Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

how can you explain scientifically the event of splitting of the moon into two halves mentioned in the quran Surah Al-Qamar?

was that a sign if it was , there should be some scientific discovery about it till now.  

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Answer:

Splitting of the moon miracle

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 54 Surah Al-Qamar verses 1-2:

1 The Hour (of Judgment) is nigh, and the moon is cleft asunder!

2 But if they see a Sign, they turn away and say "This is (but) transient magic."

Allah Subhanah gives a connotation to the splitting of the moon as His Sign or Miracle in the Glorious Quran in the Aayahs quoted above, and there are several authentic narrations related by many of the Noble Companions of the Prophet (saws), who themselves witnessed this great Miracle of Allah Subhanah at the hands of the Last Messenger of Allah (saws).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.208 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The people of Mecca asked Allah's Messenger (saws) to show them a miracle. So he (saws) showed them the moon split in two halves between which they saw the Hiram' mountain.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.830 Narrated by Abdullah bin Masud

During the lifetime of the Prophet (saws) the moon was split into two parts and on that the Prophet (saws) said, "Bear witness (to this Miracle of Allah)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.832 Narrated by Ibn Abbas

The moon was split into two parts during the lifetime of the Prophet (saws).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.387 Narrated by Ibn Masud

During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (saws) the moon was split into two parts; one part remained over the mountain, and the other part went beyond the mountain. On that, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Witness this Miracle (of Allah)."

Your Question: how can you explain scientifically the event of splitting of the moon into two halves mentioned in the quran Surah Al-Qamar?

Dear and beloved brother, the Oxford English Dictionary itself describes the term ‘miracle’ as an extra-ordinary super-natural event, occurrence or development beyond the laws of science and/or nature!

Almost all the Grand Miracles or Signs of Allah Subhanah shown at the hands of some of His Messengers and related by the Lord Most High in His Glorious Quran be it saving of Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) from the absolute fierce of fire the disbelievers threw him into, or the magnificent parting of the sea at the strike of the staff of Prophet Musa (a.s.), or the birth of the Noble Messenger Isa (a.s.) without any male intervention, or the miraculous speech and sermon of Prophet Isa (a.s.) soon after his birth, and his touch healing of those inflicted by plague, or curing the one who was born blind, or bringing a declared dead human being back to life, etc…… all of these superb and magnificent Miracles and Signs of Allah defied the laws of nature and science known to man…and that is precisely why they are known or called as Miracles!

For those who have professed belief in Allah and His Messengers, they believe with absolute conviction at the occurrence of these extra-ordinary incidents mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah as a Miracle and a Sign from their Lord; regardless of whether science is ever able to comprehend or explain these miraculous events or occurrences.

Your Question: was that a sign if it was , there should be some scientific discovery about it till now. 

Regardless of whether or not modern science is able to discover or comprehend or explain the ‘miraculous’ events or occurrences that occurred as Miracles or Signs of the Lord Most High at the hands of His Messengers, it is a condition of faith and ‘emaan’ to accept and ‘believe in the unseen’ with absolute conviction every Miracle or Sign as Declared by the Lord Himself in His Glorious Quran or by the Messenger of Allah (saws) in his authentic traditions.

Even those very disbelievers who actually themselves witnessed these magnificent Miracles and Signs of their Lord at the hands of His Messengers, because they could not relate these miraculous occurrences to the laws of nature and science available to them, they refused to believe in them as Miracles, but turned these events of Truth by Allah into mockery and declared it ‘manifest sorcery’!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 37 Surah Saafaat verses 12-15:

12 Truly dost thou (the believers) marvel while they (the disbelievers) ridicule!

13 And when they are admonished pay no heed

14 And when they see a Sign turn it to mockery

15 And say "This is nothing but evident sorcery!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 46 Surah Ahqaaf verse 7:

7 When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them the unbelievers say of the Truth when it comes to them: "This is evident sorcery!"

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 27 Surah Naml verses 13-14:

13 But when our Signs came to them that should have opened their eyes they said: "This is sorcery manifest!"

14 And they rejected those Signs in iniquity and arrogance though their souls were convinced thereof: so see what was the end of those who acted corruptly!

Allah Subhanah Himself is Witness to the ‘splitting of the moon’ during the lifetime of the Prophet Mohamed (saws) as related in the Glorious Quran, the Prophet Mohamed (saws) and his noble companions were witnesses; and all the believers who have professed belief in Allah and His Messenger (saws) believe with absolute conviction that the moon was split exactly as was related for it is a condition of their faith or ‘emaan’ to believe in every unseen event that is Declared by Allah and His Messenger (saws), regardless of whether or not science is ever able to discover or decipher its phenomena!

Beloved brother in Islam, science is definitely not the prescribed barometer for the determination of Truth and falsehood in Islam. Allah is our witness, if science were to discover or confirm these Miracles of Allah Subhanah, it would not bring an increase in the belief of the believers; and if science were unable to discover or even reject these Events or Truth as related by Allah and His Messenger (saws), it would not bring about an iota of decrease in the belief and conviction of the believers of those Miracles of Allah!

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan