The Christian Bible (Genesis 1:16-18) suggests that the moon shines like the sun, implying that it generates its own light. However, this is scientifically inaccurate. Today, we know that the moon does not produce its own light but instead reflects sunlight. The moon’s surface reflects sunlight, which is why we see it illuminated from Earth. The Quran, however, accurately describes the nature of the moon’s light. In Quran 10:5, it says:
He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a reflected light, with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.10:5
Here, the Quran makes a clear distinction between the sun and the moon: the sun is described as "radiant" (ضِيَاءً), indicating it is a source of light, while the moon is described as "a light" (نُورًا), which reflects light rather than generating its own. This distinction is scientifically accurate and aligns with modern understanding that the moon's light is a reflection of the sun's rays, not its own emission. The Quran’s description, revealed 1,400 years ago, does not make the mistake found in the Bible but instead accurately captures the nature of the moon's illumination.
