Say: “I do not know whether that which you are promised is nearer or whether my Fosterer has made its (time of happening) far off.” (Al Quran, Surah Al Jinn, Chapter 72: Verse 25)
Commentary:
The above verses should be understood in context of the preceding verses (Chapter 72: Verses 1-19) and the following verses. To understand the background please refer to The Quran Asks 72-1 and The Quran Asks 72-20-22
72-25: Say, “I do not know whether that which you are promised is nearer or whether my Fosterer has made its (time of happening) far off.”
72-26: Knower of the unseen, but He does not reveal His unseen to anyone,
72-27: except to a messenger whom He chooses, but He makes one who is watchful, to move before him and behind him,
72-28: that He may know (mark out) that they have indeed conveyed the messages of their Fosterer. And He encompasses all that is with them and He computes the number of everything. (R 2)
Verse 19-28: The attitude of the opponents and the replies given to them are mentioned.