The Satanic Verses Incident

The Most Controversial Episode

In 1988, Salman Rushdie published a novel titled The Satanic Verses, which led to worldwide Muslim outrage, book burnings, and a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death. But few Westerners understood what the title referred to: a real incident from Islamic history in which Muhammad allegedly received revelation from Satan and incorporated it into the Quran.

This incident, known as the "Satanic Verses" or Gharaniq incident, is recorded in multiple early Islamic sources. Though many modern Muslims deny it occurred, the evidence from Islam's own historical tradition is substantial. If true, it raises devastating questions about Muhammad's reliability as a prophet and the Quran's integrity as divine revelation.

The Historical Context

To understand this incident, we must understand Muhammad's situation in Mecca.

Muhammad's Struggle in Mecca

During his years in Mecca (610-622 AD), Muhammad gained few converts. The Meccan establishment opposed him because his message threatened their religious and economic interests. The Kaaba, with its 360 idols, was the center of pilgrimage and commerce. Muhammad's monotheism would destroy this system.

Muhammad and his small band of followers faced persecution, economic boycotts, and social ostracism. He desperately wanted the Meccans to accept his message.

The Three Goddesses

Among the many deities worshiped in pre-Islamic Arabia, three goddesses held special prominence:

• Al-Lat — A goddess associated with the sun
• Al-Uzza — A goddess associated with the planet Venus
• Manat — A goddess of fate and destiny

These three were considered "daughters of Allah" (Allah was known as a high god even in pre-Islamic Arabia, though not the only god). Their shrines were important pilgrimage sites.

The Incident

According to multiple Islamic sources, here is what happened:

The Original Revelation

Muhammad was reciting what is now Surah 53 (An-Najm, "The Star") to an assembly that included both Muslims and polytheist Meccans. When he reached the verses mentioning the three goddesses, he recited:

Then, according to the historical accounts, Muhammad added verses that are not in the Quran today:

"Gharaniq" refers to high-flying cranes—a poetic image for exalted beings. These verses acknowledged the three goddesses as intercessors whose help could be sought.

The Meccan Response

The Meccans were delighted. Muhammad seemed to be acknowledging their goddesses! According to al-Tabari, the polytheists said: "Muhammad has spoken of our goddesses in a favorable way." When Muhammad prostrated at the end of the surah, both Muslims and polytheists prostrated together—an unprecedented moment of unity.

News spread that Muhammad had made peace with the Meccans. Some Muslims who had fled to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) even began returning, believing the persecution was over.

Gabriel's Correction

But then, according to the accounts, the angel Gabriel came to Muhammad and asked him what he had done. Muhammad recited the verses, and Gabriel said: "I did not bring you these."

Muhammad realized with horror that he had been deceived. The verses praising the goddesses had not come from Allah through Gabriel—they had come from Satan. Muhammad had unknowingly recited satanic revelation as if it were divine.

The false verses were removed, and replacement verses were given:

This verse condemns the goddesses as mere human inventions. The brief reconciliation with the Meccans was shattered, and hostility resumed.

The Evidence from Islamic Sources

This incident is recorded by multiple early Muslim authorities:

Ibn Ishaq (d. 767 AD)

The earliest biographer of Muhammad records the incident in his Sirat Rasul Allah. Though Ibn Ishaq's original work is lost, it is preserved in quotations by later historians, especially Ibn Hisham and al-Tabari.

Al-Tabari (d. 923 AD)

The greatest early Muslim historian records the incident in his monumental Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk (History of Prophets and Kings). Al-Tabari provides multiple chains of transmission (isnads) for the story and accepts it as historical.

Al-Tabari records Muhammad saying: "I have fabricated things against God and have imputed to Him words which He has not spoken."

Other Sources

The incident is also recorded by Ibn Sa'd, al-Waqidi, and referenced by many Quranic commentators who discuss Surah 53:19-23 and Surah 22:52 (see below).

