We now come to the final installment in the series: THE FRAUD THAT IS ALI ATAIE: THE SATANIC VERSES PT. 2.
Here I will cite the various traditions on the satanic verses, many of which are based on sahih or sound chains.
THE MUSLIM EXPOSITORS ON Q. 22:52 AND 17:73-75
… Then the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, approached them (Quraysh) and got close to them, and they also came near to him. One day he was sitting in their assembly near the Ka‘bah, and he recited: “By the Star when it setteth”, till he reached, “Have ye thought upon Al-Uzza and Manat, the third, the other”. Satan made him repeat these two phrases: These idols are high and their intercession is expected. The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, repeated them, and he went on reciting the whole surah and then fell in prostration, and the people also fell in prostration with him. Al-Walid Ibn Al-Mughirah, who was an old man and could not prostrate, took a handful of dust to his forehead and prostrated on it. It is said: Abu Uhayhah Sa‘id Ibn al-‘As, being an old man, took dust and prostrated on it. Some people say: It was al-Walid who took the dust; others say: It was Abu Uhayhah; while others say: Both did it. They were pleased with what the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, had uttered. They said: We know that Allah gives life and causes death. He creates and gives us provisions, but our deities will intercede with Him, and in what you have assigned to them, we are with you. These words pricked the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him. He was sitting in his house and when it was evening, Gabriel, may peace be upon him, came to him and REVISED the surah. Then Gabriel said: Did I bring these two phrases. The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, said: I ascribed to Allah, what He had not said. THEN ALLAH REVEALED TO HIM: “And they indeed strove hard to beguile thee (Muhammad) away from that wherewith We have inspired thee, that thou shouldst invent other than it against Us; and then would they have accepted thee as a friend.
And if We had not made thee wholly firm thou mightest almost have inclined unto them a little.
Then had We made thee taste a double (punishment) of living and a double (punishment) of dying then hadst thou found to [sic] helper against Us.
… This prostration became known to people till the news reached Abyssinia and the Companions of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, that the people of Makkah fell in protraction and joined Islam including al-Walid … The people said: When such persons have joined Islam, who else remains in Makkah? They said: Our relatives are dear to us. So they returned. When they were at a distance of one hour’s walk from Makkah, they confronted some horsemen of Kinanah. They inquired about the Quraysh and their affairs. The horsemen said: MUHAMMAD SPOKE WELL OF THEIR DEITIES, SO THEY FOLLOWED HIM, but they turned apostate. He began to abuse their gods and they began to harm him. We left them in this struggle. They discussed that they should return to Abyssinia, but then they said: We have reached here, so let us enter (the town), see the Quraysh and visit our families and then return. (Ibn Sa’ad’s Kitab Al-Tabaqat Al-Kabir, English translation by S. Moinul Haq, M.A., PH.D assisted by H.K. Ghazanfar M.A. (Kitab Bhavan Exporters & Importers, 1784 Kalan Mahal, Daryaganj, New Delhi- 110 002 India), Volume I, parts I & II, pp. 237-238; bold and capital emphasis mine)
And We did not send before you any messenger rasūl — this is a prophet who has been commanded to deliver a Message — or prophet nabī — one who has not been commanded to deliver anything — but that when he recited the scripture Satan cast into his recitation what is not from the Qur’ān but which those to whom he the prophet had been sent would find pleasing. The Prophet s had during an assembly of the men of Quraysh after reciting the following verses from sūrat al-Najm Have you considered Lāt and ‘Uzzā? And Manāt the third one? 5319-20 added as a result of Satan casting them onto his tongue without his the Prophet’s being aware of it the following words ‘those are the high-flying cranes al-gharānīq al-‘ulā and indeed their intercession is to be hoped for’ and so they the men of Quraysh were thereby delighted. Gabriel however later informed him the Prophet of this that Satan had cast onto his tongue and he was grieved by it; but was subsequently comforted with this following verse that he might be reassured of God’s pleasure thereat God abrogates nullifies whatever Satan had cast then God confirms His revelations. And God is Knower of Satan’s casting of that which has been mentioned Wise in His enabling him Satan to do such things for He does whatever He will. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Q. 22:52 https://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=22&tAyahNo=52&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold emphasis mine)
(Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee…) [22:52]. The commentators of the Qur’an said: “When the Messenger of Allah saw that his people were shunning him, he was aggrieved by their rejection of the message he brought them and he secretly wished that Allah, exalted is He, reveals something to him which would bring him and his people closer to each other, keen as he was to see them accept faith. One day, he sat in one of the congregations of Quraysh which attracted a huge number of its members, and he wished that Allah, exalted is He, does not reveal to him on that day anything that might repel them from him. Allah, exalted is He, revealed to him then Surah al-Najm (By the star when it stetteth…) [Surah 53]. The Messenger of Allah recited it but when he reached (Have ye thought upon al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, and Manat, the third, the other) [53:19-20], the devil put on his tongue what he had SECRETLY WISHED AND HOPED FOR and said: ‘These are the mighty cranes (gharaniq) and their intercession is hoped for’. When the Quraysh heard this, they were very pleased. The Messenger of Allah carried on reciting until the end of the Surah and then prostrated. All the Muslims followed suit and prostrated, and all the idolaters who were present prostrated too. All those who were present, whether Muslim or disbeliever, prostrated except al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah and Abu Uhyahah Sa’id ibn al-‘As who were too advanced in age and could not prostrate, but they both grabbed a handful of dust and put their foreheads on it. The Quraysh then dispersed, happy with what they heard. They said: ‘Muhammad has mentioned our idols with complimentary terms. We know that Allah gives life and takes it away, He creates and provides sustenance, but these idols of ours will intercede for us with Him. Now that Muhammad HAS ASSOCIATED THEM, we are all with him’. That evening, Gabriel went to the Messenger of Allah and said: ‘What have you done? You recited to people that which I did not bring from Allah, glorified is He, and you said what I did not say to you’. (‘Alī ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul, Q. 22:52 https://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=86&tSoraNo=22&tAyahNo=52&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold and capital emphasis mine)
The Messenger of Allah felt very saddened and was greatly scared of Allah. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse, upon which the Quraysh said: ‘Muhammad has regretted what he has mentioned regarding the status of our idols vis-à-vis Allah’. And they became even more antagonistic than before”. Abu Bakr al-Harithi informed us> Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Hayyan> Abu Yahya al-Razi> Sahl al-‘Askari> Yahya> ‘Uthman ibn al-Aswad> Sa’id ibn Jubayr who said: “The Messenger of Allah recited (Have ye thought upon al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, and Manat, the third, the other) upon which the devil projected on his tongue: ‘These are the mighty cranes and their intercession is hoped for’. The idolaters were pleased. They said: ‘He has mentioned our idols’. Then Gabriel came to the Messenger of Allah and said: ‘Read back to me the speech of Allah’. When he read it to him, Gabriel said: ‘As for this I did not bring; this is from the devil’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations…)”. (Ibid. https://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=86&tSoraNo=22&tAyahNo=52&tDisplay=yes&Page=2&Size=1&LanguageId=2; bold and capital emphasis mine)
It is narrated on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Ka’b Al-Qurathi that the Messenger of Allah recited Surat An-Najm to Allah’s saying (what means): {So have you considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza? And Manat, the third – the other one?} [An-Najm, verse 19-20] THEN SATAN INSPIRED HIM TO SAY: “Those are the high goddesses whose intercession is expected”. Then Allah revealed what means: {Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you to fabricate something other than it against Us, and (had you done so) then they would surely have taken you an intimate friend! And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little}. [Al-Isra’, verse 73-74] The Messenger of Allah then kept distressed till Allah revealed (what means): {And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke (or recited), Satan threw into it (his recitation some misunderstanding). But Allah abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allah makes precise His verses. And Allah is Knowing and Wise}. [Al-Hajj, verse 52] [Abu Ash-Shaykh] (Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti, Reasons and Occasions of Revelation of the Holy Qur’an (Lubab An-Nuqul Fi Asbab An-Nuzul), translated by Dr. Muhammad Mahdi Al-Sharif [Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut 2015], Q. 17:73, pp. 235-236; capital emphasis mine)
It is narrated on the authority of Sa’id Ibn Jubayr that The Messenger of Allah recited Surat An-Najm to Allah’s saying (what means): {So have you considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza? And Manat, the third – the other one?} [An-Najm, verse 19-20] THEN SATAN INSPIRED HIM TO SAY: “Those are the high goddesses whose intercession is expected”. The polytheists said: “He (Muhammad) has never mentioned our gods with good before this day”. Then he prostrated AND THEY PROSTRATED WITH HIM. On that occasion, Allah revealed this Qur’anic Verse. [Ibn Abu Hatim; Ibn Jarir and Ibn Al-Mundhir]
The same is narrated ON THE AUTHORITY OF IBN ‘ABBAS. [Al-Bazzar and Ibn Mardawayh] (Ibid., Q. 22:52, p. 260; capital emphasis mine)
We further read in Tafsir Dur al-Manthur that:
Al-Bazaar and Al-Tabarani and Ibn Mardaweh and al-Ziya’ have narrated through a chain of all trustworthy (Thiqa) narrators by the way of Said Ibn Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas that the Prophet recited the words of Surah Najm in the following manner:
“Have you then considered the Lat and the Uzza And Manat, the third, the last? These are the lofty (idols), verily their intercession is sought after.”
