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David Emery

Was Neil Armstrong the First Muslim on the Moon?

By , About.com GuideSeptember 16, 2006

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"Wait a minute," you're probably saying to yourself, "I didn't even know Neil Armstrong was a Muslim."

Well, he wasn't, and isn't. But, as Slate's Explainer reminded us recently, there is a longstanding urban legend in the Islamic community to the effect that astronaut Armstrong heard the words "Allahu akbar" ("God is great") when he first set foot on the moon, and immediately converted to Islam.

Never happened, says Armstrong.

He never said "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky," either. But you knew that.

Further reading:
Why Do Muslims Say 'God Is Great'? - Slate
How Neil Armstrong 'Became' a Muslim - Answering Islam

(Image credit: NASA)

Comments

May 2, 2010 at 2:54 am
(1) ZAHID MAHMOOD SHAFI says:

I THINK THIS IS CORRECT THAT NEIL ARMSTRONG HEARED THE VOICE OF LAAH HO AKBAR (ALLAH IS GREAT) ON MOON AND WHEN RETURNED AND HEARED THE SAME NEAR A MUSLIM MOSQUE HE WAS ASTRONISHED AND TURN TO MUSLIM.

October 8, 2011 at 9:51 pm
(2) precious mae maldan says:

that’s true

October 27, 2011 at 10:20 am
(3) Wanna says:

Of course, that’s one of the miracle of Allah

May 5, 2010 at 1:16 pm
(4) Bette says:

If theists cared about evidence, there’d be no theists (see the first answer).

July 29, 2010 at 3:06 am
(5) FreeMind says:

@ Zahid and Bette: It’s amazing how the laws that govern simple logic completely elude you. This alone must be truth to the existence of a Higher Being.

May 3, 2011 at 11:15 am
(6) bell says:

Neal arm strong said him self that he is a Muslim

September 17, 2011 at 6:20 am
(7) Goesain says:

Neil Armstrong indeed did hear the words, Alluhu Akbar _ Allah (God) is great. Ofcourse, the West, as we know them to be against Islam, will try their utmost to make sure the world hears the opposite story… I am a proud Muslim and Islam is the perfect way of living.

December 5, 2011 at 2:46 pm
(8) Ummu says:

Muslim..nt muslim..azan..no azan..hmm,i knw we muslims want so much to believe he is a muslim,but think about it…if it is yes,why should we boast,that victory is for mankind nt only for certain people..if it is no,the world would make muslims look ridiculous,claiming the untrue..so,keep it down when it concerns a personal life of others..

March 21, 2012 at 9:22 am
(9) kris says:

Ummm, that being space, how can he ‘hear’ things?

May 18, 2012 at 2:57 pm
(10) AQSA AFSAR says:

SUBHANALLAH, THIS IS THE PROOF TO BE A MUSLIM. THIS IS THE NATURLITY OF ALLAH.

THIS ONE IS THE BESTEST EVIDENCE OF ALLAH NO ONE CAN DISOBEY THIS,ONE WHO WILL DISOBEY WILL BE THE EVIL

OUR ISLAM WAS THE PERFECT RELIGION, IT IS &IT WILL BE FOREVER AT THE END OF THE WORLD…………………!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!……..!!.

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