The Moon cracked says NASA and the Quran

2:01

29 Jun 2011

Cosmology, Miracles / I'jaz

Tom Watters

This video shows that the Moon is geologically active, as understood through lobate scarps, which demonstrate how the surface of the Moon has changed as it has shrunk.

The undated video shows animated sequences of a satellite, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, interviews with Dr. Tom Watters of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, a diagram of a lobate scarp, and maps of the Moon showing where lobate scarps are located.

At the end of the video, the user, Quran Now, has added a label in the bottom of the video (space normally reserved for YouTube’s video operating icons) with verse 41:53 of the Qurʾān, which talks about God’s “signs in the universe”.  As more completely noted in the video’s description, the user sees these lobate scarps as having been predicted in the Qurʾān (verse 54:1), a form of iʿjāz.

This video is almost entirely one produced by NASA, with the back bumper crediting the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Evaluation:

The NASA video does not include any Islamic material.  The quote from the Qurʾān in the label at the end is accurate, although not every Muslim would agree that the verse mentioned in the description of the video has anything to do with the lobate scarps.

The science as presented by NASA is accurate and reflects the understanding of contemporary scientists.  Using science to “prove” the Qurʾān has long been questioned; see this video for a recent recanting of the use of iʿjāz.

There is insufficient historical material on which to base an evaluation.