MIRACLES OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam)_SPLITTING OF THE MOON

Several times I have heard of a miracle that the Prophet (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) pointed towards the moon and it split into two. I don’t depend on scientific analysis, but according to astronomy the moon has always been seen as quarter, half or full. So how is this a Miracle? Please clarify this for me.

Wajid Ali, Northampton.

Answer:

The Miracles of the Prophet (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) are to prove that he is a true Messenger and Allah Mercy is upon him. We as Muslims must believe that everything in the universe is under the control of Allah All-Mighty. He can do whatsoever he wishes without any interference from anyone. Also, we believe that everything works according to its nature, i.e the nature of fire is to burn. But Allah can take this quality away from the fire if He wishes. Prophets have faced such miracles from time to time.

Science links with the understanding of people and their knowledge, which is always changing. We are not saying that Science is against Qur’an nor that the Qur’an denies scientific theories. But scientific theories are constantly changing due to advancement and improvement in knowledge. We have many scientific theories which had been set up by expert scientists of the past but are now unacceptable in light of today’s research and development.

The Qu’ran is the Book of Allah, to guide mankind. It is not a Book of Science. Therefore, it is unchangeable and undoubtful. In the Qur’an, Allah mentions this miracle in Surat Al-Qamar.

“The Hour (of Judgement) has drawn near and the Moon has been cleft as under.” (54:1)

In the Hadith it says that the people of Makkah requested the prophet (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) to show a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon. (Shaih Al-Bukhari)

In another Hadith mentioned in Musnad Ahmad, it says:

“When the disbelievers saw the miracle of the moon splitting into two, they said perhaps the prophet (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) has done magic on them. But, some of them refused saying that other people who are not among us, also saw the Miracle.”

So we believe that this miracle was true and is confirmed by the Quran and Sunnah. It is a sign of Allah powers. Such things increase one’s belief and faith.

The point which you mentioned that the moon has always been seen as half or full according to its system; this is true. However, the situation here was different because the Makkans did not just see a half moon and then a full moon, they was the moon in two parts which were both far apart on the same time.

Taken From the Book of…

FATAWA “Sirat-E-Mustaqeem”
By : The Late “Maulana Mahmood Ahmed Mirpuri”
Traslated by “Mohammed Abdul Hadi al-Oomeri”
Published by “DARUSSALAM”