In the first Hadith which we narrated from Tabari, 326 in which the fabricated, false events surrounding the Gharaniq fable were spoken of, mention was made of verses in the Surah Bani Israel" the precise meaning of which is:

"If we hadn't made you firm in your way with the purity and infallibility we gifted you with, you would have been close to developing an inclination towards them (the idolators, of the strong agents of wealth and power on the opposite front) . We have, however, made you firm in your way and therefore you will not find the slightest inclination towards them let alone act according to the idolators desires!". 327

According to the basis of this verse, the prophet did not bring about the idolators desires and wishes, nor come to have the slightest desire for them nor even did this possibility for closeness and inclination exist in him. This verse has complete resemblance in wording to the verse delivered about the Prophet Joseph (a.s) where the Lord says:

"And he would have made for her were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his lord......." 328

The result of this verse in the Surah "Bani Israel" which is completely evident, is that there is no possibility that the Prophet will develop the smallest inclination towards the idolators or give a positive answer to their wishes.

An Evaluation Of The "Gharaniq" Narrative.

Up until now we have presented the interpretation of the verses under discussion based of the literal meanings of their key words in the Arabic language, an observation of the approach taken by the verses in this surahs, attention to that which precede and followed them and most important keeping the whole Quran in mind while we have ignored the narratives introduced regarding them in the Caliphate school. If we wish to refer to these narratives, first of all we must study their (sanad) narrators and texts; assaying their sanad by relying on history and "the study of the transmitters", and assessing their texts in a comparative study with the Quran.

The Narratives Versus The Holy Quran.

We don't know how a group of Islams scholars such as Tabari (died 310 A.H), Vahedi (died 486 A.H), Zamakhshary (died 538 A.H), Bayzavi (died 791 A.H) and Suyooty (910 A.H) along with others could have included these narratives in their commentaries or . histories, compiling and proposing them as if they were indicative of the truth.

We don't know how they accepted and attested to these narratives in which Satan dominated the Prophet, when they had read in the Holy Quran that:

"So when you recited the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaitan, surely he has no authority over those who believe and rely on their lord. His authority is only over those who befriend him and those who associate others with him". 329

and also:

"Surely as regards my servants, you have no authority over them except those who follow you of the deviators". 330

While Satan himself says:

"He said: Then by Thy might I will surely make them live an evil life, all, except thy servants from among them, the purified ones". 331

* * * *

The above mentioned scholars narrated these kinds of narratives and looked on them with believing eyes while in the Holy Quran we may read:

"And surely the Quran is an indefeatable scripture and in the past there was not, nor will there be in the future an annular of it, and has been revealed by a lord praised and all-knowing". 332

and also:

"Surly We have revealed The Reminder and We will most surely be its guardian". 333

We don't know if it just didn't occur to these scholars that since the Quran was indefeatable, nothing existing in the past or future which could annul it, and being enclosed by the lords certains protection and safe-guarding that all of this was enough to protect it from Satans deeds?!.

* * * * * *

The narratives under discussion all spoke of the Prophet adding similar Satanic verses to the Holy Quran, when the Lord says this about his Prophet in the Quran:

"Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray, Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but Revelation that is revealed". 334

and also:

"Surely, it does not beseem me that I should change it of myself: I follow naught but what is revealed to me". 335

and also:

"And if he had fabricated against us some of his sayings, We could certainly have seized him by the right hand, then We would certainly have cut off his aorta. And not one of you could have withheld us from him". 336

According to these verses, all of the prophets words, precisely all of his words are based upon the lords revelation and inspiration and he cannot change or alter that which is revealed to him. If the impossible occurs, however, and he would do such the lord with his unlimited power would prevent him by taking his hand and then severing his aorta thus ending his life. Unfourtunately, however, these scholars relate that the lord gave Satan a free hand in this deed and the Prophet introduced similar verses in the Holy Quran based upon his suggestions, accepting them as Gods' verses!!

In view of this Quranic discussion to show the falsity and forgery of the Gharaniq fable, and keeping in mind the interpretation of the related verses, we have no need to say more and we need no more logical reasons regarding this matter. We will, however, take one more step in the way of research and study these traditions from other viewpoints.

"The Transmitter Of The Gharaniq Fable Narratives".

Because of the brevity we had in mind for this discussion we will study the list of the transmitters of the "Gharaniq Fable" narratives from only one viewpoint and the time and occurance of the Surah "Najm" revelation, and whether they actually saw the event take place. This is to see whether this chain of transmitters actually go back to the actual event or not. Just as we will see in this study notwithstanding the other weak points in the Sanad, none of the primary narrators of these tradition comprehended the time of this event, and from this viewpoint these narratives are worthless.

As for the narratives are worthless.

