A new academic study proposes a significant interpretation of one of the Qur'an's enigmatic disconnected letters, connecting it to ancient cosmological concepts through rigorous textual analysis. Researcher Mahmoud A. Wahab's book, The Disconnected Letter 'Nun' at Surah Al-Qalam: In Relation to Ancient Egyptian Religion, Hebrew Bible & Qur'anic Coherence, argues that the letter "Nun" (ن) opening Surah Al-Qalam (68:1) is not an undecipherable cipher but a meaningful sign encoding the primordial waters—"Nun" in ancient Egyptian cosmology. This reading is grounded in four pillars: the letter Nun itself, ancient Egyptian religion, the Hebrew Bible, and Qur'anic coherence, with the Qur'an retaining interpretive primacy.
Wahab adopts a coherence-first methodological approach, treating each sūrah as a thematic unit and viewing the Qur'an's arrangement as purposeful. Outside materials such as hadith reports, earlier scriptures, and historical notes are considered only insofar as they corroborate Qur'anic language and structure. The core argument examines Surah Al-Qalam's position within the Muṣḥaf, where it sits between Al-Mulk (67) and Al-Haqqah (69). Al-Mulk proclaims divine sovereignty, creation, and life as a test, while Al-Haqqah portrays the Inevitable Day and final judgment. Al-Qalam, introduced by "Nun" and an oath by the Pen, forms a bridge between creation and destiny.
Drawing on the nazm tradition of Qur'anic coherence analysis, Wahab argues that the linear and thematic ties among these three sūrahs help decode "Nun." The initial letter functions as a hinge symbol connecting blessing and creation (Al-Mulk) to resurrection and judgment (Al-Haqqah) through decree and knowledge (Al-Qalam). This interpretation links to creation motifs where early reports present the Pen as the first created thing, writing the decree—fitting the "knowledge" axis of Al-Qalam and the reading-writing pairing with Al-ʿAlaq.
The study extensively examines ancient Egyptian cosmology, where Nun represents not a craftsman-god but the deified backdrop: the limitless, dark primordial ocean from which the first mound and creator-gods emerge. All Egyptian theological schools shared this watery substrate, and ritual life continually re-enacted emergence from this Deep through sacred lakes, libations, and Nile inundation, reinforcing Nun's life-giving role. The book also canvases scholarship on Hebrew Bible parallels, particularly Genesis 1:2 and the Hebrew tĕhôm (the Deep), noting structured parallels with Egypt's pre-creation schema. These similarities are judged "too close to be accidental," while maintaining the biblical polemic that demythologizes the Deep.
When Surah Al-Qalam is read within its immediate nazm and in light of cross-cultural water-cosmologies, "Nun" most plausibly signals the primordial waters—a symbol that coherently links origin (creation) to decree (Pen/inscription) to destiny (judgment) across the Al-Mulk/Al-Qalam/Al-Haqqah triad. Wahab's contribution is methodological as much as lexical, demonstrating how Qur'anic arrangement and thematic unity can unlock the muqaṭṭaʿāt (disconnected letters), with comparative materials serving as supporting witnesses rather than authoritative sources. The result is a compact, integrative reading of "Nun" that ties together creation, knowledge, and judgment within the Qur'an's own architectural framework.
This research matters because it offers a fresh approach to understanding the Qur'an's mysterious opening letters through internal coherence rather than speculative etymology. By foregrounding Qur'anic chronology and arrangement while using earlier revelations and adjacent chapters as illuminating tools, the study provides a model for interdisciplinary scriptural analysis that respects textual integrity. The book is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Disconnected-Letter-Surah-Al-Qalam-Coherence/dp/example, where it presents its arguments about Qur'anic coherence and the muqaṭṭaʿāt. For scholars of comparative religion, Qur'anic studies, and ancient Near Eastern cosmology, this work represents a significant attempt to bridge disciplinary divides while maintaining the primacy of the Qur'an's internal logic.
