Editor), F. Ungar Pub. Co, New York, 1955-56.

See also: ‫ عزز‬- An Advanced Learner's Arabic-English Dictionary, Habib Anthony Salmoné (1889).

57See: ‫ رأى‬- Arabic-English Lexicon, Edward William Lane, Stanley Lane-Poole (Editor), F. Ungar Pub. Co, New York,
1955-56. See also: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/‫رأى‬#Verb_3
Note: The terms [ ٌّ‫ َر ِئى‬and ٌّ‫ ] ِر ِئى‬can also be used to signify a jinnee, or genie, that presents himself to a man, and
shows him, or teaches him, divination or enchantment or the like. See ‫ رأى‬in the lexicon entry above.

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The Egyptian/Arabic linguistic comparisons can be seen in the table below:

Greco-Egyptian Greco-Egyptian Arabic Spelling/ Arabic Meaning

Spelling/Phonetics Meaning Phonetics

𓊨 = us might ‫` = عز‬uz might

𓁹 = eer/yeer
lit. sight ‫ = ير‬eer/yeer lit. sight
fig. foresight fig. foresight

𓊨 𓁹 = Usire ‫عزَيْر‬
ُ
might + (fore)sight might + (fore)sight
`Uzair

Might + (Fore)sight

As demonstrated, the Qur’anic “`Uzair” is cognate with the Egyptian name

of Osiris, vocalized as “Usire”. Not only are the names phonetically similar,
they also share the same basic meaning when analyzed as a compound
word. Although contemporary Egyptologists may disagree with the Greek
view that the name Osiris means “might + (fore)sight”, they are also in
disagreement amongst themselves, without having presented any
convincing alternatives. This confusion is due to a lack of contextual
knowledge and insight. On the contrary, the Greeks learned the language
and religion from the Egyptians first-hand, having even adopted the
worship of Osiris himself. 58 Moreover, this was done with the
understanding that the meaning and true nature (ἔτυµον/étumon59) of Osiris
was “might + (fore)sight” and contextually, that Osiris was identified with

58 The Greeks unequivocally identified Osiris with Dionysus, the son of Zeus. Zeus was the chief god of the Greeks
who identified him with Amun (var. Amun-Re), the chief god of the Egyptians [Herodotus: Hist. II. 42]. According to
this belief, the Greeks considered Osiris to be the son of Amun (the chief god) and in this way Osiris was considered
to be the “son of God” (cf. Q.9:30). Furthermore, the Greeks (and later Romans) syncretized Osiris with the Apis bull
(Osiris-Apis = Serapis). This enduring worship of Osiris demonstrates a long line of civilizations who adopted the
worship of Osiris in relation to the Apis bull, which in turn, was identified with the golden calf from the Book of Exodus.
For the Greek’s adoption of Egyptian religion and culture see: The Secret Lore Of Ancient Egypt: Its Impact On The
West - Eric Hornung, Trans. David Lorton, Cornell University Press, 2001, p.22, 64-72.

59 The word “etymology” is derived from the Greek word ἐτυμολογία (etumología), itself from ἔτυμον (étumon),
meaning "true sense or sense of a truth", and the suffix -logia, denoting "the study of”.
See: Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of providence. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved October 19, 2023, from
https://www.etymonline.com/word/providence
See: “ἐτυμολογία, ἔτυμον”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press

16 © 2021 David Levy

 Osiris in the Qur’an, a Linguistic Approach: “The Jews say, ‘`Uzair is the Son of God’” -Q.9:30-
`Uzair is the Egyptian Osiris (“Usire”)

the “All-Seeing” sun.60 The Greeks inherited this knowledge from the
Egyptians, becoming the undisputed authoritative source on all things
Egyptian for more than two millennia. Furthermore, it was during the
same time period that the name `Uzair [lit. might + (fore)sight] was
revealed in the Qur’an. In other words, the Qur’anic name “`Uzair” was
consistent in both pronunciation and meaning with the Egyptian name of
Osiris (Usire) in accordance with the authoritative opinion of that time
period.

Ultimately, the uncanny linguistic similarities between the Qur’anic name

“`Uzair” and the Egyptian name of Osiris (“Usire”) appear to solidify the
conclusion that the Qur’anic `Uzair [Q.9:30] is indeed a reference to Osiris
of Ancient Egyptian Religion. Consequently, it is possible that Osiris
remains worshipped by the “privileged initiates” of the Kabbalah in
accordance with the secret oral traditions they received from the idolators
(occultists) who preceded them, such as the Egyptians & Babylonians.61

‫واهلل أعلم‬
Completed, November 2, 2023

60In ancient Egypt the sun was represented by the solar eye/disc ideogram 𓇳 .
See: Osiris 𓊨𓁹𓀭 variant spellings with the sun glyph 𓊨𓇳𓀭 & 𓌀𓇳𓀭. cf. n.18

61See: The Secret Lore Of Ancient Egypt: Its Impact On The West - Eric Hornung, Trans. David Lorton, Cornell
University Press, 2001, p.16, 22, 80.

17 © 2021 David Levy