The idolaters became delighted on hearing this from the prophet and said that their idols have also been mentioned in the Quran. Then Gabriel came and said to prophet:
“Recite same revelation and Quran which I have brought.” Prophet again recited the words:
“Have you then considered the Lat and the Uzza And Manat, the third, the last? These are the lofty (idols), verily their intercession is sought after.”
Gabriel said: “I had not brought these words, these are from Satan.” Then the following verse was revealed:
And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet, but when he desired, Satan made a suggestion respecting his desire; but Allah annuls that which Satan casts, then does Allah establish His communications, and Allah is Knowing, Wise. (Ibid., Volume 6, p. 65, on Q. 22:52 http://islamport.com/d/1/tfs/1/11/521.html)
Note carefully that the transmitters of the aforementioned were all trustworthy according to al-Suyuti.
There’s more:
When the Messenger of God was in Mecca, he recited [qara’a] to them: “By the star when it sets.” When he reached: “Have you considered al-Lat, al-‘Uzza and Manat, the third, the other?”, he said: “Indeed, their intercession is to be hoped for [inna shafa ‘ata-ha turtaja]” – the Messenger of God did this unmindfully [wa-saha rasul Allah].
The Mushrikun, “in whose hearts there was sickness [alladhina fi qulub-him marad],” met him and greeted him and were greatly pleased at it. He said to them: “But that was from Satan! [inna-ma dhalika min al-shaytan].” And God sent down: “And we have not sent before you a Messenger or a Prophet, but that when he tamanna, Satan (something) into his umniyyah, then God removes that which Satan cast.”
The above version appears in al-Tabari’s Tafsir, 17:189, with the following transmission: Yunus b. ‘Abd al-A’la al-Misri (170-264) – ‘Abd Allah b. Wahb al-Misri (125-197) – Yunus b. Yazid al-Ayli (d. 160) – Muhammad b. Shihab al-Zuhri (51-124) – Abu Bakr b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Harith (23-95).
It is also cited by Abu Ja’far al-Nahas al-Misri (d. 328) in al-Naskh wa al-mansukh (1:448-449 and 2:527-528) with the following chain: Al-Layth b. Sa’d al-Misri (94-175) – Yunus b. Yazid – al-Zuhri – Abu Bakr b. ‘Abd al-Rahman.
What makes the above narrative significant to our discussion is that it is deemed a sahih mursal report, i.e., a report in which the transmitters are reliable but which doesn’t go back to a companion of Muhammad, but to one of their followers.
Al-Suyuti cited this from al-Tabari and also from ‘Abd b. Humayd al-Kissi/al-Kishshi/al-Kashshi al-Samarqandi (170s-249) (Al-Durr, 6:66), stating that they are mursal sahih al-isnad.
The leading 9th century hadith scholar Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani also gave the same verdict (Fath al-bari fi Sahih al-Bukhari [Shirkat al-Taba’ah al-Fanniyyah al-Muttahidah, Cairo, Egypt], 18:40).
Even the late renowned Salafi hadith scholar Al-Albani, Majaniq, 9, accepted this verdict, despite rejecting its historicity due to the fact that it is a mursal report.
And here is another version of the same event:
The Messenger of God recited [qara’a]: “Have you considered al-Lat, al-‘Uzza and Manat, the third, the other?” and Satan cast onto his tongue [fa-alqa al-shaytan ‘ala lisani-hi]: “Those (are the high) flying cranes: there intercession is to be hoped for! [tilka al-gharaniq al-‘ula wa shafa’atu-hunna turtaja].”
And the Mushrikun were greatly pleased by this and said: “He has mentioned our gods.”
