Fifteenth: They did not dispute with him—peace and blessings be upon him—over his seeing his Lord, nor did he tell them that he had seen Him for them to dispute it with him. Rather, they disputed with him over his seeing the signs that Allah had shown him and that he had related to them. Had he told them that he had seen the Lord Most High, they would have disputed this far more vehemently than they disputed his seeing created things.

Sixteenth: He—glorified is He—affirmed the truth of what he had seen and the falsity of their disputing it with him by saying:

“He certainly saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord.”

Had the one seen been the Lord—majestic and exalted is He—and had their dispute concerned that, affirming that vision would have been more fitting and more necessary in this context. And Allah knows best.

[Surah al-Najm (53): verse 12]
“Do you then dispute with him over what he sees? (12)”

Al-ma'wā (refuge) is a noun on the pattern maf'al, derived from awā, ya'wī: to resort to a place, go to it, and settle there. 'Atā' reported from Ibn 'Abbās: “It is the Garden to which Gabriel and the angels resort.”

Muqātil and al-Kalbī said: “It is the Garden to which the souls of the martyrs resort.”

Ka'b said: “The Garden of Refuge is a garden containing green birds, where the souls of the martyrs roam freely.” 'Ā'ishah—may Allah be pleased with her—and Zirr ibn Hubaysh said: “It is one of the gardens.”

The correct view is that it is one of the names of Paradise, as the Most High says:

79:40, 41 “But as for the one who feared standing before his Lord and restrained his soul from desire, Paradise will surely be his refuge.”

Concerning the Fire, He says:

79:39 “Hellfire will surely be his refuge.”

And He says:

“Your refuge is the Fire.”

[Surah al-Najm (53): verse 32]
“Those who avoid major sins and shameful deeds, apart from minor lapses—surely your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He knows you best: when He brought you into being from the earth, and when you were unborn children in your mothers’ wombs. So do not claim purity for yourselves; He knows best who is mindful of Him. (32)”