Esther in Islamic Historical Sources
Having identified (earlier in the book) that the Haman who appears in the Qur’an is in fact the Haman of Esther, this chapter seeks to explain how the rest of the Esther story was received (if at all) within Islamic culture(s). The chapter focuses on “historical” sources, in which either the history of Judaism and Jewish festivals is described—including descriptions of “Purim”—or the history of ancient Persian kings and queens (including Queen Esther) is recounted. It is shown that when Muslim authors adopted the Esther story, they also adapted it to suit their preconceived notions. The chapter also deals with an ancient Jewish midrash that resurfaced, in an elaborate version, in the middle ages. It is shown that the Muslim exegete and historian, al-Tabari, preserved a “missing link” in the midrashic chain, thereby bridging the ancient and medieval versions of the story.