Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) And The Satanic Verses

There is no greater lie than the Satanic verses lie. The Prophet never said those verses. To sum up, the story basically says that when the Prophet was leading the prayer one time near the Ka’bah, he was reciting Surah 53:19-20 and then he said a verse 'those are the high-flying cranes and indeed their intercession is to be hoped for' so the Quraysh got happy that the Prophet spoke so positively about their Gods and then also prostrated with the Muslims when they prostrated in their prayer. Then Allah sent down a verse rebuking the Prophet Muhammad (Surah 17:73-75) and also sent down a verse abrogating the ‘Satanic revelation’ (Surah 22:52).

Lets see if this could make any sense…

Surah 53 was revealed in the 5^th year of Prophethood…

Ibn Sad says that before this, in the Rajab of the 5th year of Prophethood, a small group of the Companions had emigrated to Abyssinia. Then, when in the Ramadan of the same year this incident took place the news spread that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had recited Surah An-Najm publicly in the assembly of the Quraish and the whole assembly, including the believers as well as the disbelievers, had fallen down in prostration with him. When the emigrants to Abyssinia heard this news they formed the impression that the disbelievers of Makkah had become Muslims. Thereupon, some of them returned to Makkah in the Shawwal of the 5th year of Prophethood, only to learn that the news was wrong and the conflict between Islam and disbelief was raging as furiously as before. Consequently, the second emigration to Abyssinia took place, in which many more people left Makkah.

Thus, it becomes almost certain that this Surah was revealed in the Ramadan of 5th year of Prophethood. (Maududi Commentary on the Quran, Commentary on Surah 53, Source)

The verse that came rebuking the Prophet was sent down years later…

The very first verse indicates that this Surah was revealed on the occasion of Mi`raj (Ascension). According to the Traditions and books on the life of the Holy Prophet, this event happened one year before Hijrah. Thus, this Surah is one of those, which were revealed in the last stage of Prophethood at Makkah. (Maududi Commentary on the Quran, Commentary on Surah 17, Source)

And the verse that supposedly abrogated the ‘satanic revelation’ came in 1 A.H, which is approximately 8 years after the incident…

The sudden change of the style from v. 25 shows that probably vv. 25-78 were sent down in the month of Zul-Hijjah in the very first year after Hijrah. This is indicated by vv. 25-41 and confirmed by the occasion of the revelation of vv. 39-40. (Maududi Commentary on the Quran, Commentary on Surah 22, Source)

Are you trying to say that Muslims believed the Satanic revelations were true revelations for eight years? That would mean that the Quraysh would have believed that the Muslims were pagan worshippers. So if the Quraysh did, then why did they keep on persecuting the Muslims for their beliefs, which is the reason why the Hijra took place anyway?

Obviously, one should also continue reading the remaining of the Surah…

Surah 53:21-25

What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female? Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair! These are nothing but names which ye have devised, - ye and your fathers, - for which God has sent down no authority (whatever). They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire! - Even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord! Nay, shall man have (just) anything he hankers after? But it is to God that the End and the Beginning (of all things) belong.

It clearly condemns the deity of these idols, so why need a verse abrogating it? Surah 22:52 is only a general statement…

Prophets and messengers (the distinction is explained in n. 2503 to xix. 51) are but human. Their actions are righteous and their motives pure. But in judging things from a human point of view, the suggestion may come to their mind (from Satan) that it would be good to have power or wealth or influence for furthering Allah's cause, or that it may be good to conciliate some faction which may be irreconcilable. In fact, in Allah's Plan, it may be the opposite. Allah, in His mercy and inspiration, will cancel any false or vain suggestions of this kind, and confirm and strengthen His own Commands and make known His Will in His Signs or revelations. (Yusuf Ali Commentary on the Quran, Commentary on Surah 22:52)

(Never sent We a messenger or a Prophet before thee) O Muhammad (but when he) the Prophet (recited (the message)) or spoke (Satan proposed (opposition) about that which he recited thereof) such that he does not act upon it. (But Allah abolisheth) but Allah elucidates (that which Satan proposeth) on the tongue of His Prophet such that he does not act upon it. (Then Allah establisheth) then He clarifies (His revelations) for His Prophet in order that he acts upon them. (Allah is Knower) of that which Satan proposes, (Wise) He decrees to abolish it;(Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, Commentary on Surah 22:52, Source)

Secondly, ONLY FOR SAKE OF ARGUMENT. Lets actually say that this whole incident is true and actually happened. This in no way disproves the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), it actually does nothing but convince me even more that he truly was a Prophet from God! A Christian missionary wrote an article trying to prove that Satan inspired the Quran and I refuted it here. However, the funny thing is that if the Quran was truly authored by Satan then why on earth would Satan abrogate the ‘satanic revelations’ of Surah 53 and then expose himself? If the Quran is truly inspired by Satan then Satan should have just let people believe in that Satanic revelation. If the Quran is truly authored by Satan then why Satan only bother to expose himself on that specific verse? The truth of the matter is that this is absolute nonsense. If we want to accept the story we could only accept this: -

Satan deceived the Prophet for those few seconds by whispering those verses into him and tricking him into saying it, however later on God protected his Prophet and rebuked Satan and exposed Satan’s failure in his attempt to bring people into idol worship. This could only show that the author of the Quran truly is God and no one else!

Of course, I reject the story. However, if people want to be stubborn and keep shoving it down my throat then fine! It does nothing more than prove to me that the Quran is indeed a revelation of God.