Verse 39:5 is indeed a big scientific blunder of the Quran. However, it is astonishing how Islamic apologists transformed this Quranic blunder into a scientific miracle, and through the force of propaganda, persuaded many innocent non-Muslims to embrace Islam based on this supposed miracle. This represents DECEPTION at the highest level.
Quran 39:5:
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۗ
He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term.
Islamic Preachers assert that this verse 39:5 proves that the Earth is a sphere and thus it is a Quranic Miracle.
Zakir Naik writes in his book "The Quran and modern science: compatible or incompatible, p. 14":
The following verse also alludes to the spherical nature of the earth:
He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night.. (Al-Qur’ân 39:5)
The Arabic word used here is Kawwara meaning ‘to overlap’ or ‘to coil’ – the way a turban is wound around the head. The overlapping or coiling of the day and night can take place if the earth is spherical
Our Response:
Verse 39:5 is not a miracle but indeed a scientific blunder of Allah/Muhammad, while:
- It appears that Allah (i.e. Muhammad) perceived the occurrence of night and day not only on Earth but throughout the ENTIRE UNIVERSE simultaneously.
- In this conceptualization, Allah's universe consists of only one sun and one moon.
- Consequently, when the sun sets below the Earth's horizon, night falls across the entirety of Allah's universe.
- Conversely, when the sun rises, daylight encompasses the entire universe according to this perspective.
- Moreover, within Allah's cosmology, the sun moves in an orbit described as يُكَوِّرُ "coiling," akin to the winding of a turban around the head.
Please look at the verse again.
Quran 39:5:
He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night (in the whole universe) and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term.
One can clearly see that Allah is not talking about Earth alone here, but about both the heavens and Earth (i.e., the whole universe according to Allah). Thus, when in the next sentence, the Quran is discussing day and night, it is not solely day and night on the Earth, but rather day and night both in the heavens and on Earth (i.e. the whole universe according to Allah/Muhammad).
Day and Night in the Whole Universe
This Quranic concept of day and night throughout the universe becomes clearer when examining Verse 79:27-29:
Quran 79:27-29:
أأنْتُم أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَناهَا* رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا* وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَاهَا* وَالأرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَا* أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَها وَمَرْعَاهَا* وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاهَا* مَتَاعاً لَّكُمْ وَلأنْعَامِكُمْ
Is it harder to create you or the heaven? But Allah built it ,and raised its vault high and proportioned it; and covered its night (i.e. the night of the heavens) with darkness and brought forth from it its day.
During the Quran's composition, people believed in a single sun in the universe. Consequently, when the sun set, it was perceived as night on both Earth and in the heavens. Similarly, when the sun rose, it marked the onset of day in both realms.
Muhammad seemingly fabricated this story about the heavens, assuming no one would scrutinize or question his claims. However, he was unaware that future scientific advancements would enable investigations into these narratives, revealing them as falsehoods.
12 Lunar Months SINCE the beginning of the Earth
Since there is no All-Knowing Allah present in the heavens, and Muhammad himself was the architect of Islam and the Quran, belonging to the cultural milieu of his time, it's evident that Muhammad made an error in the Quran by claiming the existence of 12 Lunar months SINCE the universe's inception.
Muhammad, under the belief of a singular Sun and Moon in the universe, asserted that 12 lunar months have existed since the universe's dawn.
Quran 9:36:
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ
Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah since the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four months are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. (Translation by Sahih International).
But how is it possible, while:
- Initially, there were no moon or Earth, no day or night, and no concept of months or years at the universe's genesis.
- Earth formed approximately 9 billion years after the universe's creation, and the moon came into existence even later, after the formation of Earth.
Thus, it's implausible that the "System of the Universe" was based on 12 Lunar Months from the universe's outset.
Muhammad's lack of knowledge regarding these scientific realities becomes apparent. Additionally, the solar year is unrelated to the heavens' system, as the sun itself did not exist at the universe's genesis.
Hassan Radwan