Splitting of the Moon

Sura 54 of the Quran is entitled Al-Qamar, The Moon, الـقمـر, and the opening verse of this Sura states:

[54:1] The Hour has come closer, and the moon has split.

 اقتَرَبَتِ السّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ القَمَرُ

If we consult traditional sources regarding the meaning of this verse, we see that according to Hadith it is claimed that prophet Muhammad split the moon in two. This not only lacks any evidence it also contradicts the Quran. This is because Muhammad did not have a physical miracle like the prophets and messengers in the past but instead had only the Quran, whose miracle is slowly being unlocked each day as these prophecies are being fulfilled, our scientific understanding increases, and our understanding of this scripture is amplified.

[10:20] They say, “How come no miracle came down to him from his Lord?” Say, “The future belongs to GOD; so wait, and I am waiting along with you.”

 وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ فَانْتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ

Even historically, we see that this verse came after Sura 54, as Sura 10 is believed to be the 51st revelation, while Sura 54 is the 37th.

Prophecy of Splitting of the Moon

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to step foot on the moon. Two days later, at exactly 1:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time on July 21, 1969, Apollo lunar module lifted off from the surface of the moon carrying 21.55 kilograms (47.51 lbs) of lunar rock to be brought back to Earth, so it could be analyzed.

Notice that this is Sura 54 verse 1, which is the exact minute that Apollo 11 lifted off from the surface of the moon with 21.55 kilograms (47.51 lbs) of lunar rock, just as the prophecy in the Quran specified this would happen.

But some may argue that based on where a person was in the world, the hour of the departure would be represented differently. If we go with EDT time as per the Kennedy Space Center located on Merritt Island, Florida, which was mission control for Apollo 11, we see that the time was 1:54p.m.

But if alternatively we use the time from Houston, Texas where the capsule communicator (CAPCOM) team was located, which were the only person who communicated directly with the flight crew, we see that it was 12:54p.m..

And if we go with UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), which is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time, we see that the time was 5:54p.m. or 17:54 when represented in military time.

So the common factor across the whole world was that this event occurred exactly at 54 minutes which corresponds with Sura 54. But NASA kept very detailed logs of the mission to the second. So can we see the exact second that the lunar lift occurred?

If we look at the mission logs we see that Lunar liftoff occurred exactly at 54 minutes and 1 second.

The Response

What is the response from the people when they are faced with this information? Do they turn reverent? Do they accept the Quran as the irrefutable word of God? Or do they simply write this off as a mere coincidence?

The Second Miracle

[54:2] Then they saw a miracle; but they turned away and said, “Old magic.”

 وَإِنْ يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ

[54:3] They disbelieved, followed their opinions, and adhered to their old traditions.

 وَكَذَّبُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ مُسْتَقِرٌّ

[54:4] Sufficient warnings have been delivered to alert them.

 وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْبَاءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزْدَجَرٌ

[54:5] Great wisdom; but all the warnings have been in vain.

 حِكْمَةٌ بَالِغَةٌ فَمَا تُغْنِ النُّذُرُ