So Gabriel came to him and said: “Recite to me [iqra’ ‘alayya] what I brought you!” And he recited: “Have you considered al-Lat, al-‘Uzza and Manat, the third, the other? Those (are the) high-flying cranes: their intercession is hoped for!” He (Gabriel) said: “I did not bring you this! This is from Satan [ma ataytu-ka bi-hadha hadha ‘an al-shaytan]”; or he said: “This is from Satan! I did not bring you these” [aw qala hadha min al-shaytan lam ati-ka bi-ha].
So God sent down: “We have not sent before you a Messenger or a Prophet but that when he tamanna, Satan cast something into his umniyyah,” to the end of the verse.
This narration is quoted from the Tafsir of Ibn Mardawayh (323-410 AH) in a later hadith collection, namely the Mukhtarah of al-Diya’ al-Maqdisi (537-634), with a chain going back to Ibn Abbas:
Ahmad b. Musa Ibn Mardawayh al-Isbahani – his father, Musa b. Mardawayh al-Isbahani (d. 360) – Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Mattawayh al-Isbahani (d. 302) – Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Muqri’ al-Baghdadi (d. 300) – Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Tayalisi al-Baghdadi (d. 282) – Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. ‘Ar’arah al-Basri al-Baghdadi (d. 231) – Abu ‘Asim al-Nabil al-Dahhak b. Makhlad al-Makki al-Basri (d. 212) – ‘Uthman b. al-Aswad al-Makki (d. 150) – Sa’id b. Jubayr – Ibn ‘Abbas. (Diya’ al-Din Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Wahid b. ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Hanbali al-Maqdisi, al-Ahadith al-mukhtarah aw al-mustakhraj min al-ahadith al-mukhtarah mim-ma lam yukhrij-hu al-Bukhari wa Muslim fi sahihay-hima, edited by ‘Abd al-Malik b. Abd Allah b. Duhaysh [Maktabat al-Nahdah al-Hadithah, Mecca], pp. 1990-1993).
Al-Suyuti also cites this hadith both directly from Ibn Mardawayh, claiming that its chain is made up of reliable transmitters (sanad rijalu-hu thiqat; cf. al-Durr 6:65), and from al-Diya al-Maqdisi’s citation of Ibn Mardawayh.
In fact, Ja’far b. Muhammad al-Tayalisi al-Baghdadi, Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. ‘Ar’arah al-Basri al-Baghdadi, Abu ‘Asim al-Nabil al-Dahhak b. Makhlad al-Makki al-Basri, and ‘Uthman b. al-Aswad al-Makki are considered to be impeachable as transmitters and seem to have been muhaddithun (hadith scholars). ‘Uthman b. al-Aswad was also known for studying under two prominent mufassirun (commentators), namely Mujahid b. Jabr and ‘Atiyyah b. Sa’d al-‘Awfi.
Moreover, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani considered this particular transmission to be the most reliable of all the chains narrating the Satanic verses (cf. Takhrij ahadith al-Kashshaf, p. 114).
These next reports are even more significant since they not only provide further substantiation that Satan caused Muhammad to recite the Satanic verses, but they also prove that Muhammad used to worship these false goddesses. These narratives further call into question Muhammad’s entire salvation:
Then those who had gone (to Abyssinia) the first time returned before (the departure of) Ja’far b. Abi Talib and his companions. This is when God sent down the surah in which He states, “By the star when it sets.” The Mushrikun had said: “If only this man would speak favourably of our gods [yadhkuru alihata-na bi-khayr], we would secure him [aqrarna-hu] and his companions. He does not speak of any the Jews and Christians who oppose his religion with the abuse and invective [al-shatm wa al-sharr] with which he speaks of our gods.”
When God sent down the surah in which He mentions, “By the star,” he (the Prophet) recited [qara’a], “Have you considered al-Lat, al-‘Uzza and Manat, the third, the other?” At this point, Satan cast into it (Surat al-Najm) [alqa al-shaytanu fi-ha ‘inda dhalika] a mention of the evil ones [dhikr al-tawaghit], and he (the Prophet) said [fa-qala]: “Indeed, they are high-flying cranes! And, indeed, their intercession is to be hoped for! [inna-hunna la-min al-gharaniq al-‘ula wa inna shafa’ata-hum (sic) la turtaja]”; that was the rhyming prose [saj’] of Satan and was an instance of his sedition [min fitnati-hi].
