It is no exaggeration to say that without the sirah and hadith literature a person cannot make heads or tails out of the great bulk of the Quran. In fact, if one doesn’t have any recourse to these sources then s/he is unable to answer the who, what, where, when, why and how of the Quran, meaning:

Who wrote the Quran?

What was it written on?

Where was it written?

When was it written?

Why was it written?

How was it compiled in the form that we have it today?

Oldest Extant Muslim Sources

The following gives us an idea of why the sirah and ahadith are problematic for providing the framework and context of the Quran.

Sirat Rasulullah

Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasulullah who died 767 AD. His sirah written roughly around 760 AD. However, no copy of his original work exists since all the copies that we have are based on the Egyptian Muslim scholar Ibn Hisham’s rendition of Ibn Ishaq’s work who admitted to omitting things which he did not like or thought were objectionable. Ibn Hisham died in 832 AD. 

Al-Kutub/Sihah Sitta

The Sihah Sitta refers to the six major Sunni hadith collections. They are in order of their authenticity:

1. Sahih Bukhari, collected by Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 A.H., 870 C.E.), includes 7275 ahadith. His hadith collection was compiled around 846 AD.
2. Sahih Muslim, collected by Muslim b. al-Hajjaj (d. 261 A.H., 875 C.E.), includes 9200 ahadith.
3. Sunan al-Sughra, collected by al-Nasa’i (d. 303 A.H., 915 C.E.).
4. Sunan Abu Dawud, collected by Abu Dawud (d. 275 A.H., 888 C.E.).
5. Jami al-Tirmidhi, collected by al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 A.H, 892 C.E).
6. Sunan ibn Majah, collected by Ibn Majah (d. 273 A.H., 887 C.E.).

The first two, commonly referred to as the Sahihayn (Two Sahihs) as an indication of their authenticity, contain approximately seven thousand ahadith altogether if repetitions are not counted, according to Muslim scholar Ibn Hajar.

The Names of the Authors

1. Muhammad b. Isma’il al-Bukhari, the author of the Sahih Bukhari, which he composed over a period of sixteen years. Traditional sources quote Bukhari as saying that he did not record any hadith before performing ablution and praying. Bukhari died near Samarqand in 256/869-70.
2. Muslim b. Hajjaj al-Naishapuri, who died in Nishapur in 261/ 874-5 and whose Sahih Muslim is second in authenticity only to that of Bukhari.
3. Abu Dawud Sulaiman b. Ash’ath al-Sijistani, a Persian but of Arab descent, who died in 275/888-9.
4. Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Tirmidhi, the author of the well-known as Sunan al-Tirmidhi, who was a student of Bukhari and died in 279/892-3.
5. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Nasa’i, who was from Khurasan and died in 303/915-16.
6. Ibn Majah al-Qazwini, who died in 273/886-7.

The preceding taken and modified from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Kutub_al-Sittah) on May 12, 2013.

The Authenticity of the Sahihayn

According to Sunni scholars, the hadith collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim are the two most authentic Islamic records after the Quran. Sunni Muslims for the most part accept whatever is found in these collections since they believe that neither compilation contains any weak or fraudulent reports, just as the following statements by the Muslim scholars confirm.

Sahih al-Bukhari

Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan says concerning Al-Bukhari’s hadith collection:

“It has been UNANIMOUSLY AGREED that Imam Bukhari’s work is the most authentic of all the other works in Hadith literature PUT TOGETHER. The authenticity of Al-Bukhari’s work is such that the religious learned scholars of Islam said concerning him: ‘The most authentic book after the Book of Allah (i.e., Al-Qur’an) is Sahih Al-Bukhari.’ …

“Before he recorded each Hadith he would make ablution and offer two Rak’at prayer and supplicate his Lord (Allah). Many religious scholars of Islam tried to find fault in the great remarkable collection – Sahih Al-Bukhari, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. It is for this reason, they UNANIMOUSLY AGREED that the most authentic book after the Book of Allah IS Sahih Al-Bukhari.” (Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari, Arabic-English, translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Formerly Director, University Hospital, Islamic University, Al-Madina Al-Munawwara (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), [Dar-us-Salam Publishers & Distributors, Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, July, 1997], Volume 1, pp. 18-19; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Sahih Muslim

“… Although Sahih al-Bukhari is the most reliable collection of Ahadith, however, Sahih Muslim has certain aspects of superiority. Imam Muslim adhered strictly to most of the principles of the Science of Hadith which were somehow at some places ignored by his teacher Imam Bukhari. Imam Muslim accepted for his collection only such Ahadith which had been transmitted with an unbroken chain of reliable narrators, free from all defects and were in perfect harmony with the narrations of other narrators. He has recorded only those ahadith which were transmitted at least by two different transmitters from two different Companions. Imam Bukhari has sometimes used the Kunyah (surname) of the narrators and sometimes their names. Imam Muslim avoided this confusion. Imam Muslim is also particular in pointing out the slightest difference in the text of the narrations. Imam Bukhari has fragmented most of the Ahadith and presented the portions under different chapters, while Imam Muslim presented them as a whole narration. So, the works of both Imams provide different approaches for the scholars and readers of Ahadith.” (The Translation of the Meanings of Summarized Sahih Muslim, Publisher’s Note, Volume 1, p. ii; bold emphasis mine)

And:

“Imam Muslim compiled many books and treatises on Hadith, the most important of his works is the compilation of the Hadith collection Al-Jami‘ As-Sahih, which is famous by the name of Sahih Muslim. Some scholars of Hadith opine that in some respects IT IS THE BEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC COLLECTION of Ahadith. Imam Muslim laboriously collected 3,00,000 Ahadith, but after critical study, he selected only 4,000 Ahadith for this collection…

“Many students learned the Science of Hadith from Imam Muslim. Those who became famous and occupied a prominent position are: Abu Hatim Razi, Musa bin Harun, Ahmad bin Salamah, Abu ‘Isa Tirmidhi, Abu Bakr bin Khuzaimah, Abu ‘Awanah and Hafiz Dhahbi.” (Ibid., p. v; bold and capital emphasis mine)

This means that no devout Sunni Muslim can ever call into question any hadith that is cited from either one of these collections, since to do so is to place oneself outside of the fold of historic, orthodox Sunni Islam.

With the foregoing in view, we can now cite some examples from these collections in order to give the readers an idea of what they contain and what Sunni Muslims must believe are the very inspire utterances of their prophet.

Silly Sayings of the Ahadith Showing Why They Are Unreliable Sources

The following is just a small sampling of narrations which illustrate just how absurd and irrational the ahadith collections truly are.

ADAM THE NOT SO JOLLY GIANT

Muhammad taught that Adam was created 60 cubits in height!

“Narrated Abu Huraira: The prophet said, ‘Allah created Adam, and his height was 60 cubits.’”  BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 543

This makes Adam 90 feet tall!

Presumably, Adam’s children would also be as tall as their father, a fact affirmed in this Hadith:

“Narrated Abu Huraira: The prophet said, ‘Allah created Adam in his image sixty cubits (about 30 meters) in height… Since then the creation of Adam’s (offspring) (i.e., stature of human beings) is being diminished continuously up to the present time.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 8, Bk. 74, No. 246

To make matters worse, Muhammad actually believed that in paradise people would again become 90 feet tall!

“Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s apostle said, ‘The first group of people who will enter Paradise, will be glittering like the full moon and those who will follow them, will glitter like the most brilliant star in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit, or have any nasal secretions. Their combs will be of gold, and their sweat will smell like musk… Their wives will be houris. All of them will look alike and will resemble their father Adam (in statute), sixty cubits tall.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 544

THE SUN’S SETTING PLACE

Both the Quran in Q. 18:86 and the ahadith claim that the sun literally sets in a muddy spring:

(3991) Abu Dharr said: I was sitting behind the apostle of Allah who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets? I replied: Allah and his apostle know best. He said: IT SETS IN A SPRING OF WARM WATER (hamiyah).³⁴⁰⁸ (Prof. Ahmad Hasan, Sunan Abu Dawud – English Translation With Explanatory Notes [Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, Publishers, Lahore, 1984], Volume III. Chapters 1338-1890, XXV. Kitab Al-Ahruf Wa Al-Qira’at [Book of Dialects and Readings Of The Qur’an], Chapter 1498, p. 1120; bold and capital emphasis mine)

3408. Qur’an, xviii. 86. The word hami’ah in this verse has two readings. Abu Ja‘far, Abu ‘Amir, Hamzah, al-Kisa’i and Abu Bakr read it hamiyah with long vowel a. Hamiyah means warm water. The others read it hami’ah meaning musky water. (Ibid.)

Hence, not only do we have a gross scientific error, we also have a clear example that proves that Quran contains variant readings!

The following is an alternate translation of this particular report:

4002. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: “I was riding behind the messenger of Allah while he was on a donkey, and the sun was setting. He said: ‘Do you  know where this (sun) sets?’ I said: ‘Allah and his messenger know best.’ He said: ‘IT SETS IN A SPRING OF WATER (fa innaha taghrubu fi ‘ainin hamiyah).’” (SAHIH) (English Translation of Sunan Abu Dawud, Compiled by Imam Hafiz Abu Dawud Sulaiman bin Ash‘ath – From Hadith no. 3242 to 4350, ahadith edited and referenced by Hafiz Abu Tahir Zubair ‘Ali Za’i, translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Canada), final review by Abu Khaliyl (USA) [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, First Edition: July, 2008], Volume 4, 29. The Book Of The Recitations And Readings Of The Qur’an, p. 375; capital emphasis mine)

BON APPETIT!

The hadiths teach that Muhammad’s food would praise Allah right before being consumed by Muhammad! Muhammad even caused water to flow from his fingers!

“Narrated ‘Abdullah: We used to consider miracles as Allah’s Blessings, but you people consider them to be a warning. Once we were with Allah’s apostle on a journey, and we ran short of water. He said, ‘Bring the water remaining with you.’ The people brought a utensil containing a little water. He placed his hand in it and said, ‘Come to the blessed water, and the Blessing is from Allah.’ I saw the water flowing from among the fingers of Allah’s apostle, and no doubt, we heard the meal glorifying Allah, when it was being eaten (by him). BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 56, No. 779

This reminds us of a scene from the Three Stooges where Curly’s sandwich kept biting him in his face every time he tried to eat it. In fact, it may be that the reason why Curly’s sandwich kept giving him such a hard time is because he was a disbelieving Jew whereas the sandwich was a Muslim!

FINGER LICKING GOOD

Muhammad forbade his followers from wiping their hands after eating until and unless they or someone else licks them clean!

“Narrated Ibn Abbas: The prophet said, ‘When you eat, do not wipe your hand till you have licked it, or had it licked by somebody else.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 7, Bk., No. 366

SATAN’S BOWEL MOVEMENTS, LODGING PLACE AND THE REASON FOR YAWNING

Muhammad taught that Satan urinates, passes gas/farts and stays in the nose of a person over night!

“Narrated Abdullah: A person was mentioned before the prophet and he was told that he had kept on sleeping till morning and has not gotten up for the (fajr – early morning) prayer. The prophet said, ‘Satan urinated in his ears.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 2, Bk. 21, No. 245

“Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s apostle said, ‘When the Adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Adhan. When the Adhan is completed he comes back and again takes to his heels when the Iqama is pronounced and after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how much he has prayed.’” BUKHARI, Volume 1, Book 11, Number 582

“Narrated Abu Huraira: The prophet said, ‘Yawning is from Satan and if anyone of you yawns, he should check his yawning as much as possible, for if anyone of you (during the act of yawning) should say: ‘Ha’, Satan will laugh at him.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 509 – see also Vol. 8, Bk. 73, No. 242

“Narrated Abu Huraira: The prophet said, ‘if anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out thrice, because Satan has stayed in the upper part of his nose all the night.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 516

Abu Huraira reported: The Apostle of Allah said. When any one of you awakes up from sleep and performs ablution, he must clean his nose three times, for the devil spends the night in the interior of his nose. MUSLIM, Bk. 002, NO. 0462

The footnote to the hadith from Bukhari states:

(1) (H. 3295) We should believe that Satan actually stays in the upper part of one’s nose, though we cannot perceive how, for this is related to the unseen world of which we know nothing except what Allah tells us through his Messenger. (Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, July 1997], Volume 4. Ahadith 2738 to 3648, 59 – The Book Of The Beginning Of Creation, (11) CHAPTER. The Characteristics of Iblis (Satan) and his soldiers. p. 312; bold and italicized emphasis mine)

HUMANS TRANSFORMED INTO ANIMALS

The following narrative shows us the type of reasoning Muhammad used to conclude that a group of Jews had been transformed into rats:

“Narrated (Abu Huraira): The prophet said, ‘a group of Israelites was lost. Nobody knows what they did. But I do not see them except that they were cursed and transformed into rats, for if you put the milk of a she-camel in front of a rat, it will not drink it, but if the milk of a sheep is put in front of it, it will drink it.’ I told this to Ka’b who asked me, ‘did you hear it from the prophet?’ “I said, ‘Yes”. Ka’b asked me the question several times; I said to Ka’b, ‘do I read the Taurat (Torah)? (i.e., I tell you this from the prophet).’” BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 524

What does Dr. Muhsin Khan say in his footnote?

“Later on, the prophet was informed through inspiration about the fate of those Israelites: They were transformed into pigs and monkeys.”

SHARIAH OBSERVANT MONKEYS

One of Muhammad’s companions claimed to have witnessed and assisted a group of monkeys in stoning a she-monkey for committing adultery!

Narrated ‘Amr bin Maimun: During the pre-Islamic period of ignorance I saw a she-monkey surrounded by a number of monkeys. They were all stoning it, because it had committed illegal sexual intercourse. I too stoned it along with them. BUKHARI, Vol. 5, Bk. 58, No. 188

Need we say more?

MOSES AND THE RUNNING STONE

“Narrated (Abu Huraira): The prophet said, ‘The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. Prophet Musa (Moses) used to take bath alone. They said, ‘By Allah!  Nothing prevents Musa (Moses) from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal Hernia.’ So once Musa (Moses) went out to take a bath and put his clothes over a stone and then that stone ran away with his clothes. Musa (Moses) followed that stone saying, ‘My clothes, O stone!  My clothes, O stone!’ till the people of Bani Israel saw him and said, ‘By Allah, Musa (Moses) has got no defect in his body.’ Musa (Moses) took his clothes and began to beat the stone.’  Abu Huraira added, ‘By Allah! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 1, Bk. 5, No. 277

Again, need we say more?

A WEEPING PULPIT

“Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: The prophet used to stand by a stem of a date-palm tree (while delivering a Khutba). When the pulpit was placed for him we heard that stem crying like a pregnant she-camel till the prophet got down from the pulpit and place his hand over it.” BUKHARI, Vol. 2, Bk. 13, No. 41

No further comment is necessary.

MUHAMMAD’S MEDICINAL ADVICE

Muhammad instructed a group of men to drink camel urine with milk for their ailing stomachs:

Muhammad further advised dipping a fly in the case it lands in your drink since it contains both the disease and its cure!

“Narrated (Abu Huraira): The prophet said, ‘If a housefly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease.’” BUKHARI, Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 537

THE SIGN OF PR0PHETHOOD

According to the Quran, Muhammad performed no miracles to confirm his prophethood (Q. 6:37; 17:59; 28:48; 29:50-51). This embarrassing fact has led Muslim theologians to search desperately for any sign that would attest to Muhammad’s prophetic claims. One such evidence is the so-called “Seal of Prophethood” alluded to in the Quran:

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Apostle of God, and the seal of the Prophets: and God has full knowledge of all things.” S. 33:40

The question arises as to what was the Seal of the Prophets. Was it a spiritual or a physical sign? Does it find Biblical precedence and support for it? To our amazement the seal was a hairy mole between Muhammad’s shoulders!

“Narrated As-Saib bin Yazid… I stood behind him (i.e., Muhammad) and saw the seal of Prophethood between his shoulders, and it was like the ‘Zir al-Hijla’ (meaning the button of a small tent, but some say ‘egg of a partridge.’).” BUKHARI, Vol. 1, No. 189 – see also Vol. 4, No. 741

Chapter 28: THE FACT PERTAINING TO THE SEAL OF HIS PROPHETHOOD, ITS CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE AND ITS LOCATION ON HIS BODY

“Jabir b. Samura reported: I saw the seal on his back as it were a pigeon’s egg.” MUSLIM, Bk. 030, No. 5790

“Abdullah b. Sarjis reported… I then went after him and saw the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders on the left side of his shoulders having spots on it like hairy moles.” MUSLIM, Bk. 030, No. 5793

Concluding Remarks

The preceding was just a small sampling of some of the irrational and mythical teachings of the ahadith, let alone the grossly immoral practices which are commanded and permitted within them. These examples should convince any rational person that the people who collected such ridiculous stories were in no position to determine the historical veracity of events which transpired over 200 years earlier. The hadiths are just as unbelievable as the Quran and therefore cannot be taken as credible sources on the origin and compilation of the Muslim scripture.  

Jizyah is the sum of money which the Quran imposes upon the disbelievers, specifically Jews and Christians, who come under the control of Muslims but refuse to change their religion:

Fight those who believe not in God and in the last day, and who forbid not what God and His Apostle have forbidden, and who do not practice the religion of truth from amongst those to whom the Book has been brought, until they pay the tribute by their hands and be as little ones. S. 9:29

This payment is extracted for several reasons. The first reason can be found in the passage which immediately precedes verse 29:

O ye who believe! it is only the idolaters who are unclean; they shall not then approach the Sacred Mosque after this year. But if ye fear want then God will enrich you from His grace if He will; verily, God is knowing, wise! S. 9:28

The text exhorts the Muslims not to fear any loss of want (i.e. money, resources etc.) by expelling the mushrikun, or the disbelievers who associate partners with Allah, from Mecca. The reason why they shouldn’t be afraid of any financial loss is because, as the next passage clearly indicates, Allah intends to compensate them by having them extract the jizya or tribute from the Jews and Christians.

To put it another way, Allah promised to enrich the Muslims for their obedience by forcing the subjected Jews and Christians to pay their Muslim overlords the jizya!

This is a point which is readily acknowledged by the classical Islamic exegetes and historians, just as the following citation shows:

“… Then He said (v. 28): ‘The polytheists are nothing but unclean, so let them not approach the sacred mosque after this year of theirs, and if you fear poverty’ that was because the people said ‘the markets will be cut off from us, trade will be destroyed, and we shall lose the good things we used to enjoy,’ and God said, ‘If you fear poverty God will enrich you from His bounty,’ i.e. in some other way, ‘if He will. He is knowing, wise. Fight those who do not believe in God and the last day and forbid not that which God and His apostle have forbidden and follow not the religion of truth from among those who have been given the scripture until they pay the poll tax out of hand being humbled,’ i.e. as a compensation for what you fear to lose by the closing of the markets. God gave them compensation for what He cut off from them in the former polytheism by what He gave them by way of poll tax from the people of the scripture. (The Life of Muhammad, A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, with introduction and notes by Alfred Guillaume [Karachi Oxford University Press, Karachi, Tenth Impression 1995], p. 620; bold emphasis mine)

Ibn Ishaq isn’t the only authority to have said this:

Idolators are no longer allowed into Al-Masjid Al-Haram

Allah commands His believing servants, who are pure in religion and person, to expel the idolators who are filthy in the religious sense, from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. After the revelation of this Ayah, idolators were no longer allowed to go near the Masjid. This Ayah was revealed in the ninth year of Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah sent `Ali in the company of Abu Bakr that year to publicize to the idolators that no Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after that year, nor a naked person allowed to perform Tawaf around the House. Allah completed this decree, made it a legislative ruling, as well as, a fact of reality. `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah commented on the Ayah…

<O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year> “Unless it was a servant or one of the people of Dhimmah.” Imam Abu `Amr Al-Awza’i said, “Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz wrote (to his governors) to prevent Jews and Christians from entering the Masjids of Muslims, and he followed his order with Allah’s statement…

<Verily, the Mushrikin are impure.>” `Ata’ said, “All of the Sacred Area [the Haram] is considered a Masjid, for Allah said…

<So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year.> This Ayah indicates that idolators are impure and that the believers are pure. In the Sahih is the following…

<<The believer does not become impure.>> Allah said…

<and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty.> Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, “The people said, ‘Our markets will be closed, our commerce disrupted, and what we earned will vanish.’ So Allah revealed this verse…

<and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty>, from other resources…

<if He wills>, until…

<… and feel themselves subdued.> This Ayah means, ‘this will be your compensation for the closed markets that you feared would result.’ Therefore, Allah compensated them for the losses they incurred because they severed ties with idolators, by the Jizyah they earned from the People of the Book.” Similar statements were reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak and others. Allah said…

<Surely, Allah is All-Knowing>, in what benefits you…

<All-Wise>, in His orders and prohibitions, for He is All-Perfect in His actions and statements, All-Just in His creations and decisions, Blessed and Hallowed be He. This is why Allah compensated Muslims for their losses by the amount of Jizyah that they took from the people of Dhimmah. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 9:28 https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/surah/9/28/)

And:

O you who believe, the idolaters are indeed unclean, [they are] filth, on account of their inner vileness, so do not let them come near the Sacred Mosque, that is, let them not enter the Sanctuary, after this year of theirs, year 9 of the Hijra. If you fear impoverishment, poverty, as a result of the cessation of their commerce with you, God will surely enrich you from His bounty, if He will: and He indeed enriched them through conquests and [the imposition of] the jizya. God is Knowing, Wise. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn: http://bewley.virtualave.net/tawba2.html; bold emphasis mine)

The second reason is stated in the text itself:

Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued (saghiroona). Hilali-Khan

Jews and Christians are required to pay the jizyah in order to feel degraded and humiliated, since this is what the word saghiroona basically means, as can be seen from the following online Muslim lexical source:

Sad-Gh-Ra = to be small/little. saaghirun – one who is small/little/subdued/abject or in a state of subjection. saghiir – small. asghar – smaller. saghaar – vileness, contempt, humiliation.

saghara vb. (1) pcple. act. 7:13, 7:119, 9:29, 12:32, 27:37

saghar n.m. 6:124

saghir n.m. (adj. comp. asghar) 2:282, 9:121, 10:61, 17:24, 18:49, 34:3, 54:53

LL, V4, p: 415, 416 (Project Root List: http://www.studyquran.co.uk/18_SAD.htm)

The Muslim authorities themselves confirm that one of the main reasons why jizyah is extracted from the disbelievers such as the Jews and Christians is because Muhammad wanted them to feel humiliated and disrespected.

For example, Ibn Juzayy wrote the following concerning jizyah:

(Fight those of the people who do not have iman in Allah and the Last Day) A command to fight the People of the Book and denying their belief in Allah because of the words of the Jews, “‘Uzayr is the son of Allah” and the words of the Christians, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” Their belief in the Last Day is denied because their belief in it is incorrect. They do not accept the Next World or the Reckoning.

(who do not make haram what Allah and His Messenger have made haram) because they consider as lawful carrion, blood, pork, etc. (and do not take as their deen the deen of Truth) i.e. THEY DO NOT ENTER ISLAM.

(who were given the Book) Clarifying those they were commanded to fight. When this ayat was revealed, the Messenger of Allah set out on the expedition to Tabuk to fight the Christians.

(until they pay the jizya) Scholars agree about accepting jizya from the Jews and Christians. The Magians/Zoroasterians have been added to them going by the words of the Prophet, “Treat them as People of the Book.” There is disagreement about accepting it from idolaters and Sabians. It is not collected from women, children or the insane. Malik says that it is 4 dinars for the people who use gold and 40 dirhams for the people who use silver. It is a head tax. (with their own hands) This has two interpretations. One is that the dhimmi pays it with his own hand and does not send anyone with it nor postpone it as is said, “from hand to hand.” The second is submission and obedience as you say, “he gave his hand to so-and-so [an _expression meaning “he surrendered to so-and-so”].” (STATE OF ABASEMENT) i.e. they are humble. (Aisha Bewley, Tafsir. 9. Surat at-Tawba (Repentance); bold and capital emphasis mine)

Another expositor named al-Suyuti says:

(Fight those of the people who do not have iman in Allah and the Last Day) This is the basis for accepting jizya from the People of the Book, and it is a refutation of those who accept it from others. “With their own hands”. It is related by Abu Hatim from Qatada to be by force, and by Abu Sufyan to be by ability. Its literal meaning is that it is not taken from someone in a state of hardship as Ibn al-Majishun stated. Ibn ‘Uyayna said that “with their own hands” means that it is not sent with someone else. This is used as evidence by those who say that a Muslim cannot be delegated to do it, nor can he guarantee it for him nor transfer it from him to himself, but the dhimmi must pay it in person.

(state of abasement) Ibn ‘Abbas said: they are pushed. Ibn Abi Hatim transmitted that. It is transmitted that al-Mughira told Rustam, “I call you to Islam or else you must pay the jizya while you are in a state of abasement.” He said, “I know what jizya means, but what does ‘a state of abasement’ mean?” He replied, “You pay it while you are standing and I am sitting and the whip hanging is over your head.” Abu’sh-Shaykh related that Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab said, “I prefer that the people of the dhimma become tired by paying the jizya since He says, ‘until they pay the jizya with their own hands in a state of complete abasement.'” It is used as a proof by those who say that it is taken in a humiliating way, and so the taker sits and the dhimmi stands with his head bowed and his back bent. The jizya is placed in the balance and the taker seizes his beard and hits his chin. This is rejected according to an-Nawawi who said, “This manner is invalid.” This ayat is used as a proof by those who say that the people of the dhimma are left in the land of Islam because it is understood that one refrains from fighting them when they pay it. (Bewley, Tafsir – Surat at-Tawba: Repentance; bold emphasis mine)

The statement that the dhimma, or the people who have come under the rule of Islam, are not fought because they pay the jizyah is another reason why such a payment is taken from them. According to some of the so-called sound narrations, the dhimma had become a major source of livelihood for the Muslims who basically were living off of them. This is precisely why Muslims were encouraged not to kill them, since to do so would do more harm to the followers of Islam since they needed the money which they were receiving from these subjugated peoples:

Narrated Juwairiya bin Qudama At-Tamimi:

We said to Umar bin Al-Khattab, “O chief of the believers! Advise us.” He said, “I advise you to fulfill Allah’s Dhimma (financial obligation) (made with the Dhimmi) as it is the Dhimma of your Prophet and the source of the livelihood of your dependents (i.e., the taxes from the Dhimmi) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 53, Number 388 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=53&translator=1&start=0&number=388)

In fact, this is primarily the reason why Muhammad didn’t completely expel the Jews from the Arabian Peninsula since he was deriving a monetary benefit from allowing them to remain there:

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: 

Umar expelled the Jews and the Christians from Hijaz. When Allah’s Messenger had conquered Khaibar, he wanted to expel the Jews from it as its land became the property of Allah, His Messenger, and the Muslims. Allah’s Messenger intended to expel the Jews but they requested him to let them stay there on the condition that they would do the labor and get half of the fruits. Allah’s Messenger told them, “We will let you stay on this condition, as long as we wish.” So, they (i.e., Jews) kept on living there until Umar forced them to go towards Taima and Ariha. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 53, Number 380 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=53&translator=1&start=0&number=380)

Here is another version of this same narration:

III: Instructions in regard to the people who have a covenant (dhimma) with the Messenger of Allah

Dhimma is the covenant and ill means kinship (9:8,10).

2991. It is related that Juwayriya ibn Qudama at-Tamimi said, “I heard ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. We had said to him, ‘Instruct us, Amir al-Mu’minin!’ He said, ‘I instruct you to fulfil the contract of the dhimma of Allah. It is the dhimma of the Messenger of Allah and provision for your dependants [as a result of the jizya].'” (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 62. Book of Khumus)

Now as far as paying the jizyah as a sign of humiliation, here is what Ibn Kathir had to say concerning this:

The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the Jizyah

Allah said…

<Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.>

Therefore, when People of the Scriptures disbelieved in Muhammad, they had no beneficial faith in any Messenger or what the Messengers brought. Rather, they followed their religions because this conformed with their ideas, lusts and the ways of their forefathers, not because they are Allah’s Law and religion. Had they been true believers in their religions, that faith would have directed them to believe in Muhammad, because all Prophets gave the good news of Muhammad’s advent and commanded them to obey and follow him. Yet when he was sent, they disbelieved in him, even though he is the mightiest of all Messengers. Therefore, they do not follow the religion of earlier Prophets because these religions came from Allah, but because these suit their desires and lusts. Therefore, their claimed faith in an earlier Prophet will not benefit them because they disbelieved in the master, the mightiest, the last and most perfect of all Prophets . Hence Allah’s statement …

<Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture,>

This honorable Ayah was revealed with the order to fight the People of the Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah’s religion in large numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims’ control. Allah commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the Scriptures, Jews and Christians, on the ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. The Messenger sent his intent to various Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak, as we will mention, Allah willing. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/surah/9/28/)

Ibn Kathir then goes on to mention the conditions that the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab imposed on the Christians in order to insure their perpetual degradation and humiliation:

Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr AND DISGRACE

Allah said…

<until they pay the Jizyah>, if they do not choose to embrace Islam…

<with willing submission>, in defeat and subservience…

<and feel themselves subdued.>, DISGRACED, HUMILIATED AND BELITTLED. Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, FOR THEY ARE MISERABLE, DISGRACED AND HUMILIATED. Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said…

<<Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and Christians, and if you meet any of them in a road, FORCE THEM TO ITS NARROWEST ALLEY.>>

This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab… demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, THESE CONDITIONS THAT ENSURED THEIR CONTINUED HUMILIATION, DEGRADATION AND DISGRACE. The scholars of Hadith narrated from `Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm Al-Ash`ari that he said, “I recorded for `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the terms of the treaty of peace he conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham:

‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion.

We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims.

We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby.

Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days.

We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims.

We will not teach our children the Qur’an, publicize practices of Shirk, invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so.

We will respect Muslims, MOVE FROM THE PLACES WE SIT IN IF THEY CHOOSE TO SIT IN THEM.

We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons.

We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor.

We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets.

We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise our voices [with prayer] at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets.

We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes.’

When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it, `We will not beat any Muslim. These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion IN RETURN FOR SAFETY AND PROTECTION. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion.’” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/surah/9/28/; capital emphasis mine)

This is what another Muslim scholar named Ibn Hazm wrote concerning Umar’s pact with the Christians:

“These are the Rules and Regulations that were imposed by ‘Umar ibn-al-Khattab on the Christians of Syria, after conquering their land. The purpose of these rules was to make them submissive and contemptible. Christians were in no way to exhibit any sign of their unbelief, or anything forbidden in Islam; since Allah, the supremely Glorified and Honored, had said:

“And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah. But if they cease, then lo! Allah is Seer of what they do.” (Qur’an 8:39, Pickthall)

“… [The Christians] are forbidden to build churches, or monasteries, in their cities or nearby areas. They are not allowed to renovate such buildings. They must allow any Muslim to lodge in these buildings for three nights, and provide him with food. They must never shelter a spy, nor show any duplicity to Muslims. They are not to teach their children the Qur’an. They must not display any sign of their unbelief, or forbid their relatives from converting freely to Islam. Furthermore, they must show reverence to Muslims, and give them pride of place at their assemblies. They should avoid appearing like Muslims in their clothing, their head covers, their shoes, and the parting of their hair. They must not speak the language of Muslims, nor use their names. They are not allowed to use a saddle on a beast of burden, nor bear a sword, nor any other weapon. Their rings must not bear any Arabic inscriptions. They must refrain from selling wine. They must have the front of their hair cut, and wear their own kind of clothing all the time, and must use belts. They are not to display a cross or any of their books, as they are passing Muslims on their way. Their dead must not be buried nearby a Muslim cemetery. They should not ring their bells in a loud manner; equally, they must not raise their voices while reading their Scriptures in their churches. They are forbidden to parade their palm branches. Now should Christians ever deviate from obeying these rules, Muslims would cease to honor the covenant that had protected them. In that case, Muslims can deal with them as if they have become people of discord and trouble.”

These references make it abundantly clear that there is no religious freedom in Islam. If Muslims are in the majority and have the power to impose their rule upon the disbelievers, then groups such as Jews and Christians will not be permitted to build places of worship such as Churches or Synagogues, nor be allowed to rebuild old ones, and will be forbidden from worshiping freely and openly. Muhammad’s orders to not be the first to greet the Jews and Christians, or to shove them to the narrow part of the road in order to make room for their Muslim captors, reveals his utter disdain for peoples of other faiths. The fact is that the Islamic religion Islam is meant to ensure the continual humiliation, degradation, and subjugation of the disbelievers who refuse to abandon their religions in order to embrace the Muslim faith.

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 9^th 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

HIGH FLYING CRANES: MUHAMMAD’S SATANIC INSPIRATION

HIGH FLYING CRANES: MUHAMMAD’S SATANIC INSPIRATION PT. 2

In this post I am going to share just some of the many gross, irreconcilable contradictions of the Quran, proving that it isn’t the word of the true God, but the ravings of madman and a demonically oppressed lunatic.

CAN ALLAH’S WORDS BE CHANGED AND ALTERED?

YES.

Nothing of our revelation (even a single verse) do we abrogate or cause be forgotten, but we bring (in place) one better or the like thereof. Knowest thou not that Allah is Able to do all things? S. 2:106

And when We put a revelation in place of (another) revelation, – and Allah knoweth best what He revealeth – they say: Lo! thou art but inventing. Most of them know not. S. 16:101

NO.

Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before). S. 6:34  

Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower. S. 6:115

Theirs are good tidings in the life of the world and in the Hereafter – There is no changing the Words of Allah – that is the Supreme Triumph. S. 10:64

And recite that which hath been revealed unto thee of the Scripture of thy Lord. There is none who can change His words, and thou wilt find no refuge beside Him. S. 18:27

IS THE QURAN FULLY DETAILED AND CLEAR?

YES.

Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is Who hath revealed unto you (this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad) of the waverers. S. 6:114

This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than God; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book – wherein there is no doubt – from the Lord of the worlds. S. 10:37 Y. Ali          

In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe. S. 12:111

One day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people): and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims. S. 16:89 Y. Ali

A Scripture whereof the verses are expounded, a Lecture in Arabic for people who have knowledge, S. 41:3

NO.

It is He who sent down upon thee the Book, wherein are verses clear that are the Essence of the Book, and others ambiguous. As for those in whose hearts is swerving, they follow the ambiguous part, desiring dissension, and desiring its interpretation; and none knows its interpretation, save only God. And those firmly rooted in knowledge say, ‘We believe in it; all is from our Lord’; yet none remembers, but men possessed of minds. S. 3:7 Arberry

DID THE PHARAOH DROWN OR NOT?

YES.

And verily We gave unto Moses nine tokens, clear proofs (of Allah’s Sovereignty). Do but ask the Children of Israel how he came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses. He said: In truth thou knowest that none sent down these (portents) save the Lord of the heavens and the earth as proofs, and lo! (for my part) I deem thee lost, O Pharaoh. And he wished to scare them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him, all together. S. 17:101-103

And Pharaoh said: O chiefs! I know not that ye have a god other than me, so kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake the mud; and set up for me a lofty tower in order that I may survey the God of Moses; and lo! I deem him of the liars. And he and his hosts were haughty in the land without right, and deemed that they would never be brought back to Us. Therefor We seized him and his hosts, and abandoned them unto the sea. Behold the nature of the consequence for evil-doers! S. 28:38-40

And Pharaoh caused a proclamation to be made among his people saying: O my people! Is not mine the sovereignty of Egypt and these rivers flowing under me? Can ye not then discern? I am surely better than this fellow, who is despicable and can hardly make (his meaning) plain! Why, then, have armlets of gold not been set upon him, or angels sent along with him? Thus he persuaded his people to make light (of Moses), and they obeyed him. Lo! they were a wanton folk. So, when they angered Us, We punished them and drowned them every one. S. 43:51-55

NO.

And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh with his hosts pursued them in rebellion and transgression, till, when the (fate of) drowning overtook him, he exclaimed: I believe that there is no God save Him in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those who surrender (unto Him). What! Now! When hitherto thou hast rebelled and been of the wrong-doers? But this day We save thee in thy body that thou mayst be a portent for those after thee. Lo! most of mankind are heedless of Our portents. S. 10:90-92

DOES ALLAH ACCEPT RELIGIONS BESIDES ISLAM?

YES.

Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans – whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right – surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. S. 2:62

Lo! those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Sabaeans, and Christians – Whosoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right – there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. S. 5:69

NO.

The Religion before God is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of God, God is swift in calling to account. S. 3:19 Y. Ali

If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good). S. 3:85 Y. Ali

DOES ALLAH COMMAND INDECENCY AND LEWDNESS?

YES.

And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you. Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned, so that ye seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do by mutual agreement after the duty (hath been done). Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise. S. 4:24

And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and we annihilate it with complete annihilation. S. 17:16

NO.

O ye assembly of the jinn and humankind! Came there not unto you messengers of your own who recounted unto you My tokens and warned you of the meeting of this your Day? They will say: We testify against ourselves. And the life of the world beguiled them. And they testify against themselves that they were disbelievers. This is because thy Lord destroyeth not the townships arbitrarily while their people are unconscious (of the wrong they do). S. 6:130-131

And when they do some lewdness they say: We found our fathers doing it and Allah hath enjoined it on us. Say: Allah, verily, enjoineth not lewdness. Tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not? S. 7:28

IS THERE COMPULSION IN RELIGION?

YES.

Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And if anyone of the idolaters seeketh thy protection (O Muhammad), then protect him so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not. S. 9:5-6

Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low. And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they! They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no God save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)! S. 9:29-31

NO.

There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower. S. 2:256

DOES ALLAH ACCEPT INTERCESSION?

YES.

Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all things. There is no intercessor (with Him) save after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Oh, will ye not remind? S. 10:3

On the day when We shall gather the righteous unto the Beneficent, a goodly company. And drive the guilty unto hell, a weary herd, They will have no power of intercession, save him who hath made a covenant with his Lord. S. 19:85-87

On that day no intercession availeth save (that of) him unto whom the Beneficent hath given leave and whose word He accepteth. S. 20:109           

NO.

And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will in aught avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be received from it, nor will they be helped. S. 2:48

They worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Would ye inform Allah of (something) that He knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth? Praised be He and High Exalted above all that ye associate (with Him)! S. 10:18

Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, in six Days. Then He mounted the Throne. Ye have not, beside Him, a protecting friend or mediator. Will ye not then remember? S. 32:4

Say: Unto Allah belongeth all intercession. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. And afterward unto Him ye will be brought back. S. 39:44

HOW MANY DAYS OF CREATION?

SIX DAYS

Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then mounted He the Throne. He covereth the night with the day, which is in haste to follow it, and hath made the sun and the moon and the stars subservient by His command. His verily is all creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds! S. 7:54

Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all things. There is no intercessor (with Him) save after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Oh, will ye not remind? S. 10:3

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days – and His Throne was upon the water – that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. Yet if thou (O Muhammad) sayest: Lo! ye will be raised again after death! those who disbelieve will surely say: This is naught but mere magic. S. 11:7

Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six Days, then He mounted the Throne. The Beneficent! Ask anyone informed concerning Him! S. 25:59

Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, in six Days. Then He mounted the Throne. Ye have not, beside Him, a protecting friend or mediator. Will ye not then remember? S. 32:4  

And verily We created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in six Days, and naught of weariness touched Us. S. 50:38  

He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days; then He mounted the Throne. He knoweth all that entereth the earth and all that emergeth therefrom and all that cometh down from the sky and all that ascendeth therein; and He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And Allah is Seer of what ye do. S. 57:4

EIGHT DAYS

Say (O Muhammad, unto the idolaters): Disbelieve ye verily in Him Who created the earth in two Days, and ascribe ye unto Him rivals? He (and none else) is the Lord of the Worlds. He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask; Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. S. 41:9-12

WHAT WAS CREATED FIRST?

THE EARTH AND IT’S PROVISIONS FIRST

He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. THEN turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things. S. 2:29

Say (O Muhammad, unto the idolaters): Disbelieve ye verily in Him Who created the earth in two Days, and ascribe ye unto Him rivals? He (and none else) is the Lord of the Worlds. He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask; THEN turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. S. 41:9-12

THE HEAVENS BEFORE THE EARTH’S PROVISIONS

Are ye the harder to create, or is the heaven that He built? He raised the height thereof and ordered it; And He made dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morn thereof. And AFTER THAT He spread the earth, And produced therefrom the water thereof and the pasture thereof, And He made fast the hills, A provision for you and for your cattle. S. 79:27-33

Unless stated otherwise, quranic references were taken from Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall’s English version.

FURTHER READING

The Manifold Contradictions of the Quran

QURANIC ERRORS AND SHIRK GALORE!

THE CONTRADICTIONS OF SUNN ISLAM’S SAHIH NARRATIONS

A Quran Blunder: The Days and Order of Creation

QURAN ONLY DILEMMA: HOW MANY PATHS TO PARADISE?

To Intercede or Not To Intercede? – That is the Question! 

How the Islamic Doctrine of Intercession undermines Allah’s Omniscience

A LIST OF QURAN CONTRADICTIONS PT. 2