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The Ayats on the Moon Splitting in Context

Surah 54

[54:1] The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder.

[54:2] And if they see a miracle/sign they turn aside and say: Transient magic.

[54:3] And they call (it) a lie, and follow their low desires; and every affair has its appointed term.

[54:4] And certainly some narratives have come to them wherein is prevention—

[54:5] Consummate wisdom—but warnings do not avail;

[54:6] So turn (your) back on them (for) the day when the inviter shall invite them to a hard task,

[54:7] Their eyes cast down, going forth from their graves as if they were scattered locusts,

[54:8] Hastening to the inviter. The unbelievers shall say: This is a hard day.

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Addressing the Hadith-Based Claims of a Past Moon Splitting

A widely held yet problematic belief—based on certain hadiths—is that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) split the moon as a miracle. Some even claim that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) performed this act. However, this claim is fraught with inconsistencies, both theological and scientific.

 

1. The Quran Declares the Prophet Had No Other Miracles

The term "miracle" in Arabic is ayāt, which also means sign and verse

emphasizing the Quran itself as the singular miracle granted to the Prophet.

Consider the following verses which underscore this point:

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[13:7] And those who reject say: "If only a sign was sent down to him from his Lord." You are but a warner, and to every people is a guide.

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[3:183] Those who said: "God has pledged to us that we should not believe in a messenger unless he brings us an offering which the fire will devour." Say: "Messengers have come to you before me with clarity and with what you have said, so why did you kill them if you were truthful?"

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[30:58] And We have put forth for the people in this Qur’an of every example. And if you come to them with a sign, those who rejected will say: "You are bringing falsehood!"

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These verses affirm that the Prophet was a warner and that all necessary signs had already been revealed in the Quran.

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The prophet was given 6236 AYATS/VERSES/SIGNS/MIRACLES.

It goes against the whole concept of Islam to think the prophet had more ayats/miracles than the Quran.

 

2. A Cosmic Event Cannot Be Witnessed by Just Three People

Many hadith followers claim a large group witnessed this supposed event. However, the hadiths themselves contradict this, mentioning only three individuals: Abdullah bin Masud, Anas bin Malik, and Ibn Abbas. If such a monumental event had truly occurred, it would have been recorded globally, across civilizations with advanced astronomical knowledge at the time.

 

Even worse, if only three people recorded the account while the rest of the world remained unaware, then this would classify the event as an optical illusion, falling precisely into what the Quran describes in [54:2] as transient magic.

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3. The Quran’s Definition of Magic: Deception of the Eye

The Quran describes magic as trickery that deceives the eye, not an actual alteration of reality:

 

[7:116] He said, "Throw." Then when they threw, they bewitched (the) eyes (of) the people, and terrified them and came (up) with a magic great.

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If we accept that only a few people and not the entire world saw the moon split, then, according to the Quran itself, what they saw must have been an illusion—magic.

 

4. The Scientific Consequences of the Moon Splitting

If the moon were to split physically, the gravitational effects would have been catastrophic. The Earth's tilt would be disrupted, its rotation altered, and massive geological upheavals would have occurred globally.

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Yet, history records no such disturbances. This further solidifies that no real moon splitting occurred in the past.

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Why the Moon Splitting is a Future Event​

 

1. Past Tense for Future Events in the Quran

[54:1] The hour drew nigh and the moon did rend asunder.

Critics argue that the use of past tense (wa-inshaqqa) means the event already happened. However, the Quran often uses past tense to describe future events as if they have already happened, to emphasize their certainty.

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For example:

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[78:19-20] The heaven was opened (futihat) like gates. The mountains were removed (suyyirat), as if they were a mirage.

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This verse describes the Day of Judgment, yet it is written in past tense. The same applies to [54:1]—the moon splitting is an event yet to occur.

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2. The Sequence of Events

The verse does not merely state that the moon split—it begins with "The Hour drew near." The splitting of the moon is directly tied to the approach of Judgment Day. Given that over 1400 years have passed since the Prophet’s time and the Hour has not yet occurred, it is clear that the moon splitting is still in the future.

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3. The "Appointed Term" of the Moon

[54:3] And they call (it) a lie, and follow their low desires; and every affair has its appointed term (Mustaqirrun).

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In Quranic terminology, "appointed term" (Mustaqirrun) denotes the final, irreversible end of something. This term appears again in the same Surah:

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[54:38] And certainly seized them in the morning early a settled punishment.

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If the moon had already split and reassembled (as the hadiths claim), this verse would be incorrect—because the event would not have reached its "appointed term." Instead, the Quran implies that the moon will be permanently destroyed at its appointed time.

 

4. Resurrection is Mentioned in the Same Surah

[54:7] Their eyes cast down, going forth from their graves as if they were scattered locusts.

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The very same Surah that mentions the moon splitting also describes resurrection. The hadiths about a past moon splitting do not mention any connection to resurrection, further proving their inconsistency.

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The Most Plausible Explanation

This Surah paints a vivid picture of an undeniable cosmic event—one that future generations will witness firsthand. Imagine yourself standing beneath the night sky as the moon splits before your very eyes.

• [54:1] You just saw the moon split.

• [54:2] Some dismiss it as CGI or an optical illusion.

• [54:3] Many continue with daily life, claiming it was fabricated.

• [54:4-5] Perhaps this relates to the ongoing lunar phenomenon known as Lunar Graben—evidence that the moon’s crust is being pulled apart.

• [54:6] The righteous are commanded to turn away from those who deny the end is near.

• [54:7-8] As the event unfolds, humanity finally recognizes their error—but it will be too late.

This interpretation aligns seamlessly with both the Quranic message and observable reality, free from the contradictions of hadith-based explanations. The moon splitting is not a relic of the past but a sign yet to come—one that will signal the impending Hour.

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Below is a visual representation of the more plausible explanation.