عِندَها جَنَّةُ المَأوىٰ
Near which is the garden of the Abode.
EXEGESIS
Maʾwā (abode) comes from awā, which means to settle somewhere, and it entails within it the meaning of safety, such as the verse, When the youths took refuge (awā) in the cave (18:10). The idea of a refuge conveys peaceful tranquillity. In paradise there is no fear, insecurity, stress, or worry. In verses 26:85 and 70:38 the adjective bliss (naʿīm) is used to describe paradise, and here maʾwā is chosen. These two qualities perhaps best summarise the two outstanding features of paradise: it is a place of ultimate pleasure and ultimate tranquillity.
EXPOSITION
The Lote Tree spoken of in the previous verse is said to be located at the garden of the Abode. This garden should be referring to the farthest and highest part of paradise which was witnessed by the Prophet during his Night of Ascension. The same attribute has been used for paradise elsewhere in the Quran, such as the verse, His refuge (maʾwā) will indeed be paradise (79:41).
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Other opinions have been suggested about the garden of the Abode:
- From Qatādah and Ibn Abbas, that it is the garden to which the martyrs go.
- From Ibn Abbas, that it is the garden in which Gabriel and the angels reside.
- That it is the garden in which Adam (a) resided.
While the first two can be considered to be included in the interpretation we mentioned earlier, the third one is incompatible. It is in any case quite a strange opinion, as it does not fit in with anything else that has been reported about the Lote Tree, nor the general context of the verses that talk about the Night of Ascension.
[1] Raghib, pp. 103-104.
[2] Tabrisi, 9/265; Tibyan, 9/426; Zamakhshari, 4/421; Razi, 28/244; Qurtubi, 28/244; Mizan, 19/31; Fadlallah, 21/255; Tantawi, 14/64. This is said to have been the opinion of Hasan al-Baṣrī.
[3] Tabrisi, 9/265; Tabari, 27/33; Thalabi, 9/144; Razi, 28/244; Qurtubi, 28/244.
[4] Tabrisi, 9/265; Razi, 28/244; Qurtubi, 28/244.
[5] Tabrisi, 9/265; Qurtubi, 28/244.