Prophet Muhammad is narrated to have performed extraordinary miracles, including splitting the moon. According to Gulf Times, the story began when a number of Quraysh elites, including Abu Jahal, Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughirah, and Al-'Aas ibn Waa'il, questioned Muhammad's legitimacy as the prophet of Allah.
They demanded proof in the form of a request to split the moon into two parts. Prophet Muhammad accepted their request and prayed to Allah to split the moon. Allah granted his request, and the moon split into two parts.
Anas RA reported in the Bukhari hadith that the Quraysh saw the moon split so that they could see Hira, a place between the two parts. Despite witnessing this miracle, they refused to accept that Muhammad was the prophet of Allah.
Scientific Evidence of Prophet Muhammad's Miracle Claim
In the era of post-truth, false scientific claims or pseudoscience like this often circulate on Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
According to AFP Fact Check, one Facebook post claimed that NASA had proven that the moon had been split in two. The post titled "Miracle of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) 'Splitting of the Moon'" has been shared thousands of times.
The post includes four photos, one of which shows a crack on the surface of the moon claimed as evidence of the miracle.
Claims of scientific evidence for the miracle have also spread to scientific papers, as revealed in an article by O.K. AbouEassa on the Scientific & Academic Publishing website titled "The Evidence of the Split of the Moon" (2020). The article states that the craters on the moon's surface show that the Earth's satellite was once split into two parts.
Eassa revealed that the moon's surface has more cracks than previously estimated, with damage reaching 20 km and spreading to the moon's core. He also stated that the cracks were from the splitting of the moon into two parts, which occurred during the time of Prophet Muhammad.
With claims like these, it is important to verify the accuracy of the information before spreading it on social media or in scientific publications.
NASA Re-examines Claims of Scientific Evidence of the Split Moon
According to AFP investigation, the claim that NASA has proven that Prophet Muhammad could split the moon is false. Image searches show that the photo used in the claim is a picture of Rima Ariadaeus, a narrow gap in the moon taken by the Apollo 10 crew in May 1969 and has been published by NASA since 2002.
NASA revealed that Rima Ariadaeus, which is a system of fractures similar to those on Earth, is believed to have formed as a result of tectonic activity. Although some scientists believe that linear rilles may have formed after a large impact event, there is no scientific evidence that the moon was ever split into two or more parts and then reunited in the past.
NASA's website also published other photos of Rima Ariadaeus, showing other features and fractures on the moon's surface. A NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) staff scientist, Brad Bailey, stated that there is currently no scientific evidence to support the claim that the moon was split.
Professor Paul Groot, an astronomer at Radboud University in the Netherlands, said that the image used in the claim shows features associated with the impact that created the Tycho crater on the moon's surface. However, the features did not extend around the moon, so the claim of the moon's splitting remains false.
The Unshakable Perfection of Prophet Muhammad's Miracles
What is the Muslim community's response to NASA's claim? Would they doubt the miracles of Prophet Muhammad?
The answer is no. On the contrary, Muslims increasingly believe in the greatness and power of Allah and the perfection of His prophet's miracles. When Prophet Muhammad was able to perfectly split the moon, he would also be able to return it to its original form without any defects or traces of the split. All of these miracles are undoubtedly with the permission of Allah, who is the Almighty over everything.
In conclusion, NASA's recent discovery has absolutely no effect on reducing the value of Prophet Muhammad's miracles. Instead, it strengthens the perfection of his miracles with the permission and power of Allah.
Therefore, it is clear that Prophet Muhammad's miracles include the ability to split the moon and return it perfectly without any remaining trace on its surface. Even NASA scientists could not find any scientific evidence to refute this. Wallahu A'lam.
Photo: Dok Apollo 10 NASA
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