The Prophet ﷺ had many miracles and clear signs that demonstrated his prophethood, including the splitting of the moon, the Night Journey and Ascension (Isra and Mi'raj), and the eternal miracle of the Quran.
The Miracle of the Splitting of the Moon:
The occurance of the splitting of the moon took place in Makkah before the migration (Hijrah) when the disbelievers of Quraysh asked the Prophet ﷺ for a sign. The splitting of the moon is one of the remarkable signs and clear miracles of the Prophet ﷺ. This miracle has widely been reported through multiple chains of narration. The polytheists in Makkah asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for a sign, and he showed them the moon splitting in two parts.
Imam Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with them) that the people of Makkah asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to show them a sign, which he did by splitting the moon.
However, their diseased hearts did not believe despite the greatness of this miracle, and some denied it, which was a result of their ignorance of the power of Allah, the Almighty. They did not appreciate Allah as He deserves.
The Confirmation of the Splitting of the Moon for the Prophet ﷺ:
Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi said in Al-Mufhim (24/56): "Abdullah ibn Mas'ud explained how this splitting occurred, leaving no room for doubt... This hadith has been narrated by a large group of companions (may Allah be pleased with them), including Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Anas, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Hudhayfah, Ali, Jubayr ibn Mut'im, and others. It was also narrated by their successors among the Tabi'in, and then by a large number of people until it reached us, and its light shone upon us. This is in addition to what is mentioned in the Quran, which is widely known to every person. Thus, this miracle has established certain knowledge that no rational person can doubt."
The splitting of the moon has been confirmed by clear and definitive evidence, including:
• The words of Allah: "The Hour has drawn near and the moon was split ˹in two˺. Yet, whenever they see a sign, they turn away, saying, “Same old magic! ”" (Quran 54:1-2).
• Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The moon split during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." This was narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.
• Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "The moon split into two parts at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Bear witness.'"
Doubts About the Incident of the Splitting of the Moon:
Ibn al-Jawzi said in Zad al-Masir (8/88): "All the commentators agree on this, except for a few who deviated and said that the moon will split on the Day of Resurrection. This deviant opinion cannot stand against the consensus, because the word 'split' is in the past tense, and interpreting a past tense verb as referring to the future requires contextual evidence, which is not present here. The verse 'Yet, whenever they see a sign, they turn away' is evidence that this event has already occurred."
Ibn Taymiyyah said in Al-Jawab al-Sahih (1/414): "He (the Prophet ﷺ) informed them of the approach of the Hour and the splitting of the moon. The splitting of the moon was witnessed and observed by many, and it has been widely reported. The Prophet ﷺ used to recite this chapter in large congregations, such as Friday prayers and Eids, so that people could hear the signs of prophethood and lessons contained within it. All people acknowledge this and do not deny it, so it is known that the splitting of the moon was widely known between the people."
Imam Nawawi said in Sharh Sahih Muslim (17/143): "The splitting of the moon is one of the greatest miracles of our Prophet ﷺ, and it has been narrated by several companions (may Allah be pleased with them), along with the clear Quranic verse and its context. Al-Zajjaj said: 'Some heretics who oppose the religion have denied this, but this is because Allah has blinded their hearts. There is no rational objection to this, as the moon is a creation of Allah, and He does with it as He wills, just as He will destroy it and fold it up at the end of time.' As for the claim of some atheists that if this had happened, it would have been widely reported and known by all people on Earth, and not just the people of Makkah, the scholars responded by saying that this splitting occurred at night when most people were asleep, unaware, and their doors were closed. It is common for lunar eclipses and other celestial phenomena to occur at night, and only a few people notice them. This splitting was a sign that occurred at night for a specific group of people who had asked for it, and others were not aware of it. They also said that the moon may have been in a position where it was visible to some regions and not others, just as a lunar eclipse is visible in some places and not others. Allah knows best."
