Has this Hadeeth been narrated with this wording: "If you are truthful, then split the moon for us into two halves," in Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah by Ibn Katheer and others? And was the 'alaqah (black worm) known among Arabs in ancient times?

The aforementioned wording is found in Ibn Kathir's "Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah" (The Beginning and the End). Arabs are familiar with treatment using leeches, and their mention has appeared in some weak hadiths and Arabic lexicons. The 'alaq (leech) is a small red aquatic creature that sucks blood and is used for treating throat ailments and hematomas due to its ability to absorb excess blood.