Islam and Science 1/3: Did Muhammad split the moon and scale the heavens?

Is Islamic law fundamentally predicated on irrational assumptions? The two major propositions that skeptics and critics often use as talking points are that Muhammad split the moon and scaled the heavens. However, as this video shows, these very examples (‘Muhammad’s Ladder’ and ‘Muhammad’s Hammer’) illustrate the ultra-rationalist and -anti-irrationalist character of Islam and accomplish what no rational argument or scientific discovery can. Skeptics at the time of Muhammad asked for a miracle. Not just any miracle. They literally asked for the moon—to be split. Yet, when Muhammad allegedly accomplished this seemingly impossible feat in front of thousands of witnesses, they dismissed it as an illusion and persisted in their attempts to dispatch him (Qur’an 3:144 & Abu Dawud 41:19). From a symbolic aspect, splitting the moon is like Moses’ staff devouring the magicians’ snakes: a symbol of the Egyptian sun god (2 Kings 18:4). The counterpart to Muhammad’s Hammer is his Ladder. In a great vision, he traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem in a night, whence he ascended the seven heavens (which correspond to the seven lively virtues) to the Holy of Holies or Elyon (Qur’an 83:18), followed by a katabasis to the heart of the earth (Qur’an 31:16). Thus, while Muhammad’s Ladder shows the path of transcendence, his Hammer splits the heads of gods or idols, sparing none on earth or in heaven. In particular, the Ladder establishes prayer (salat) as the means to connect (sila) to and intercede with God (cp. Genesis 18 & Mishkat al-Masabih 29:121) and attain paradise. Muhammad’s opponents made no secret of the true reason for their rejection. His uncle, Abu Lahab, for example, said he does not reject him but his message (Qur’an 29:94, Mishkat al-Masabih 29:94 & Tirmidhi 47:415). His nemesis Abu Sufyan, on the other hand, offered to embrace Islam if Muhammad forsook his diverse companions, whom he considered to be inferior (Ibn Majah 37:28). ‘Urwa ibn Mas’ud said he never saw a person as revered as Muhammad (Bukhari 54:19), whose thousands of companions and followers volunteered their lives as he did (Bukhari 65:131) unlike the Israelites who rejected Moses and plotted to kill him and his (two) followers (Numbers 13-14). Many were wont to worship Muhammad despite his forbidding it (Bukhari 23:5). Indeed, it is inconceivable that Muhammad could have achieved so much success and such an exalted status without performing incredible feats or predictions. In short, when his opponents got what they asked for, their only argument was to call it an illusion, as they couldn’t deny the witnesses, which the Qur’an documents (e.g., 54:1 & 46:10). Muhammad, for his part, made no pretension of calling people to have faith in him, miracles or God. As verse 12:108 states: “I call to what is plain to see.”

0:00 Outline
0:18 Claim
4:48 Interpretation
9:09 Significance
15:48 Witnesses
23:48 Explanations
29:03 Conclusion