Surah Najm--Continued

Wahi, the revelation of God to us through Muhammad S..
In this process we have The messenger from God, the angel Gabriel (Jibreel AS), the receiver, human being, Muhammad S. and the message itself unaltered, uncorrupted, sacred, protected by God himself and therefore God has granted the power of protection to the angel against all creation (including the Satan).
The best definition of this Wahi, I found in the Bible and I quote (from King Jame's Version): Deutronomy 18, verse 18
"The prophet I shall raise from the midst of their brothers like you; and I shall indeed PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, and he will certainly speak to them all that I shall command. (capitalization is mine)
You cant say it better. That was for "Nor doth he speak of (his) own desire, it is naught save an inspiration that is inspired.'"
Next Ayat from 5 to 10:
"'Allamahoo shadeed-ul-Qawa" (he was taught by one mighty in power)
"Zdu mirratin fastawa" (Endowed with wisdom, for he appeared in stately form)
"Wa huwa bil ufuq-il-ála" (while he he was in the highest part of the horizon)
"Thumma dana, fatadalla" ( Then he approached and came closer)
"Fakaana qaba qausain-e au adna" (and was at a distance of but two bowlengths or even nearer)
"Fa-auHa ila ábdihee ma auHa" (So did Allah convey the inspiration to His servant, conveyed, what He meant to convey)
Maudoodi (rahemhullah) translates as :
"Usay, zaberdast quwwat walay na taleem dee hay
Jo barra saheb-e-hikmat hay
Woh samnay aa kharra hua
Jabkeh woh balaai ufaq per tha
phir qareeb aaya aur ooper moallaq ho giya
yahan tak keh do kamanon kay baraber ya us say kam fasla reh giya
tub uss nay Aallah kay banday ko wahi punhchaai jo wahi bhi usay ponhchani thi
Asad (rahemahullah) renders it :
" something that a very mighty one has imparted to him
(Angel) endowed with surpassing power, who in time manifested himself in his true shape and form
appearing in the horizon's loftiest part
then he drew near and came close
until he was but two bow-lengths away or even nearer
And thus did (God) reveal unto His servant what He deemed right to reveal"

From my quotes of different ways of translation I think you get the concept or essence better.
Mufassireen explain the meanings of the two words "shadeed-ul-quwa and Zdu mirrah" which convey the extra-ordinary powers both physical and intellectual of the angel Gabriel (Why the Almighty has chosen to describe the powers of this angel? especailly at this location in Qurán, needs your attention).
Then again Asad's translation (of Fastawa) manifested himself in his true shape and form,
gives clearer understanding although somewhat lengthy, but all other mufassireen basically say the same thing in explanation.
Of course there are other comments about the "bow-lengths" which if you ignore the literal meanings you can easily guess that he came near at an arm's length (in our language) to talk.
A point I wish to clear up here (and is important)--- I am taking these verses depicting the power etc. of the angel and am ignoring the other understanding that these words indicate God himself. (there is alot of discussion about this "contraversy") I am not going to discuss that here because as you can see I am not accepting that but you may accept the alternative I have mentioned and I wont argue with you. I have taken Ayesha RA's understanding when she quotes the aya of Qurán, ""No vision can grasp Him..."(S. al-Anám aya 101) "la tudrikuhul absaar...."
Getting back to the powers of the angel Gabriel, God has also given the same in Sura Takwir and I am going to give you a long quote here from that sura as it conveys alot of what I am saying:
Ayat 19 to 27"(S. 81):
" verily this is a ord of a most honorable messenger (Jibreel AS)
endowed with power', held in honor by the Lord of the Throne
with authority there, (and) faithful to His trust
and (O people!) your companion is not possessed,
and without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon
Neither doth he withold grudgingly a knowledge of the unseen
nor is it the word of the satan accursed
then whither go ye
Verily this is a message to (all) the worlds."

Note in this passage the words used Ämeen"(faithful) and 'held in honor by the Lord of the throne" and you can see the emphasis God has placed on these aspects of the power of the angel. This is very very relevant to Wahi (and its preservation and protection from any adulteration or alteration and of course you know the famous aya
Ïnna naHno nazzalnal-Zdikra wa inna lahoo la-Hafizdoon" (S. 15, aya 9, We have without doubt sent down the message and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption))
Getting back to S. Najm (Ayat 11 to 18)
"Ma kazdab-al-fuadu ma ra-a"(The (prophet's mind) and heart in no way falsified that which he saw)
afatumaroonahu ál ma yara ( will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?)
walaqad ra-ahu nazlatan ukhra (For indeed he saw him at a second descent)
índa sidratil-muntaha (Near the lote-tree, beyond which none may pass)
índahu jannat-ul- mawa (Near it is the Garden of abode)
ízd yaghshas-sidrata ma yaghsha (behold the lote-tree was shrouded in mystery unspeakable)
ma zagh-al-basaru wa ma tagha (his sight never awerved, nor did it go wrong)
Laqad ra-a min ayat-e-Rabbih-il-Kubra (For truely did he see of the signs of his Lord the greatest- also translated by others "the greatest signs of his Lord").

Vision of the prophet is described, the wonderful sight of the angel and whatever else was there at the lote-tree and garden of Abode. Also note that mention is made of "second time" sighting. The prophet saw the angel in his true angelic shape and form twice, once at the "horizon" and again at he "Sidratul-Muntaha"--- these are the added verses here which came after mérajunnabi (year 620, the main sura being send down earlier in the year 614, see my previous note).

Here I must discuss the vision of the prophet and his "heart". I shall be referring to mufassireen but basically I have to take up the medical scientific aspects. God has used the words like "Fuad-plural af-eda" or "Qalb, plural Quloob" in the same way we in our ordinary language use it like:
memorizing by heart
or giving my heart to my beloved
etc. and we dont mean the lump of flesh but most of it means the "intelligence"
I am going to call it "figurative heart" or "allegorical heart".
I shall take up the prophet's "Vision" next time IA.