In the Bible, Haman appears only in the Book of Esther, a story set in Persia around the 5th century BC. Haman is called an Agagite, and was a high-ranking official in the Persian court under King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). He plotted in Esther to exterminate the Jews in the Persian Empire.His plan was thwarted by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai, and Haman was eventually hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 7:10). Her story is the central focus of the Jewish festival of Purim, celebrated annually to this day.
Esther 3:1
After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him.Esther 3:5–6
And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.Esther 7:9–10
Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.Esther 9:26–28
Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
The Quran places a man named Haman in Pharaoh’s Egypt, during the time of Moses some 900 years before the historical Haman of Esther’s day. It takes place in Egypt rather than Persa. The Quran’s Haman is Egyptian rather than an Agagite, a royal descendant of the Amalekites.
Surah 28:6
“And to establish them in the land; and through them show Pharaoh, Haman, and their soldiers the very thing they feared.”Surah 28:8
“Pharaoh’s people picked him up, only to become an enemy and source of grief for them. Surely Pharaoh, Haman, and their soldiers were sinful.”Surah 28:38
“Pharaoh said, ‘O chiefs! I know of no god for you other than myself. So bake bricks out of clay for me, O Haman, and build a high tower so I may look at the God of Moses, though I am sure he is a liar.’”Surah 29:39
“And ˹We destroyed˺ Korah, Pharaoh, and Haman. Indeed, Moses had come to them with clear proofs, but they behaved arrogantly in the land. Yet they could not escape ˹Us˺.”Surah 40:24
“To Pharaoh, Haman, and Korah, but they said, ‘A lying magician!’”Surah 40:36–37
“Pharaoh said, ‘O Haman! Build me a tall tower so I may reach the routes— the routes into the heavens—to look for the God of Moses, though I am sure he is a liar.’ And so Pharaoh’s evil deeds were made appealing to him, and he was barred from the right way. Pharaoh’s plot led only to his own ruin.”
There are clear chronological and contextual mismatch, ad this is often cited as an example (of many) where the Quran confuses distinct biblical figures and events.