The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~L IBN KATNIR 77
Both al-Bukhari and Muslim related this hadith on a path through Shayban.
In his line of transmission al-Bukhai added Sacid h. Aba Wraha. Muslim added
Shu'ba to his. AU three (sic) of them drew from Qatda, from Anas. The tradition
states that the people of Mecca asked the Messenger of God (SAAS) to show
them a sign. He showed them the moon in two parts, so that they could see Mt.
Hira' hetween them both.
This is the phraseology of al-Bukhw.
Regarding the traditions quoted by Jubayr b. Mut'im, the Im%n Ahmad
stated, "Muhammad h. Kathir related to us, that Sulayman b. Kathir related to
him, from Husayn b. 'Abd al-Rahman, from Muhammad b. Jubayr b. Mutcim,
from his father, who said, 'The moon split in the time of the Messenger of
God (SAAS), and became two parts; one was over this mountain, the other
over that mountain. People said, "Muhammad has performed a trick on us."
Then they said, "He may have tricked us, but he can't trick everyone.""'
Abad alone gives this hadith.
Ibn Jmr reported it similarly from a hadith of Mdpmmad b. Fudayl and others,
from an account of Hu~ayn.
Al-Bayhaqi related it through Ihrahim b. Tahman and Hushaym, both of
them from Husayn b. 'Abd al-Rahmzn, from Jubayr b. Muhammad b. Jubayr b.
Mutrim, from his father and grandfather. His account adds one further man to
the chain of transmission.
As for Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman's tradition, Aba Nu'aym related in the DalZ)il
(The Signs), on a line through 'Ap) b. al-Sa'ib from Aba 'Abd al-&an
al-Sulami, as follows: "Hudhayfa b. al-Yam= made an address to us at
al-MadPin. He gave thanks and praise to God and then said, 'The hour has
drawn near and the moon has split asunder. Yes indeed, the time is near. And
yes, the moon did split. The world really is close to partition. Today we have the
race-track, and the race is tomorrow!'
"The next Friday I went with my father to the mosque. Again he praised God
and repeated what he had said, adding, 'And yes, indeed, the winner is he who
comes first on Fridays.'
"On our way back, I asked my father what he had meant when he said, 'the
race is tomorrow!' He replied, 'For who first reaches paradise."'
Regarding the tradition of Ibn 'Ahhas, al-Bukhari stated, "Yahya h. Bukayr
related to us that Bakr related to him, from Jacfar, from 'Irak h. Mdik, from
Wbayd Allah b.'Abd Allah h. Wtha, from Ibn CAbbas, who said, 'The moon did
split during the time of the Prophet (SAAS).'"
Al-Bukhari also, along with Muslim, related this from a hadith of Bakr, who
was Ibn Na~r, from Jacfar. Regarding "... the time is near and the moon has split
asunder. And if they see a sign they turn away, saying 'Just more trickery!'" He
said, "That time is past. That was before the hijra. The moon did split, and
people could see both parts of it."