Juz 27: Adh-Dhāriyāt 31 to Al-Ḥadīd
Section 14 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
14. The Moon's Splitting and Disbelievers' Denial of Signs
Surah Al-Qamar begins with one of the most remarkable miracles granted to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) – the splitting of the moon. This event serves as the namesake for the entire surah, which opens with these powerful verses:
اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ وَإِن يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُّسْتَمِرٌّ
“The Hour (of doom) has drawn near, and the moon has split. And when they see a sign, they turn away and say, "(This is) a transient magic.”
This passage establishes two momentous realities: the approaching Day of Judgment and the historical miracle of the moon's splitting. This miracle occurred when the Makkans demanded that the Prophet (peace be upon him) show them a sign to prove his prophethood. In response to his prayer, Allah (swt) split the moon into two distinct parts, which were witnessed by those present before rejoining.
Despite witnessing this extraordinary sign, the disbelievers rejected it, dismissing it as "continuous magic" (siḥrun mustamir). This demonstrates their deeply entrenched denial, as they claimed it was merely an illusion affecting their vision rather than an actual event. Their reaction exemplifies how even the most compelling evidence fails to penetrate hearts sealed by arrogance and disbelief.
The passage continues:
وَكَذَّبُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ مُّسْتَقِرٌّ
“And they rejected (the truth) and followed their desires, while every matter has to settle (at some time).”
This verse identifies the true problem behind their rejection – they followed their own desires rather than submitting to divine truth. The phrase "every matter has to settle" carries a profound warning that all affairs reach their destined conclusion. Those who deny the truth cannot escape the ultimate consequences of their denial.
Allah (swt) then declares:
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُم مِّنَ الْأَنبَاءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزْدَجَرٌ حِكْمَةٌ بَالِغَةٌ فَمَا تُغْنِ النُّذُرُ
“And certainly there has come to them such news (about the earlier communities) as contains a deterrent, (which is) consummate wisdom. But the warnings are of no avail.”