Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (RA) was a companion from Mecca. He is among the early converts to Islam. At the time of the incident of the splitting of the moon, he was approximately twenty-four or twenty-five years old. In the narrations of this event, his account holds the status of the primary narration. This is because he was an eyewitness to the event and has determined both the time and place of its occurrence. Moreover, it also mentions the reaction of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to the event. This narration has been transmitted by almost all the hadith scholars who have included the splitting of the moon in their works. The summary of this is as follows:
It is clear from the various narrations in Bukhari and Muslim that Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (RA) was present with the Prophet (PBUH) in Mina (Mecca).
He saw that the moon had split into two pieces.
A fragment detached and went to the other side of the mountain.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: You people be witnesses.
In the account by Bayhaqi, there is an addition that in response to this event, the infidels remarked that it seems Muhammad (PBUH) has cast a spell on them. Therefore, wait for those coming from outside. If they confirm it, it means the event is real. When the people coming from outside were asked, they reported that they had also witnessed it.
The following are a few representative chains of transmission for the narration:
حدثنا عبدان، عن ابي حمزة عن الاعمش، عن إبراهيم، عن ابي معمر، عن عبد الله رضي الله عنه، قال: انشق القمر ونحن مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بمنى، فقال: اشهدوا وذهبت فرقة نحو الجبل.
Abdan narrated to us, from Abu Hamzah Muhammad bin Maimun, from A‘mash, from Ibrahim, from Abu Ma‘mar, and from Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (RA) who narrated that when the moon was split into two, I was present with the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the field of Mina. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “O people, bear witness.” And one piece of the moon separated from the other and moved towards the mountain. (Sahih Bukhari No. 3869)
حدثنا ابو بكر بن ابي شيبة، وابو كريب، وإسحاق بن إبراهيم جميعًا، عن ابي معاوية. وحدثنا عمر بن حفص بن غياث، حدثنا ابي كلاهما، عن الاعمش. وحدثنا منجانب بن الحارث التمیمی واللفظ له اخبرنا ابن مسهر، عن الاعمش، عن إبراهيم عن ابي معمر، عن عبد اللّٰه بن مسعود، قال: بينما نحن مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بمنى إذا انفلق القمر فلقتين، فكانت فلقة وراء الجبل وفلقة دونه فقال لنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اشهدوا.
Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah, Abu Kuraib, and Ishaq bin Ibrahim narrated to us from Abu Muawiyah. He said that Umar bin Hafs bin Ghiyath narrated to us, and he said that both were narrated by my father from Al-A‘amash. Manjab bin Al-Harith Al-Tamimi also narrated to us, and this wording is from him. Ibn Musher informed us, narrated from Al-A‘amash, from Ibrahim, from Abu Ma‘mar, who narrated from Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (RA) that we were with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in Mina when the moon split into two. One part remained on this side of the mountain, and the other went to the other side. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Bear witness.” (Sahih Muslim No. 7250)
حدثنا عبيد الله بن معاذ العنبري، حدثنا ابي، حدثنا شعبة، عن الاعمش، عن إبراهيم، عن ابي معمر، عن عبد الله بن مسعود، قال: انشق القمر على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلقتين، فستر الجبل فلقةً، وكانت فلقة فوق الجبل، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اللهم اشهد .
Ubaidullah bin Mu‘az Al-Anbari narrated to us, he said that our father narrated to us, he said that Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Al-A‘amash, from Ibrahim, from Abu Ma‘mar, and from Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (RA), who narrates that during the time of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), the moon split into two parts. One part covered the mountain and the other part remained above the mountain. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “O Allah, I bear witness.” (Sahih Muslim No. 7251)
أخبرنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن عبد الله الحافظ، ثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب، ثنا العباس بن محمد، ثنا سعيد بن سليمان، ثنا هشيم، ثنا مغيرة، عن أبِي الضحى، عن مسروق، عن عبد اللّٰه يعني ابن مسعود، قال: انشقّ القمر بمكة حتى صار فرقتين فقال كفار أهل مكة هذا سحر سحركم به ابن أبي كبشة. انظروا السفار فإن كانوا رأوا ما رأيتم فقد صدق وإن كانوا لم يروا ما رأيتم فهو سحر سحركم به قال فسئل السفار قال: وقدموا من كل وجه، فقالوا رأينا.
Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Abdullah Hafiz informed us that Abu Abbas Muhammad bin Yaqub narrated to them, who said that Abbas bin Muhammad narrated to us, who said that Saeed bin Sulaiman narrated to us, who said that Hisham narrated to us, from Mughira, from Abu Dhuha, from Masruq, from Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (RA) who stated that, in Mecca, the moon split until it became two pieces. The disbelievers said (to each other) that it was magic performed by the son of Abu Kabsha on them.[13] They advised to wait for people from outside; if they saw what you have seen, then it would be true. If they didn’t see what you have seen, then it is magic he has performed on you. The narrator states that when people from various directions came, they were asked this question, and they informed that they had also witnessed this scene. (Al-Iʿtiqad li’l-Bayhaqi 1/269)