Science - Mystery of Pharaoh's drowning

In 1881, the mummified bodies many ancient Egyptians rulers were discovered.  One of those bodies belonged to "Ramses II" who was the tyrant pharaoh at the time of Prophet Moses (pbuh).  After almost a century later,  the French authorities requested Egypt to transport the body of Ramses to France for scientific experiments.  The senior French scientist in charge of the experiments was Professor Maurice Bucaille.  One of his goals was to determine the cause of death of Ramses.  It became evident that Ramses had drowned in the sea because of the sea salt in his mummified body.  However, a major question still remained:  Why was the body intact even though it had been drowned?" Professor Bucaille was baffled about the whole scenario.  However, someone told him that the details of the story is in the Qur'an!  Maurice Bucaille studied this amazing evidence in the Qur'an, accepted Islam, and later, he published the best seller "The Bible, the Qur'an, and Science".

Additionally, after Paparus No. 6 in the British Museum was translated, it indicated an interesting fact.  The text is:

"From Amenamoni, head of the protective books of the white room of the palace, to the scribe Penterhor:  When this letter reaches you and has been read point by point, surrender your heart to the sharpest pain, like a leaf before the storm, when you learn of the sorrowful disaster of the drowning in the whirlpool.  Calamity struck him suddenly and inescapably.  The sleep in the waters has made something helpless out of something great.  Depict the destruction of the lords , the lord of the tribes, the king of the east and the west.  What news can compare to the news I have sent you?"

Qur'an - Mystery of Pharaoh's drowning

The drowning of Pharaoh is mentioned in multiple places in the Qur'an, each time providing more details.  A collection of verses are presented here to capture the full story.  In summary, Qur'an provides a lot of details and states that Pharaoh and his army were drowned.  However, Pharaoh's dead body was preserved as a Sign of Allah for future generations.

فَأَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى لَيْلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ

(The reply came to Moses:) "March forth with My Servants by night: for you are sure to be pursued. 44:23

وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا لَّا تَخَـٰفُ دَرَكًا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ

We sent an inspiration to Moses: "Travel by night with My servants, and strike a dry path for them through the sea, without fear of being overtaken (by Pharaoh) and without (any other) fear." 20:77

فَلَمَّا تَرَٰٓءَا ٱلْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ

And when the two bodies saw each other, the people of Moses said: "We are sure to be overtaken." 26:61

قَالَ كَلَّآ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ

[Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me." 26:62

فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَٱلطَّوْدِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

Then We told Moses by inspiration: "Strike the sea with thy rod." So it divided, and each separate part became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain  26:63

وَٱتْرُكِ ٱلْبَحْرَ رَهْوًا إِنَّهُمْ جُندٌ مُّغْرَقُونَ

"And leave the sea as a furrow (divided): for they are a host (destined) to be drowned." 44:24

وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ

And We made the other party approach there. 26:64

وَأَنجَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ أَجْمَعِينَ

We delivered Moses and all who were with him; 26:65

 فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ

Then Pharaoh pursued them with his forces, but the waters completely overwhelmed them and covered them up. 20:78

وَجَـٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدْرَكَهُ ٱلْغَرَقُ

قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَتْ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓا۟ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

We took the Children of Israel across the sea: Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence and spite. At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he (Pharaoh) said: "I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in: I am of those who submit (to Allah in Islam). 10:90

ءَآلْـَٔـٰنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

(It was said to him): "Ah now!- But a little while before, were you in rebellion!- and you did mischief (and violence)! 10:91

فَٱلْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ ءَايَةً وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَغَـٰفِلُونَ

"This day shall We save you (Pharaoh) in the body, that you may be a sign to those who come after you! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs! 10:92

فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ جَمِيعًا

So he (Pharaoh) resolved to remove them from the face of the earth: but We did drown him and all who were with him. 17:103

Interestingly, the French archeologist Gaston Maspero in his first archeological dig in Egypt reached a hidden chamber covered with Hieroglyphic text.  This room had been hidden for thousands of years.  Eventually in the 1990s, the text was translated and in "Utterance 553", there is a passage about the death of a certain Pharaoh.  It says: "The sky weeps for you, the earth trembles for you, when you ascend to heaven as a star".  Amazingly, Allah responds to the above in the following verse:

فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنظَرِينَ

And neither heaven nor earth shed a tear over them: nor were they given a respite.  44:29