assalamu alaikum what is the meaning of the hadithe:"I seek the protection of Allah from the evil of this darkening moon" (tirmidhi) Can you explain this duaa? Why do we need protection from the moon? I thought the moon was something good or maybe I'm misunderstanding this duaa. Please explain

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Ahmad and At-Tirmithi reported this Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah ; the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, looked at the moon and said: “O ‘Aa’ishah, seek refuge in Allaah from the evil of this; for indeed this is the Ghaasiq itha waqab (the darkened one as it darkens).”

What is meant by it is not to seek refuge from the moon. The statements of the scholars about the intended meaning of the Hadeeth were cited in Tuhfat Al-Ahwathi Sharh At-Tirmithi as follows:

First, that it refers to seeking refuge from the lunar eclipse because it is one of the signs of Allaah The Exalted which indicates that a calamity has occured. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Allaah strikes fear in His slaves through it (the eclipse).

Second, that the Ghaasiq may refer to the darkness of the night, and the moon is referred to as Ghaasiq when it becomes dark, as traced back to ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas . The Hadeeth commands the Muslims to seek refuge from the night and its darkness because it abounds in evils, chances of rescue are less and magic is usually practiced in the darkness of night.

At any rate, it is prescribed to seek refuge from all the evils of any created being; Allaah The Exalted says (what means): {Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak* From the evil of that which He created.} [Quran 113:1-2]

Allaah Knows best.