Al-Jinn Verse 25

Say, “I do not know if what you are promised is near or my Lord has set a distant time for it.

Say, “I do not know if what you are promised is near or my Lord has appointed a distant time for it.

Say: 'I do not know whether that which you are promised is nigh, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a space;

Say, ‘I do not know whether what you have been warned about is near, or whether a distant time has been appointed for it by my Lord.’

Say thou: know not whather that which ye are promised is nigh, or whether my Lord hath appointed for it a distant term.

Say; "I know not whether the (Punishment) which ye are promised is near, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.

Say: “I know not whether what you are promised is near or whether my Lord will prolong its term.

Say: "I do not know if what is promised you is near, or if my Lord prolongs its term.

Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not know whether what you are promised is close or if my Lord will postpone it for a while.”

Say, ‘I do not know if what you are promised is near, or if my Lord has set a [long] term for it.’

Say: "I do not know whether (your coming face to face with) what you are promised is near, or whether my Lord sets for it a distant term."

Say, `I have no knowledge whether that (punishment) you are threatened with is near (at hand) or whether my Lord will fix a later term for it.´

Say: "I do not know what you are being promised, (if it) is nearer/closer or my Lord makes/puts for it (extended) time."

Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not know whether what you are promised is close or if my Lord will postpone it for a while.”

Say, "I do not know whether that which you are promised be nigh or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term:

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I know not whether (the punishment) which you are promised is near or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.

And the foolish among us used to forge extravagant lies against Allah:

Say: I do not know whether that with which you are threatened be nigh or whether my Lord will appoint for it a term:

Say (O Muhammad, unto the disbelievers): I know not whether that which ye are promised is nigh, or if my Lord hath set a distant term for it.

(Muhammad), say, "I do not know whether that with which you have been threatened is close by or whether my Lord will prolong the time of its coming.

Say: 'I do not know whether that which you are promised is near, or whether my Lord will set for it a time.

Say: "I know not whether that which you are promised is near or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term."

Say, "I do not know whether what you are promised is imminent, or whether my Lord has set for it a far-off day.

Say, “I do not know whether what you are promised is near, or whether my Lord will extend it for a period.”

Say; `I do not know if what you are promised, of chastisement, is near, or if my Lord has set a [distant] length for it, an extent and a term which only He knows.

The Messenger of Allah does not know when the Hour will be

Allah commands His Messenger to say to the people that he has no knowledge of when the Hour will be and he does not know whether its time is near or far.

قُلْ إِنْ أَدْرِي أَقَرِيبٌ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمْ يَجْعَلُ لَهُ رَبِّي أَمَدًا




Say;"I know not whether which you are promised is near or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term."

meaning, a long period of time.

In this noble Ayah is an evidence that the Hadith that many of the ignorant people often circulate, which says that the Prophet will not remain under the earth more than one thousand years (i.e., the Hour will be before that period) is a baseless lie. We have not seen it in any of the Books (of Hadith).

Verily, the Messenger of Allah was asked about the time of the Hour and he would not respond. When Jibril appeared to him in the form of a Bedouin Arab, one of the questions he asked the Prophet was, "O Muhammad! Tell me about the Hour"

So the Prophet replied,

مَا الْمَسْوُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّايِل

The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner.

On another occasion when a Bedouin Arab called out to the Prophet in a loud voice saying, "O Muhammad! When will be the Hour"

The Prophet said,

وَيْحَكَ إِنَّهَا كَايِنَةٌ فَمَا أَعْدَدْتَ لَهَا

Woe unto you. Verily, it will occur so what have you prepared for it?

The man replied, "I have not prepared much for it of prayers and fasting, but I love Allah and His Messenger."

The Prophet then replied,

فَأَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْت

Then you will be with whomever you love.

Anas said,

"The Muslims were not happier with anything like they were upon (hearing) this Hadith."

Concerning Allah's statement,

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا