Early Jewish and Christian beliefs held that the earth was flat—an outdated idea found in many places in the Bible. But Greek scientists had proven centuries earlier that the earth was a sphere, and the real scientific reasons for the moon’s phases had also been discovered. By the time of Muhammad, this knowledge was about 900 years old.

This was the centuries-old contradiction between science and the Bible. The Bible said the earth was flat; scientists had presented a model that was the exact opposite.

That’s why the Jews came to Muhammad—who claimed to be a divine messenger—and asked him about the reason for the moon’s phases. They thought perhaps Muhammad’s Allah would give an answer and prove those scientists wrong.

But what happened?

Allah was so incapable that he couldn’t even understand the Jews’ question—let alone answer it.

The Quran’s response is still there today as proof:

Quran 2:189 “They ask you about the phases of the moon. Say, ‘They are a means for people to determine time and pilgrimage.’”

Imam Qurtubi recorded the background of this verse: Muadh said: “O Messenger of Allah, the Jews keep coming to us and asking about the crescents—why does the crescent appear thin, then increase until it becomes round, then decrease again until it returns as it was?” Upon that, Allah revealed this verse.

This answer exposes the Quran’s lack of knowledge on three levels:

1. First level: Admitting ignorance If the Quran had simply said, “This is not in my domain,” at least that would have been honest. But for a God to admit he has no knowledge removes him from the definition of God.
2. Second level: Trying to hide ignorance The Quran gave a completely irrelevant answer—like a child who doesn’t understand the question and blurts out something random to cover his ignorance. This is not just lack of knowledge, but dishonesty.
3. Third level: Not understanding the question at all The Jews asked a scientific question. The answer was about a religious calendar. It’s as if God couldn’t even grasp what was being asked. This is the lowest level of ignorance.

Look at this:

• The answer has zero science.
• The question was one thing; the answer was something else.
• What the Quran said (people use the moon to tell time and for Hajj) was already known to the Jews and everyone else.

So the answer added no new knowledge—only disappointment.

This was a golden opportunity. If Muhammad was truly a prophet, he could have revealed the scientific truth and silenced the Greek scientists and the Bible in one stroke.

Instead, the Quran showed only silence and ignorance. Even today, Muslims present this verse as a “miracle,” while the world clearly sees it was a total failure.

The Greek astronomer Aristarchus (750 years before Islam) not only knew the moon and sun were spheres but calculated their sizes using shadows and trigonometry. He used the half-moon to form a right triangle with the Sun and Earth and deduced distances and sizes.

Conclusion

• The Jews asked a scientific question that had been solved 900 years earlier.
• Allah didn’t understand the question.
• He gave an irrelevant answer about calendars that everyone already knew.
• He couldn’t provide the scientific truth that even religious Jews were doubting.

Is it possible that a book calling itself the “Final Revelation of Allah” cannot answer a question solved 900 years ago—and which even religious Jews were confused about?

If this book truly came from the sky, where did this ignorance come from?

After hearing this unscientific and irrelevant answer—and Allah’s inability to even understand the question—how could the Jews possibly believe in Muhammad’s prophethood?