Overall meaning : I swear by the stars when fade away that Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad, People of Quraysh, has not strayed from the truth, nor is he deluded or misguided, nor does he follow his whims or speak out of his fancy. The Qur’an is nothing but a revelation that Allah reveals to him. It is taught to him by Gabriel (Jibreel), who is endowed with mighty power and a perfect form with both outward and inward beauty.
Gabriel rose to his true form, manifesting himself on the highest point above the horizon, in the eastern part of the sky; then, drawing near, he came down closer still to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to reveal to him whatever Allah wills, until he was at a distance of two bows’ length or even closer, and revealed to Allah’s Servant—Muhammad—whatever he had to reveal to him from Allah. Muhammad’s heart did not deny what he saw with his own eyes.
Will you, then, Quraysh unbelievers, dispute with Muhammad about what he told you regarding what he saw during his Night Journey?! Muhammad did see Gabriel once again in his natural form in which Allah created him by a great lote-tree in the heavens beyond which none may pass, called Sidrat Al-Munthaa (the Lote-Tree of the Farthest Limit), near which is the Garden of Eternal Abode. Muhammad saw Gabriel when Sidrat al-Muntahaa was veiled over by divine splendours. Muhammad’s sight did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left, nor did it go beyond what he was commanded to see. He did indeed see, on the Night Journey and Ascension through the Heavens, his Lord’s greatest signs!