Those two phrases became lodged in the heart of every Mushrik; their tongues were debased by them, they rejoiced at them [dhallat bi-ha alsinatu-hum wa istabsharu bi-ha] and said: “MUHAMMAD HAS RETURNED TO HIS ORIGINAL RELIGION AND THE RELIGION OF HIS TRIBE [qad raja’a Muhammad ila dini-hi al-awwal wa din qawmi-hi]”…
As for the Mushrikun, their minds were set at ease in regard to the Prophet and his Companions when they heard what Satan cast into the umniyyah of the Prophet [lamma sami‘u al-ladhi alqa al-shaytan fi umniyyat al-nabi]. Satan told them that the Messenger of God had recited them (the Satanic verses) when in sajdah, so they made the sajdah in veneration of their gods…
The Messenger of God was greatly distressed by this [wa kabura dhalika ‘ala rasul Allah]. In the evening, Gabriel came to him. He (the Prophet) complained to him [fa-shaka ilay-hi], so he (Gabriel) ordered him (to recite the surah) and he (the Prophet) recited to him [fa-qara’a ‘alay-hi]. When he (the Prophet) reached them (the Satanic verses) [fa-lamma balagha-ha] (OR: when he (Gabriel) heard [sami’a] (the Satanic verses)), Gabriel absolved himself of responsibility for them [tabarra’a min-ha] and said: “God protect me from these! My Lord did not send them down, nor your Lord command me with them! [ma’adh Allah min hatayni ma anzala-huma rabb-i wa la amara-ni bi-hima rabbu-ka].” When the Messenger of God saw this, he was greatly disturbed [shaqqa ‘alay-hi] and said: “I HAVE OBEYED SATAN AND SPOKEN HIS WORDS AND HE HAS BECOME A PARTNER IN GOD’S MATTER WITH ME [ata’tu al-shaytana wa takallamtu bi-kalami-hi wa sharika-ni fi amr Allah].”
So God removed that which Satan cast [fa-nasakha Allahu ‘azza wa jalla ma alqa al-shaytan] and sent down upon him: “We have not sent before you a Messenger or a Prophet but that when he removes that which Satan casts and establishes his Signs clearly – and God is All-Knowing, All-Wise – to make that which Satan cast a trial for those in whose hearts is a sickness, and for those whose hearts are hardened. Indeed, the Wrongdoers are in far dissension.”
The aforementioned report has been variously transmitted by the following Muslim authorities:
Muhammad Mustafa al-A’zami, Maghazi rasul Allah li-‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr bi-riwayat Abi al-Aswad ‘an-hu (al-nuskhah al-mustrakhrajah, Maktab al-Tarbiyah al-‘Arabi li-Duwal al-Khalij, Riyad, 1981, pp. 160-161.
Abu al-Qasim Sulayman b. Ahmad al-Tabarani narrated it with the following chain: Muhammad b. ‘Amr b. Khalid al-Harrani al-Misri (d. 292 AH) – ‘Amr b. Khalid al-Harrani al-Misri (d. 229) – ‘Abd Allah Ibn Lahi’ah al-Misri (97-174) – Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman Abu al-Aswad al-Madani al-Misri (d. 136/7) – ‘Urwah b. al-Zubayr al-Madani (23-94). (al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, edited by Hamdi ‘Abd al-Majid al-Salafi [Wizarat al-Awqaf wa al-Shu’un al-Diniyyah, Baghdad, 1971], 9:34-36)
Abu Bakr Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Muttawi’i al-Ghazi al-Naysaburi al-Makki gives the following chain:
Abu al- ‘Abbas Ahmad b. al-Hasan b. Bundar al-Razi al-Makki (d. 409) – Abu al-Qasim Sulayman b. Ahmad al-Tabarani – Muhammad b. ‘Amr b. Khalid al-Harrani al-Misri – ‘Amr b. Khalid al-Harrani al-Misri – ‘Urwah b. al-Zubayr. (Kitab man sabara zafira, pp. 77b-78b)
Even someone as renowned as Ibn Kathir had no choice but to acknowledge the fact that many Muslim commentators referred to this story of the Devil duping Muhammad into glorifying the false goddesses of Arabia, despite his personal rejection of this event:
At this point MANY of the scholars of Tafsir mentioned the story of the Gharaniq and how many of those who had migrated to Ethiopia came back when they thought that the idolators of the Quraysh had become Muslims, but these reports all come through Mursal chains of narration and I do not think that any of them may be regarded as Sahih. And Allah knows best… (Tafsir Ibn Kathir https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/surah/22/52/; bold and capital emphasis mine)
BASED ON SAHIH CHAINS
As was already noted earlier, many of the reports are based on sahih or sound chains of transmission, refuting the lie of Muhammadans such as Ali Ataie that the episode is based on weak or fabricated hadiths.
