moon and its splitting

Interpretation of the splitting of the moon from

the view point of Allameh Tabatabai

The discussion of the splitting of the moon by prophet Muhammad is one of the extraordinary miracles. In the Holy Quran, Surah Qamar, God has said that one of the miracles of the Prophet is the splitting of the moon.

Therefore, in this article, we are going to give Allameh Tabatabai's opinion on this.

The meaning of Shaq-al-Qamar (split, or separation of the moon)

The meaning of what he said:” (and the splitting of the moon” (Qamar (54):1)[1]is that the parts of the moon's disc were separated and divided into two parts, and this verse refers to the miracle of the splitting of the moon by God's hand.

  This verse refers to the miracle of the splitting of the moon, which God Almighty performed at the hands of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) in Mecca and before the migration and following the suggestion of the polytheists of Mecca.

According to Allameh Tabatabai, there are many narrations of this story, and all hadith scholars and Sunni commentators agree on the acceptance of those hadiths.

 Allameh Tabataba’s reasons that the splitting of the moon happened during the time of the Prophet

Allameh says that because of the next verse, we come to the conclusion that this incident happened during the time of the Prophet. The context of the next verse: “If they see a sign, they turn away, and say, ‘An incessant magic!’” (Qamar (54):2)^[2] is the clearest proof that the meaning of (verse) is absolute, which also includes the halving of the moon. That is, even if they see the moon from the middle (polytheists), one after another they say it is magic. Allameh Tabatabai says in Persian : If someone says that the time for the fulfillment of this verse is the Day of Judgment, it would be said: “And it is clear that the doomsday is not a day of veiling, it is a day when all truths will be revealed, and everyone will seek knowledge in it”. Therefore, it does not make sense that this event will happen in the Resurrection, although one of the characteristics of the Resurrection is the transformation of the galaxies, the essence of this incident has already happened.

Some have considered the splitting of the moon to be impossible: because it does not correspond to scientific rules Allameh replied: First, this is a miracle: Secondly: A miracle is impossible normally (that is, it is impossible from the conventional point of view), but it is not impossible from the intellectual point of view.

For example, the miracle of Prophet Moses, whose staff turned into a dragon

Jesus' miracles were healing the sick, healing the blind, etc.

Hence, From the normal point of view, these things seem impossible, but from the intellectual point of view, it is possible.

Of course, the intellect that is divine has the power to do it, not just any intellect.

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