The Quranic Reference

Most significantly, the Quran itself appears to reference this incident:

This verse acknowledges that Satan can "throw" false material into a prophet's recitation—exactly what the Satanic Verses incident describes. Why would such a verse exist if the incident never happened?

Muslim Responses

Modern Muslims generally deny that the incident occurred. Their arguments include:

1. "The chains of transmission are weak"

Some Muslim scholars argue that the isnads (chains of narrators) for this story don't meet the standards required for authentic hadith.

Response: While the individual chains may have weaknesses, the incident is recorded by multiple independent sources—a criterion that usually supports authenticity. Moreover, the same scholars who transmitted this story transmitted other hadith that Muslims accept. Why accept some and reject others?

2. "It contradicts Quranic inerrancy"

Muslims argue that Allah promised to protect the Quran from error, so this incident couldn't have happened.

Response: This is circular reasoning—assuming what needs to be proven. The incident is evidence against Quranic inerrancy, not a reason to dismiss the evidence.

3. "It was invented by enemies of Islam"

Some claim the story was fabricated by hostile sources.

Response: The story was preserved and transmitted by Muslim historians, not enemies of Islam. Ibn Ishaq, al-Tabari, and others were devout Muslims recording their own tradition. They had no motive to invent something so damaging.

4. "The Quran was protected"

Muslims note that the false verses were eventually removed.

Response: But they were included initially. Muhammad recited them publicly as revelation. People acted on them (the Muslims returning from Abyssinia). The damage was done. And the deeper question remains: if Muhammad could be deceived once, how can we be sure he wasn't deceived other times?

The Implications

If the Satanic Verses incident occurred—and the evidence from Islam's own sources strongly suggests it did—the implications are profound:

1. Muhammad Could Be Deceived by Satan

The incident shows that Muhammad could receive revelation from demonic sources and not know the difference—at least initially. He recited satanic verses publicly, believing them to be from Allah. Only later was he corrected.

This raises a devastating question: How can we be sure it didn't happen other times? If Satan could deceive Muhammad once, he could deceive him again. And if Gabriel had to correct Muhammad on this occasion, how do we know every other revelation was genuine?

2. The Quran Was Temporarily Corrupted

For a period of time—however brief—the Quran contained satanic verses. Muslims recited them. Polytheists celebrated them. They were part of Muhammad's public proclamation.

This contradicts the claim that Allah has always perfectly preserved His word. If Satan could insert material into the Quran, even temporarily, the doctrine of perfect preservation fails.

3. Muhammad's Motives Are Suspect

Why did Muhammad recite these verses? The context suggests he was under enormous pressure and desperately wanted Meccan acceptance. The "satanic" verses gave the Meccans what they wanted—acknowledgment of their goddesses.

Did Satan deceive Muhammad—or did Muhammad's own desires lead him to compromise, with the "satanic origin" being a convenient excuse when the compromise backfired?

The Biblical Contrast

Compare this with Jesus Christ. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, offering Him all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, Jesus responded: "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve'" (Matthew 4:10).

Jesus was never deceived by Satan. He never spoke Satan's words as if they were God's words. He never compromised His message for acceptance. Even under extreme pressure—including the pressure of the cross—Jesus remained faithful to His Father's will.

This is the difference between a true prophet and a false one. A true prophet of God cannot be deceived by Satan into proclaiming demonic revelation as divine truth.

Conclusion: Testing the Prophet

The Satanic Verses incident is one of the most damaging episodes in Islamic history. It suggests that Muhammad—at least on one occasion—was unable to distinguish between revelation from Allah and deception from Satan.

This matters because Islam's truth claims rest entirely on Muhammad's reliability as a prophet. If he could be deceived by Satan, everything he claimed to receive from Allah is called into question.

The Bible provides a clear test for prophets:

Muhammad, by his own tradition's admission, spoke words that Allah had not commanded—words that praised other gods. The Satanic Verses incident is not obscure Islamophobia; it is history recorded by Muslims themselves. And it raises questions that every honest seeker must consider.