For example, Jalauddin as-Suyuti recorded varying narrations of the satanic verses, all of which were based on authentic chains:
“Ibn Jarir and Ibn al-Munder and Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Mardawayh have narrated through a Sahih chain by the way of Said Ibn Jubayr who said…”
“Ibn Jarir, Ibn Al Munzir and Ibn Abi Hatim narrated with a Sahih chain from Abi Al ‘Aliyah…”
“Abd bin Hamid and Ibn Jarir by the way of Yunis, from Ibn Shahab narrated… with a Mursal Sahih chain.”
Qadhi Thanaullah Pani Patti Uthmani, in his commentary of the above mentioned verse, though doubting the veracity of this episode, nevertheless, acknowledges that the event is based on multiply attested and strong narrations:
“… However the tradition we previously mentioned from Said bin Jubayr by Bazar, Ibn Mardawayh and Tabarani, is indeed successive (mutawatur) and strong (qawi). Ibn Hajar Asqalani has stated that from the abundance of traditions reported, it is deemed that there is some truth in it…”
Here’s what Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani actually wrote:
لكن كثرة الطرق تدل على أن للقصة أصلاً مع أن لها طريقين صحيحين
“However, various versions mean that the story has an origin although there are two authentic versions.” (Fatah al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, p. 439)
Ibn Abi Bakar al-Haythami is another Sunni scholar who affirmed that the episode concerning the satanic verses is Sahih:
رواه البزار والطبراني وزاد إلى قوله : { عذاب يوم عقيم } يوم بدر ورجالهما رجال الصحيح
“Al-Bazar and Tabarani narrated it and they added ‘the penalty of a Mighty Day’ in the day of Badr. The narrators are the narrators of Sahih.” (Majma al-Zawadi, Volume 7, p. 248, Number 11376)
I now list some of the many Islamic sources that record Muhammad’s lapse into idolater due to the influence of Satan:
Tafsir al-Tabari, Volume 17, p. 186.
Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Volume 12, p. 80.
Tafsir al-Kashaf, Volume 3, p. 164.
Ahkam al-Quran, Volume 3, p. 246.
Tafsir Dur al-Manthur, Volume 4, p. 367, on Q. 22:52.
Tafsir Gharaib al-Quran, Volume 17, p. 109, by Nizamuddin Nishapuri.
Tafsir Mazhari (Urdu), Volume 8, p. 94, by Qadhi Thanaullah Pani Patti.
Ghanyatul Talibeen, p. 172, by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Irshad al Sari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, p. 194, by al-Qastalani.
Fatah ul Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, p. 349.
Minhaj as Sunnah, Volume 2, p. 409, by Ibn Tamiyyah.
Majma al-Zawadi, Volume 7, p. 248, Number 11376
IBN TAYMIYYAH’S ACCEPTANCE OF THE SATANIC VERSES!
Moreover, the darling of Salafi Muslims, i.e., Ibn Tamiyyah, also believed that the “Satanic Verses” took place, and erroneously thought that this actually establishes that Muhammad was a genuine prophet!
What occurred with suratul-Najm (Q. 53) and its recitation, ‘These are the lofty (idols), verily their intercession is sought after,’ is well known amongst the Salaf; that this was recited by the messenger of Allah and then Allah abrogated it.” (Minhaj Sunnah, Volume 2, p. 409 https://web.archive.org/web/20090329200908/http://arabic.islamicweb.com/Books/taimiya.asp?book=365&id=967)
The following modern Muslim writer candidly admits:
Given this background, and given the consistent assertion throughout the Qur’an is that God alone should be worshipped, many Muslim scholars have rejected the validity of the report about the so-called “Satanic Verses.” This report claims that due to the distress the Prophet felt because of the severe persecution of his followers, he was susceptible to the suggestion of Satan to interject a verse into Sura al-Najm suggesting that the celestial goddesses al-Lat, al-‘Uzza, and Manat are “high flying cranes whose intercession is approved.” This validation of the beliefs of the Meccans was said to have pleased them so that they stopped their persecution of the Muslims. However, Gabriel appeared to the Prophet and made him aware of his mistake and revealed the verse,
We have not sent a prophet or a messenger before you except that when he longed for something Satan cast suggestion into his longing. But God will annul what Satan has suggested, then God will establish his verses; indeed God is All-knowing, Wise, (Hajj; 22:52)
For the majority of Muslim scholars, this report does not meet the standard established by hadith criticism because it lacks a valid isnad and its content contradicts the belief of the majority of Muslims that prophets are infallible. A minority of scholars, however, most notably the Syrian Hanbali scholar Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328), accept the validity of these reports.
