Allah, the Most High, says:
In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
“ It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for people who have knowledge”
(Qur'an, Yunus:5)
Allah the Most High has spoken the truth.
This verse highlights a subtle difference between the sun and the moon.
The Qur’an describes the sun as a radiant source of light, while the moon is described as a gentle light.
Today scientists understand that:
• The sun is the source of light and energy because it is an active star.
• The moon does not produce its own light, but reflects sunlight toward the Earth.
This is a remarkable description of a scientific reality that modern science confirmed, while the Qur’an referred to it more than 1400 years ago.
Educational objectives
God’s mercy in the existence of the moon
• The child reflects that God placed a gentle light in the night that softens the darkness.
• The child learns that the moon once served as a guide for travelers at night before electricity existed.
• The beauty of the moon brings peace and calm to the heart.
• The child feels that God cares for humanity even in the details of day and night.
God’s power and greatness in the creation of the moon
• The child is amazed that a huge body like the moon orbits the Earth with incredible precision for millions of years.
• The child understands that the movement of the moon is part of a well-organized cosmic system involving the sun, Earth, and moon.
• This order shows the wisdom and greatness of the Creator.
The beauty of the lunar phases
• The child learns that the moon passes through different phases.
• It begins as a crescent, grows to a full moon, then returns to a crescent again.
• This cycle lasts about 29 and a half days.
• This system helps humans measure months and calculate time.
The moon and the lunar calendar (Ramadan)
The Islamic calendar is based on sighting the crescent moon.
• When the crescent appears after sunset, a new month begins.
• When the moon becomes full, we are in the middle of the lunar month.
• When the crescent becomes thin again, the month is approaching its end.
In this way, the moon helps determine the beginning and end of Ramadan.
The moon and the tides
The moon does not only influence the light in the sky; it also affects the oceans and seas.
Because of the moon’s gravity, ocean water rises and falls every day in a phenomenon called:
tides
What happens in the middle of the lunar month?
When the moon becomes full, the moon and the sun align in a way that strengthens gravitational effects.
This causes spring tides, meaning the sea level rises and falls more strongly than usual.
This is important for life because it:
• keeps ocean water moving instead of stagnant
• brings food to small marine organisms
• helps some sea animals reproduce near the coasts
• maintains balance in marine ecosystems
So the moon does not only decorate the sky…
it also helps organize life in the oceans.
A fascinating fact
Did you know that you could jump very high on the moon?
If a person went to the moon, they could jump six times higher than on Earth because the moon’s gravity is much weaker.
That is why astronauts seemed to walk as if they were floating slowly.
Gratitude
Children can learn to say:
• Praise be to God who made the sun a source of light and life.
• Praise be to God who made the moon a light in the night.
• Praise be to God who made the moon a sign for knowing months and acts of worship.
• Praise be to God who made the moon help organize life on Earth and in the oceans.
Practical activity for children
Experiment: The Moon’s Gift in the Night
Goal:
Help children discover how the moon shines and feel gratitude for the gentle light God placed in the night.
Materials
• a small ball
• a flashlight
• a dark room
Steps
Imagine the night without the moon
Turn off the lights in the room.
Ask the children:
How does the night look now?
Is it very dark?
Let them feel the darkness for a moment.
Make the “sun”
Turn on the flashlight and say:
This flashlight represents the sun.
Make the “moon”
Hold the ball and say:
This ball represents the moon.
Place the ball in front of the light.
Children will see that the ball becomes bright.
The discovery
Explain simply:
The moon does not have its own light.
It reflects sunlight toward the Earth.
That is why we see it shining at night.
A moment of gratitude
Ask the children:
Imagine if there were no moon… how would the night be?
Explain that God placed the moon as a beautiful light in the sky so that the night would not be completely dark.
It helps us to:
• see the path at night
• know the months like Ramadan
• enjoy the beauty of the sky