The Arabic verse: لَا ٱلشَّمْسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ ٱلْقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيْلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّۭ فِى فَلَكٍۢ يَسْبَحُونَ

The traditional translation:

"It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night outrun the day. Each is travelling in an orbit of their own." (36:40)

The accurate translation:

"It is not for the sun to overtake the moon [in its orbital path], nor can the night outstrip the day, and all are in a whirl, glorifying Him." (36:40)

Explanation:

Here's why this verse has been initially mistranslated: Traditionalists aimed to reconcile their Hadiths, which include references to the sun, with the Quran. In this effort, they inadvertently conveyed that the night and day are in an orbit along with the sun and moon. However, this interpretation is problematic as it suggests a geocentric model, which is scientifically inaccurate. Numerous mistranslations within this verse were deliberately made based on Sunni Tafsirs and Hadiths. Let's examine each of these mistranslations together.

Number one: "...catch up with the moon"

The Arabic phrase is: يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ

The literal translation of this is: "...is not for it to overtake..." / "...it is not possible for it to overtake..."

The Arabic verb "يَنۢبَغِى" (yanbaghî) is derived from the root "ن-ب-غ" (n-b-gh), which conveys the meaning of "to be fitting," "to be suitable," or "to be appropriate." In its form here, rather than "permission" (as in being a possibility, but just not allowed by God). It is in the third person singular, masculine, present tense, and subjunctive mood. It indicates something that is proper, fitting, or suitable in a given context. "It is not possible for it" or "it is not for it" is the proper and accurate translation of this part.

The Arabic verb "تُدْرِكَ" (tudrika) is derived from the root "د-ر-ك" (d-r-k), which carries the meaning of "to reach" or "to attain." In its form here, it is in the third person singular, feminine, and subjunctive mood. The verb "تُدْرِكَ" specifically means "she attains" or "it reaches her" when referring to a feminine singular subject.

Full and accurate translation of this part:

"It is not possible for the sun to overtake the moon" or,

"It is not for the sun to overtake the moon"

I.e., it is not how they are created, such a notion is not even suitable to suggest, is what is being conveyed here.

The traditional translation is implying that they are in the same orbit circulating the earth, and not permitted to clash. This is a total mistranslation and misinterpretation, because what are then sun/moon eclipses?! When the sun/moon eclipsed during the prophet's time, why did the companions not point to this verse saying: "Look, God said it was not permissible for the sun to overtake the moon, why is it then happening now??" - The verse is not saying "permissible," it is literally saying that it is an impossibility due to their vastly different orbits (and/or nature/state).

Number two: "Each is travelling in an orbit of their own."

The Arabic phrase is: وَكُلٌّۭ فِى فَلَكٍۢ يَسْبَحُونَ

The literal translation of this is: "All are in a whirl, glorifying Him" / "All in a spindle, Praising Him"

The word "فَلَكٍۢ" (Falakin) is more about a shape (in the singular form, i.e. an object), rather than a movement of each object that was previously mentioned:

Classical Arabic dictionary: فلك (Falakin)

Word: فَلَكَ (n. ac. فَلْك)
a. Was round, spherical.
b**. Had well-rounded breasts.**

Word: فَلَّكَ

a. see I (a) (b).
c. [ coll. ], Practised astrology.
d. [ coll. ], Persisted
persevered.
أَــفْلَكَ a. see I (b)
تَــفَلَّكَ a. see I (a)
& II (c).
فَلْكَــة
(pl.
فَلَك)

a. Whirl ( of a spindle ).
فُلْك a. Ship, vessel; barque, skiff; felucca.
b. Ark ( of Noah ).
فَلَك
(pl.
فُلْك
فُلُك
أَفْلَاْك
38)

a. Ball, sphere; globe.
b. Firmament, sky, heaven; atmosphere.
c. Circling, agitated (waves).
d. Circuit.
e. Weather.
f. (pl.
فِلَاْك), Hill, mound, hillock.
فَلَكِــيّ a. Round, circular, spherical.
b. Celestial, heavenly.
c. Astronomical.
d. (pl.
فَلَكِــيَّة), Astronomer; astrologer.
فُلُوْكَة
(pl.
فَلَاْئِكُ)
a. [ coll. ]
see 3 (a)
N. Ag.
فَلَّكَ a. see 4yi (a)b. [ coll. ], Star-gazer, dreamer
visionary.
أَلْإِفْلِيْكَانِ
a. The tonsils.

Word: عِلْم الــفَلَك
a. Astronomy; astrology.

Source: Habib Anthony Salmone, An Advanced Learner's Arabic-English Dictionary (1889)

The word "فَلَكٍۢ" (falakin) is the accusative singular masculine form of the noun "فَلَك" (falak), which has a range of meanings related to circular or spherical objects. The definition "a. Whirl (of a spindle)" is one of the possible meanings of this noun, as indicated in the dictionary above. I have chosen "a. Whirl ( of a spindle)" because it is a primary definition of the word, and because it completely explains what God meant (See pictures below):

The other primary definitions are "Sphere", "Globe", "Round," etc, which would be a little awkward, not that our universe isn't spherical in its shape, but our galaxy is very small compared to the entirety of the universe. The verse is talking about our solar system, rather than the entire universe.

- "Orbit" is not even on the list, the definition traditionalists went for.

God is saying "All are in a spindle/whirl," and our solar system looks and behaves just like one.

The word: يَسْبَحُونَ (Yasbahûna):

The word "يَسْبَحُونَ" (yasbahûna) is derived from the Arabic root "س-ب-ح" (s-b-ḥ) [much like the word "SubhanAllah"], its primary definition is "Praise"/"Glorify." The primary meaning of the word "يَسْبَحُونَ" (yasbahûna) is "Praising Him" or "Glorifying Him." This is because the verse is describing the celestial bodies as engaged in the act of worshipping and praising God, all in a unified whirl/spindle. Mirroring this verse:

"Seest thou not that to God bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth,- the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees, the animals; and a great number among mankind?" (22:18)

Moreover, when we look at how this word and all its derivatives are translated in all other instances in the Quran:

https://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=sbH#(21:33:11)

It always means "Praise", "glorifying", etc. Why was it specifically translated as "swimming" here by traditionalists? Because they wanted it to say something it wasn't saying. What is the reason for their misinterpretation and mistranslation? Nothing other than the fabrications found in their Hadiths and their scholarly Tafsirs that all talked about the orbit of the sun around the earth, and thus also the supposed orbit of the night and day (which contradicts other verses of the Quran, as I've pointed out in this post). But in order for them to not reject these obviously false Hadiths, they've misinterpreted this verse to reconcile what they obviously saw was a glaring contradiction. In other words, they needed an Âyah to say what these fabricators were saying in their Hadîths.

Posted in Reddit in Quraniyoon Channel by Informal_Patience821 / Dr. Exion