Ibn Taymiyya agreed with the majority that all prophets are infallible; however, he understood this infallibility not as preventing prophets from ever committing errors but as preventing them from persisting in them once committed. The commission of such errors is part of God’s wisdom to allow them an opportunity to repent and perfect their character. (Ingrid Mattson, The Story of the Qur’an: Its History and Place in Muslim Life [Wiley-Blackwell, Second edition 2013], pp. 54-55; bold emphasis mine)
Even the renowned Islamic professor and Muslim convert Dr. Jonathan Brown admits that Ibn Taymiyya defended the historicity of Muhammad reciting the satanic verses:
According to this story, soon afterwards Gabriel informed Muhammad that the last verse had not been revealed by God. Rather, Satan had FOOLED the Prophet into thinking it was divine revelation. The verse was removed from the Quran and replaced by the verse that follows verse 53:20 in the Quran we know today: ‘These [supposed goddesses] are nothing but empty names you have invented, you and your forefathers, for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high’ (53:21-3). God then comforted Muhammad by revealing that ‘We never sent a messenger or prophet before you without Satan intervening in his desires. But God abrogates what Satan interposes’ (Quran 22:52).
The story of the Satanic Verses appears in the Sira of Ibn Ishaq as well as most early works of Quranic commentary (tafsir). Western historians have accepted it as true based on the HCM principle that reports that seem to contradict orthodoxy must be true (who would make them up?). As Watt notes, the Satanic Verses story is ‘so strange that it must be true in its essentials’.
Indeed, the story seems to undermine the central pillars of Muhammad’s claim to prophecy: his status as an infallible channel of revelation and the complete reliability of the Quran. From a Muslim point of view, if Satan could interfere in the revelation of the holy book, how do we know that other verses were not also tampered with?? From the point of view of a non-Muslim evaluating Muhammad’s claims to prophethood, his ‘error’ in the revelation makes him seem like a mere mortal who first politicked to earn Meccan support and then tried to cover up a mistake.
We must be careful, however, in relying too heavily on the principles of the Historical Critical Method. Just because we think that a story makes an orthodox tradition look bad does not mean that the participants in that tradition viewed it in the same way. The great historian of the Prophet’s campaigns, al-Waqidi (d. 822), reports that when Muhammad sent Khalid bin al-Walid to destroy the idol of ‘Uzza, it came alive in the form of a naked black woman with long, wild hair. This also seems to contradict the orthodox vision of Islam. The Quran repeatedly states that idols cannot speak or defend themselves (see, for example, Quran 21:58-67).
We must consider the possibility that early Muslims saw the story of the Satanic Verses, as well as those of live idols, as totally consistent with their religion. Certainly, most Muslim scholars later rejected the story of the Satanic Verses as heresy. The Spanish Muslim scholar Qadi Iyad (d. 1149) argued that the story could not have been true because none of the critics of Muhammad from the Quraysh ever took advantage of the episode to undermine his claims of prophecy. But other Muslim scholars accepted the Satanic Verses as fact. Some, like Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328), explained them by saying that the Prophet was still entirely trustworthy as a medium of revelation because God would have corrected him whenever the Devil confused him. In the late antique world in which God constantly intervened in the lives of His prophets, the Satanic Verses would not seem out of place. (Brown, Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction [Oxford University Press Inc., New York 2011], pp. 97-99; bold emphasis mine)
This now brings me to my next point.
MUHAMMAD COMMITS SHIRK!
Muhammad knowingly committed the unforgiveable sin of shirk, or of associating other gods/goddesses along with Allah when Satan caused him to both acknowledge the existence of the three pagan goddesses, and to glorify them as highly exalted intercessors.
