Introduction

Then he explained that by His saying:

{"The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a Day"} (meaning across a distance) {"the measure whereof is fifty thousand years"}, meaning its vastness and distance correspond to this duration.

According to this opinion, what is meant by it is spatial distance. This is one view, and the second view is that what is meant by it is the lifespan of this worldly life.

Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim said in his Tafsir: Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, Ibrahim ibn Musa narrated to us, Ibn Abi Za'idah narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Mujahid regarding the saying of Allah, the Exalted:

{"The measure whereof is fifty thousand years."}

He said: "The worldly life has a lifespan of fifty thousand years; that was its lifespan when Allah, the Exalted, named it a 'day'. Thus He said: {'The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a Day'}, and he said: 'The day means this world.'"

'Abd al-Razzaq said: Ma'mar informed us from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, and from al-Hakam ibn Aban, from 'Ikrimah regarding {"a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years"}, he said: "The world from its beginning to its end is fifty thousand years; no one knows how much has passed nor how much remains except Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." Al-Bayhaqi mentioned it through Muhammad ibn Thawr, from Ma'mar with the same chain. This is a very rare view that is not found in many of the famous books, and Allah knows best.

The third view:

What is meant by it is the interval between this world and the Day of Resurrection. This was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim from Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi, and it is also a rare view.

The fourth view:

That what is meant by it is the Day of Resurrection. Ibn Abi Hatim said: Ahmad ibn Sinan al-Wasiti narrated to us: