Surah Ya-Sin, Ayah 40 (36:40)

يس

لَا ٱلشَّمْسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ ٱلْقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيْلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّ …

Quran 36:40 is ayah 40 of Surah Ya-Sin (“Ya Sin”), a Meccan surah of 83 ayahs. It is in Juz 23, on page 442 of the Madani Mushaf.

36:40
لَاٱلشَّمْسُيَنۢبَغِىلَهَآأَنتُدْرِكَٱلْقَمَرَوَلَاٱلَّيْلُسَابِقُٱلنَّهَارِ ۚوَكُلٌّفِىفَلَكٍيَسْبَحُونَ٤٠
lā l-shamsu yanbaghī lahā an tud'rika l-qamara walā al-laylu sābiqu l-nahāri wakullun fī falakin yasbaḥūna

It is not allowable [i.e., possible] for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.(40)

Word by word

  1. لَاlāNot
  2. ٱلشَّمْسُl-shamsuthe sun
  3. يَنۢبَغِىyanbaghīis permitted
  4. لَهَآlahāfor it
  5. أَنanthat
  6. تُدْرِكَtud'rikait overtakes
  7. ٱلْقَمَرَl-qamarathe moon
  8. وَلَاwalāand not
  9. ٱلَّيْلُal-layluthe night
  10. سَابِقُsābiqu(can) outstrip
  11. ٱلنَّهَارِ ۚl-nahārithe day
  12. وَكُلٌّwakullunbut all
  13. فِىfīin
  14. فَلَكٍfalakinan orbit
  15. يَسْبَحُونَyasbaḥūnathey are floating

Tafsir (commentary) of 36:40

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 36:37–40 together.

Read the English tafsir of 36:37–40 →

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