It is difficult to decide which was the greater achievement: the original construction of the temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel out of bare rock beside the Nile, or their dismantling and reconstruction in the 1960's to save them from being flooded by the rising waters of the newly formed Lake Nasser. That extraordinary event was one of the greatest feats of engineering of modern times. Whichever achievement impresses you most, the two Abu Simbel temples are wonderful. Throngs of visitors make the 280 kilometre journey south from Aswan to see them, and no one leaves disappointed. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Abu Simbel monuments are as famous throughout the world as Egypt's pyramids. We see them every day on the Egyptian One Pound Note. The face of Ramses II, carved in stone, has become a symbol of Egypt itself, and of the glories which once made her “Umm el Dunya”, Mother of the World. Now just forty kilometres from the Sudanese border, the temples at Abu Simbel were originally conceived as an imposing edifice for all those who approached Egypt from the south. Anyone approaching from the south from around a bend in the Nile, would have been awe-struck as they saw them, and would have marveled at the power of the great Pharaoh who could have made them. This, in fact, is exactly what Ramses the Great had intended, showing off his strength and the glory of his achievements in battle against any foe. The larger of the two temples, ostensibly dedicated to the sun-god, Ra-Harakhte, is considered perhaps the most beautiful temple to be built during Ramses' reign. To all extents and purposes, it is temple dedicated to the pharaoh himself. The façade has four massive statues of the pharaoh, with smaller statues of his wife, Nefertari, his mother and some of his children. The statues of Ramses are an amazing 20 metres high, the one on the far left as we gaze upon the temple being the most beautiful. The façade also has a row of carved baboons, worshipping the rising sun, but they do also appear to be worshipping Ramses. In the centre, but very much in the shadow of the great pharaoh, is a statue of the falcon-headed Ra-Harakhte. To put fear into the hearts of those visitors from the south, there are carved rows of African and Syrian prisoners, captured during many of the Pharaoh's military victories. Inside this temple the roof, decorated with vultures, is supported by eight columns, four on either side, with ten-metre high statues of Ramses. The walls depict him victorious in battle in Syria and Nubia. In the next chamber, Ramses and his wife kneel in front of gods who carry the dead to the underworld. In the innermost chamber four gods, once covered entirely in gold, sit on thrones awaiting the rising sun. And in a remarkable feat of engineering, this is exactly what comes to greet them on February 22 and October 22 every year, as the rays of the morning sun reach the very heart of the sanctuary, illuminating the golden statues and filling the temple with light. It is as if Ramses believed he could control the sun itself. The second of the two temples at Abu Simbel is dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty, and wife of the sun god. It is also adorned with statues of Nefertari, the favourite wife of Ramses. Inside, six pillars are topped with carvings of Hathor, whilst the walls depict Nefertari watching on as Ramses is once more victorious over his enemies. How extraordinary, that these temples were almost hidden by the desert sands for centuries. Over time, the sands had shifted and the temples became almost lost to human memory. When they were rediscovered in 1813 by the explorer, Jean-Louis Burkhadt, only one of the heads of the 20-metre high statues of Ramses was visible. By 1817, though, sufficient restoration and excavation work had been done that the largest temple could be entered. Muslims read in the Holy Qur'an in Surat Hud: “….there is no creature that moves on the earth but its provision depends on Allah. He knows its dwelling and its resting-place. All is recorded in a clear book.” 11:6 No matter how invincible Ramses the Great may have been in battle, nor how powerfully he may have ruled over Egypt during his long reign, it took only time to wipe away his memory and his achievements from the earth. Even one of the massive stone statues on his great temple is now cracked and broken, despite the labour which created it at the Pharaoh's command. A visit to the wonders of Abu Simbel makes us marvel at the power of that once great Pharaoh, but it should also remind us that all power is given and can be taken away at any time. Allah alone abides forever.
British Muslim writer, Idris Tawfiq, is a lecturer at Al-Azhar University. The author of eight books about Islam, he divides his time between Egypt and the UK as a speaker, writer and broadcaster. You can visit his website at www.idristawfiq.com.
