Ya-Sin Verse 40

It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon,[[ The moon completes a cycle every month (waxing and waning), while the sun takes a whole year to complete its cycle (resulting in the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons). ]] nor does the night outrun the day. Each is travelling in an orbit of their own.

It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor for the night to outstrip the day. Each is floating in its own orbit.

It behoves not the sun to overtake the moon, neither does the night outstrip the day, each swimming in a sky.

The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outrun the day: each floats in [its own] orbit.

It is not permitted to the sun that it should overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day: each in an orbit, they float.

It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day; Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).

Neither does it lie in the sun's power to overtake the moon nor can the night outstrip the day. All glide along, each in its own orbit.

Neither can the sun overtake the moon, nor the night outpace the day: Each of them keeps coursing in its orbit.

It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night surpass the day; and each one of them floats in its orbit.

Neither it behooves the sun to overtake the moon, nor may the night outrun the day, and each swims in an orbit.

It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. All (the celestial bodies and systems) float in an orbit (determined for each).

It is not given to the sun to attain to (the purpose ordained for) the moon, nor is it given to the night to outstrip the day. All of these (luminaries) go on floating smoothly in an orbit (of their own).

The sun should not (be) to it that it catches up/overtakes/reaches the moon, and nor the night (is) surpassing/preceding the daytime, and each (is) in (an) orbit/circuit floating.

It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night surpass the day; and each one of them floats in its orbit.

Neither is it allowable to the sun that it should overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day; and all float on in their own orbits.

It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.

And the moon, We have ordained for it stages till it becomes again as an old dry palm-branch.

Neither is it allowable to the sun that it should overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day; and all float on in a sphere.

It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit.

how the sun is not supposed to catch-up with the moon, nor is the night to precede the day. All of them are to float in a certain orbit;

The sun shall not outstrip the moon, nor shall the night outstrip the day. Each is floating in an orbit.

It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.

The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the day: each floats in [its own] orbit.

The sun is not to overtake the moon, nor is the night to outpace the day. Each floats in an orbit.

It does not behove -- it is [neither] facilitated nor is it right for -- the sun to catch up with the moon, and so appear together with it at night, nor may the night outrun the day, and thus it [the night] never arrives before the latter ends and each (kullun; the nunation compensates for the [missing] genitive annexation [that would have been constructed] with al-shams, `the sun', al-qamar, `the moon', and al-nujm, `the stars') [of these] is in an orbit, swimming, moving -- these [celestial bodies] are being treated as [though they were] rational beings.

لَاا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِي لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ

It is not for the sun to overtake the moon,

Mujahid said,

"Each of them has a limit which it does not transgress or fall short of. When the time of one comes, the other goes away, and when the time for one to prevail comes, the time of the other ceases."

Ikrimah said concerning the Ayah,
لَاا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِي لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ
(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon),

this means that each of them has its time when it prevails. So it is not appropriate for the sun to rise at night.

وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ

nor does the night outstrip the day.

means, after night has passed, it is not right for another night to come until it has been day. The authority of the sun is during the day and the authority of the moon is at night.

Ad-Dahhak said,

"The night does not depart from here until the day comes from here -- and he pointed to the east."

Mujahid said;
وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ
(nor does the night outstrip the day),

"They seek one another rapidly."

The meaning is that there is no gap between night and day; each of them follows the other with no interval, because they have been subjugated and are both constantly pursuing one another.

وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ



They all float, each in an orbit.

means, night and day, the sun and the moon, all of them are floating, i.e., revolving, in their orbits in the heaven.

This was the view of Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and `Ata' Al-Khurasani.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and others among the Salaf said,

"In an orbit like the arc of a spinning wheel.