The splitting of the moon
The splitting of the moon (Arabic: انشقاق القمر) is a miracle in Muslim tradition attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). It is from Quran 54:1–2,[2] and is referred to by Muslim tradition as Asbab al-Nuzul (the context of revelation).
Early hadiths supporting the literal interpretation are narrated on the authority of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) such as Ibn Abbas RA, Anas bin Malik RA, Abdullah bin Masud RA and others. According to the Indian Muslim scholar Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the moon will split again as the Day of Judgment draws near. He says that the verses may also have a figurative meaning, that is, the matter has become as clear as the Moon. Quranic verse 54:1–2
The hour has drawn near and the moon has split. And when they (the Meccan polytheists) see a miracle, they turn away and say: (This is) magic that continues.
(Quran 54:1–2)
The splitting of the moon: Once the disbelievers of Mecca asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to prove his prophethood by showing them any sign of it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ pointed his finger at the moon and it split into two. The Quran mentions it as follows:
ٱقْتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلْقَمَرُ ١
"The Hour is near, and the moon is split in two. But when they see a sign (of the disbelievers), they turn back and say: "A powerful magic!"
{Q. 54:1)
However, the disbelievers reject the event as magic.
Early hadiths supporting the literal interpretation are narrated on the authority of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ such as Ibn Abbas ra, Anas bin Malik ra, Abdullah bin Masud ra, and others. According to the Indian Muslim scholar Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the moon will split again as the Hour draws near. He says that the verses may also have a figurative meaning, that is, the matter has become as clear as the Moon. The verses of the Quran 54:1–2 are part of a debate between medieval Islamic theologians and Muslim philosophers on the issue of the inviolability of heavenly bodies.
The splitting of the Moon has been witnessed in other parts of the world.
❝The Hour is near, and the moon has been split. But every time they see a miracle, they turn away, and say, "Continuous magic." They lie and follow their opinions, but everything has its time.❞
The splitting of the moon is one of the many miracles attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. By Allah's permission, this miracle was performed on the night of the full moon in Makkah when the Prophet was challenged by the disbelievers to prove his prophethood..
How did the miracle of the splitting of the moon occur?
The miracle of the splitting of the moon occurred before the migration to Madinah at the request of the polytheists by Allah's permission and was demonstrated by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as narrated by many of his companions.
The Quraysh polytheists said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
“If you are truly a Prophet appointed by Allah, then split the moon in two. Let it be in such a way that one half will appear on Mount Abu Qubais and the other half will be seen on Mount Quayqian.”
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked:
"If I do that, will you become Muslims?"
The polytheists replied:
"Yes, we will."
Narrated Anas bin Malik RA: The people of Makkah asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to show them a miracle. So he showed them the moon splitting into two parts, between which they saw Mount Hira'.
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Masud RA: During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) the moon split into two parts; one part remained on the mountain, and the other part went to the other side of the mountain. On that, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Witness this miracle."
However, the polytheists said, "Muhammad has bewitched us!"
It was narrated from Muhammad bin Jubair bin Mut’im from his father that he said: “The moon split during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until it became two halves, one on this mountain and one on that mountain. So they said: ‘Muhammad has bewitched us.’ Some of them said: ‘If he could bewitch us, he would not be able to use magic on everyone.’”
They asked people who came from all over.
“Yes! We also saw the moon in that state! We saw the moon split! They reported that the moon split.
Moon Split Witnessed in England:
People living in other parts of the world also witnessed the splitting of the moon, which occurred on June 18, 1178, corresponding to 29 Dhu al-Hijjah 573 in the Islamic calendar.
The National Geographic Archives records that on June 18, 1178, five monks in Canterbury, England, reported witnessing an unusual phenomenon in the sky.
The monks reported the effect of “the upper horn [of the moon] splitting in two” and “torches blazing, spewing, at some distance, fire, hot coals and sparks.”
Moon Split Witnessed in India:
Chakrawati Farmas also known as Cheraman Perumal, the King of Malabar, India witnessed the splitting of the moon and traveled to the Arabian peninsula to meet the Prophetﷺ and convert to Islam.
The incident related to King Chakrawati Farmas is documented in an old manuscript in the India Office Library, London, which has reference number: Arab, 2807, 152-173. It is quoted in the book “Muhammad Rasulullah,” by M. Hamidullah:
“There is a very old tradition in Malabar, on the South-West Coast of India, that Chakrawati Farmas, one of their kings, had observed the splitting of the moon, a miracle of the Prophet ﷺ celebrated in Mecca, and knowing through research that there was
Predicting the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ from Arabia, he appointed his son as regent and set out to meet him. He embraced Islam with the Prophet ﷺ, and on his return home, on the orders of the Prophet ﷺ, died in the port of Zafar, Yemen, where the tomb of the “king of India” has been visited with great devotion for centuries.”
Due to this incident about their king, the people of Malabar became the first people in India to accept Islam. Thereafter, they increased their trade with the Arabs, as Arab ships used to pass through their coast on their way to China before the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ.
References:
[1] Quran 54:1-3
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 3868
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari: Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 387
[4] Jami Tirmidhi: Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3289
[5] Bayhaqi, V. 2, p. 267
[6] https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jun18/monks-may-witness-moon-split-two/
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gervase_of_Canterbury#Gervase_and_the_Moon
[8] http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/farmas.html
On major contradicting comment from NASA Sience.
In 2010, NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) staff scientist Brad Bailey said,
"No current scientific evidence reports that the Moon was split into two (or more) parts and then reassembled at any point in the past."
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