The Miracle of Splitting the Moon

Meanwhile in Mecca, the Quraysh were doing everything they can to put the Messenger of Allah in difficult situations. One day the leading men of Mecca had come together in Mina and they had asked for a miracle from the Messenger of Allah who was there with his Companions. They had even described the miracle they wanted to see, and that they would enter Islam if he would be able to do as they said. The Messenger of Allah who wanted them to enter Islam had his hopes high with this request and had got word from the Meccans that they would submit to belief if he would be able to split the moon into two: “Yes, if you are able to cut the moon into two then we will believe you,” they said.

Our noble Prophet lifted his hand up to the sky and with his index finger made a movement pointing to the moon. Those who were around him were looking at where he was pointing.

Then all of a sudden, the moon split into two. It was so clear and obvious that one half of the moon went over the mountain of Abu Qubays and the other half had gone over another mountain called Quayqian.

Upon such an incredible miracle illustrating the power and greatness of Allah, the Messenger of Allah turned to those near him and said: “Bear witness!”

The polytheists now regretted what had they asked for and they were greatly surprised. How could it be that someone standing right next to them should point to the moon and it should split in two and then make it come together again? They had made a promise, but they had no intention to become Muslim, how were they going to get out of this one? There were men among them who could trick even the devil and one of them stepped forward to say: “This is nothing but the magic of ibn Abi Kabsha! He has painted your eyes over with this magic. Ask the people who come from around; have they seen it as well? If they have seen it as well, then Muhammad is telling the truth. But if others haven’t seen what has happened, then this means that Muhammad has bewitched you.”

This was surely a way out for them. Then they sent word around and found people who were not present with Muhammad there at that time and they asked them about this miracle. The answers they got did not please the polytheists at all because everyone they spoke to said that they had experienced a strange event, that they had seen the moon split into two and go over two different mountains and then come back together again. The only way out that they had been counting on was proving to be a dead-end. They could not deny what they had seen with their own eyes because other people had witnessed it too. There was only one alternative left; they were going to hold onto their old slanders, and continue to be the victim of their own stubbornness: “This is nothing but the magic of Ibn Abi Kabsha!

But you can’t paint over the sun with clay! Those who chose to close their eyes would only make night descend upon themselves. Before long, the Truthful Gabriel descended and brought the verses that registered forever the truth that the polytheists tried to distort because they could not deny it: “The Last Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split. Whenever they see a miracle, they turn from it in aversion and say: “This is sorcery like many others, one after the other” (al-Qamar 54:1–2).