Shaqq al-Qamar: Difference between revisions

According to [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]], Muslims had consensus over the occurrence of Shaqq al-Qamar, and since denials appeared years later, they do not undermine the validity of the consensus. However, there are disagreements in [[hadith]]s with regard to details and how the event took place. According to hadiths, the Prophet (s) split the moon into two parts as a miracle, and then returned it to the original state. This part of the story is agreed upon by Islamic sources.

There are two hadiths concerning Shaqq al-Qamar in Shiite sources of hadiths and Quranic exegesis;

Al-Shaykh al-Tusi in his ''[[al-Amali]]''

''[[Tafsir al-Qummi]]''

Muslim scholars have adopted two approaches to Shaqq al-Qamar. The majority of Shiite and Sunni exegetes of the [[Qur'an]] acknowledge that the event did take place and take the first three verses of [[Sura al-Qamar]] to concern the miracle of Shaqq al-Qamar. With slight differences, the story appears in Shiite and Sunni books. Many scholars believe that there is [[consensus]], [[tawatur]], or [[Al-Khabar al-Wahid|istifada]] with regard to the story.

The second approach, adopted by people such as [[Hasan al-Basri]], Ata' Khurasani, and Balkhi is that the first verses of Sura al-Qamar are concerned with events happening prior to the [[resurrection]], or ashrat al-sa'a ([[Indications of the Hour]]).

The first objection: According to Ptolemaic cosmology, it is impossible for heavenly spheres to split from or join each other.:  

The second objection: If such a thing has happened, why is it not reported in independent historical sources?: