Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident): Difference between revisions

The''' Satanic Verses''' (also the ''Gharaniq incident'') was an incident where Prophet [[Muhammad]] acknowledged Allat, Manat, and al-Uzza, the goddesses of the [[Paganism|Pagan]] Meccans in a [[Qur'an|Qur'anic]] [[revelation]], only to later recant and claim they were the words of the Devil.  

It has also been recorded in four early major [[Sirat Rasul Allah|biographies of Muhammad]]; al-Waqidi,<ref name="Uri">Rubin, Uri (14 August 2008), "[http://www.brillonline.nl/subscriber/entry?entry=q3_COM-00126 Muhammad]", in Dammen McAuliffe, Jane, ''Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān'', Georgetown University, Washington DC: Brill</ref> Ibn Saad,<ref>Ibn Sa'd's "Kitab al Tabaqat al Kabir" (Book of the Major Classes), Volume 1, parts 1 and 2, pp. 236 - 239, translated by S. Moinul Haq, published by the Pakistan Historical Society.</ref> al-[[Tabari]],<ref>Al-Tabari (838? – 923 A.D.), The History of al-Tabari (Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk), Vol. VI: Muhammad at Mecca, pp. 107-112. Translated by W. M. Watt and M.V. McDonald, State University of New York Press, Albany, NY, 1988, ISBN: 0-88706-707-7, pp. 107-112.</ref> and Ibn Ishaq,<ref>Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, Translated by A. Guillaume, Oxford University Press, Oxford, England, (Re-issued in Karachi, Pakistan, 1967, 13th impression, 1998) 1955, p. 146-148.</ref> and is indirectly and in part referred to in al-Tirmidhi and [[Sahih]] Bukhari, where it is recorded that Muhammad performed a prostration when he finished reciting [[The Holy Qur'an: An-Najm (The Star)|Surat-an-Najm]], and all the Muslims and pagans prostrated along with him.<ref>"''Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet performed a prostration when he finished reciting Surat-an-Najm, and all the Muslims and pagans and Jinns and human beings prostrated along with him.''" - {{Bukhari|6|60|385}}</ref> Since in today's Qur'an, the pagan goddesses are attacked in that particular [[Surah]], pagans and Muslims prostrating together would only make sense if the account of the Satanic Verses incident were true.

==Surah Like It==

If like the early Muslims we accept the historicity of the Satanic Verses incident, this raises another troubling implication for the Islamic faith. Verse 2:23 of the Qur'an contains what is now popularly referred to as the "surah like it" challenge, where [[Allah]] challenges doubters to create a single surah like those contained in the Qur'an.<ref>"''And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful. ''" - {{Quran|2|23}}</ref>  

According to the Satanic Verses incident, Satan created a fabricated surah. It was apparently so convincing that Muhammad himself believed it and publicly recited it as the words of Allah. Not one amongst the Muslims, the pagans and even the [[jinn]] doubted its source. Therefore, according to Islamic sources, the "surah like it" challenge has been met already during Muhammad's lifetime, and the Qur'an is discredited by its own criteria.

*[[Library]] ''- WikiIslam's online library of books''

[[Category:Literature]]

{{page_title|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}