Muhammad did this even though he had been sternly warned by his god that this would make all his previous efforts null and void, and would result in his being consigned among the losers whom Allah would severely torment:
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto God when ye know (the truth). S. 2:22 Abdullah Yusuf Ali
God forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed. S. 4:48 Y. Ali
That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge. We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) guided: and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good: And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous: And Isma’il and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot: and to all We gave favour above the nations: (To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren: We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way. This is the guidance of God: He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers. If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them. S. 6:83-88 Y. Ali
O Prophet! Fear God, and hearken not to the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites: verily God is full of Knowledge and Wisdom. S. 33:1 Y. Ali
But it has already been revealed to thee, – as it was to those before thee, – “If thou wert to join (gods with God), truly fruitless will be thy work (in life), and thou wilt surely be in the ranks of those who lose (all spiritual good)“. S. 39:65 Y. Ali
Muhammad himself realized that he had turned Satan into Allah’s associate and partner when he invariably recited statements which the devil caused him to utter in praise of the so-called daughters of Allah (banat Allah):
Those two phrases became lodged in the heart of every Mushrik; their tongues were debased by them, they rejoiced at them [dhallat bi-ha alsinatu-hum wa istabsharu bi-ha] and said: “MUHAMMAD HAS RETURNED TO HIS ORIGINAL RELIGION AND THE RELIGION OF HIS TRIBE [qad raja’a Muhammad ila dini-hi al-awwal wa din qawmi-hi]”…
When the Messenger of God saw this, he was greatly disturbed [shaqqa ‘alay-hi] and said: “I HAVE OBEYED SATAN AND SPOKEN HIS WORDS AND HE HAS BECOME A PARTNER IN GOD’S MATTER WITH ME [ata’tu al-shaytana wa takallamtu bi-kalami-hi wa SHARIKA-ni fi amr Allah].”
As such, Muhammad stands condemned as a false prophet by the words of his very own deity, proving that Muhammad is in hell where he belongs.
CONCLUSION
I have shown in these series of posts that, contrary to the lies and deceit of Muhammadan Ali Ataie, the satanic verses are based on authentic, reliable chains of transmitters as acknowledge by some of Islam’s greatest scholars and historians. The earliest sources uniformly attest that Satan caused Muhammad to commit shirk, wherein he praised and magnified the three pagan goddesses loved and worship by his pagan tribe. In so doing, Muhammad exposed himself as a charlatan and a false prophet who could not distinguish between a message from Satan from that which he was supposedly receiving from the true God.
I conclude by citing the statements of the late Shahab Ahmed, who was perhaps the leading Muslim scholar in respect to the satanic verses, having done the most research into this subject.
Ahmad concluded his research as follows:
The Satanic verses incident constituted a standard element in the historical memory of the Muslim community in the first 150 years of Islam, and was recorded by almost all prominent scholars working in the fields of tafsir and sirah-Maghazi. (The Satanic Verses Incident in the Memory of the Early Muslim Community – An Analysis of the Early Riwayahs and their Isnads, A dissertation presented at Princeton University, 1999, p. i; bold emphasis mine)
[We have] repeatedly dated the reports of the Satanic Verses incident to the late 1st and early 2nd centuries; in other words, to what seems to have been the earliest period of systematic collection and organization of historical memory materials in the Muslim community. As regards the discourses of which these reports formed a part, we have found that all the reports were transmitted by late 1st/early 2nd century sirah-maghazi and tafsir scholars. (Ibid., p. 258; bold emphasis mine)
The Satanic verses were being transmitted in almost every important intellectual centre in the Dar al-Islam: Madinah, Mecca, Basrah, Kufah, Baghdad, Missisah, Rayy, Balkh, Samarqand, San’a’, Fustat and Qayrawan. (Ibid., p. 260; bold emphasis mine)
The Satanic verses incident is narrated in numerous reports (between 18 and 25, depending on how one reckons an independent riwayah) scattered in the sirah nabawiyyah and tafsir literature originating in the first two centuries of Islam. The indications are that the incident formed a fairly standard element in the historical memory of the early Muslim community regarding the life of its founder. (Ibn Taymiyyah and the Satanic Verses, Studia Islamica, no. 87, 1998, p. 70; bold emphasis mine)
So much for the claims of dawagandist Ali Ataie and for Muhammad being a true prophet of God, and the prophet like Moses.
FURTHER READING
ADDENDUM TO ALI ATAIE AND THE SATANIC VERSES
Muhammad and the Daughters of Allah: A Summation of the Evidence for the Satanic Verses
Answering Islam Blog 
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