As for the narratives we quoted from Tabaris Tafseer their chain of transmitters goes back to the persons listed below;

1) The chain of transmitters for the first and second narratives go back to Mohammad ibn ka'b ibn Solim Qurayzi who was descended from the Jews of Bani Qurayza. He was born in the forthieth year after the migration meaning almost thirty years after the prophets death, and died in either 108 or 117 A.H. He is considered to be one of the Medinan followers (Tabein). 337

2) Mohammad ibn Ghais is the last transmitter in the chain of transmitters in Tabaris first narrative along with Mohammad ibn Ka'b. 338 He was the official religious spokesman during the rule of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz and died during the unrest and disturbances during the time of Valid ibn Yazid ibn Abdul Mulk, or approx. the year 126 A.H. The experts in the study of the transmitters count him as being one of the followers. 339

3) The transmitters for the third and fourth narratives go back to Abu Alalieh Roaye ibn Mehran, He accepted Islam two years after the Prophets death and therefore he is of the second class transmitters and considered one of the followers. His death has been said to be in either 92, 93 or 106 or 110 A.H. 340

4) The fifth and sixth narratives go back to Sa'id ibn Jobair as far as its transmitters is concerned. He is also considered to be from the followers and the third-class transmitters. Hojaj murdered him in either the year 92, 94 or 95 A.H. when he was only 49 years old. 341

5) The seventh narrative is from Abdullah ibn Abbas and he is the only narrator of this type of narratives who is from the group of companions and all of the other transmitters and commentators who related this fable are the group of followers or in other words the group after the companions. Ibn Abbas was born three years before the migration. 342

6) Tabari relates the eighth narrative and the interpretation of some of the sentences from Zahak ibn Maahem Halaly, this gentleman being of the fifth-class of transmitters and having died in the year 105 or 106 A.H. 343

7) The ninth narrative is related from Abu Bakr ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Haras who is one of the followers and considered to be of the there class transmitters. He died in the year 94 A.H 344 and was said to have been born during Umars rule. 345

8) In the interpretation of the verse under discussion (Haj: 52) a few of Mojaheds remarks are mentioned. He is Mojahed ibn Habr Abu Al Hojaj Macci. He was born in the year 21 A.H and died in either the year 103, 104 or 105 A.H. 346

9) Tabari also relates from Ghatadeh and he is Ghatadeh ibn De'ameht ibn Ghatadeh Saduci and is included in the fourth group of transmitters. Ghatadeh was born in the year 60 A.H and died in the year 118 A.H of the plague. 347

10) In addition to the above mentioned narratives Sayooty relates a narrative by Sodi. He is Abu Mohammad Esmael ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Dhoyab Sodi and is from the fourth class narrators (transmitters) he died in the year 127 A.H.

11) Nayshaburi also related another narrative by Ibn Abbas in his commentary (Tafseer).

* * * * *

This chain of transmitters upon which the historians and biographer of the Prophet relied to narrate their own narratives is divided into several groups. That which Tabari related in his history 348 are the first two narratives, the texts of which we read previously and the chain of transmitters of which we studied. The historians who followed Tabari, such as Ibn Asir, shortened these narratives and then related them. 349

That which the biographers have related are from three sources. First are the narratives of Ibn Eshagh which are the same as those quoted in Tabaris history, and which were previously studied. Another is something which Musa ibn Oghbeh relates in his biography and also persons such as Dhohaby in Tarikh al-Islam and Kalaey in Al-Ektefa etc. have related. 350 Musa ibn Oghbehs naratives, 351 however, originate with Mohammad ibn Muslim Zohry 352 who was a transmitter and narrator of the fourth class, having been born in the year 50 A.H. and died in the year 124 A.H.

The third source is the narratives which Ibn Sa'd, Vaghedy's student related in Al-Tabaghat al-Kobra, Ibn Sa'd relates his narratives from his teacher. Mohammad ibn Umar Vaghedy who died in the year 208 A.H. 353 Vaghedys narratives are three altogether the first being from two transmitters naed Mohammad ibn Fazaleh Zafary and Mutalib ibn Abdullah ibn Hantab while the second and third are from Abu Bakr ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Haras. Abu Bakr ibn Abdul Rahman is the same we read about in number (7) and we saw that he was of the third class of transmitters.

Experts on the transmitters know Mutalib Ibn Abdullah ibn Hantab as being from the fourth class of transmitters 354 and they only just mention a person named Mohammad ibn Fazaleh, the only introduction made by them regarding him being that he was a Shaikh of Sham and a student of Hesham ibn Umar ibn Salamy. 355 In an account about Hesham ibn Umar they say: He was born in the year 153 A.H. and died in the year 245 A.H. 356 Therefore, his student must have lived in the second and third or third and fourth centuries.

* * * * *

The result of this study of the chain of transmitters is that the group of transmitters from which all of the naratives existing on the Gharaniq fable originate, with the exception of Abdullah ibn Abbas, all were from the followers and some of them were even a few generations removed from the Holy Prophets lifetime. This is a fact which those familiar with the study of history know will cause any historical narrative to lose it value. Just as we mentioned earlier, only one of the Prophets companions is included in this group of transmitters. He is Abdullah ibn Abbas ibn Abdul Mutalib and just as was said previously he was born three years before the Prophets migration, meaning that he was born in Mecca and was therefore approximately thirteen years old at the Prophet's death.

The Surah Najm, according to the concensus of historians opinions, was certainly revealed Mecca, meaning in historians opinions, was certainly revealed in Mecca, 357 meaning in the years before the migration. Even a group of historians and the first companions of the Prophet such as Ibn Massoud are of the opinion that this was the first Surah that he read publicly in Mecca. The final result of all this being.

First of all - The revelation of the Najm occured in the years prior to the migration.

And second of all- The revelation of this surah was at the outset of the mission.

With regard to these two results and the years of Ibn Abbas's birth we see that in principle Ibn Abbas had not been born in those years and even if we disregard this and think that this Surah was revealed at the end of the Prophets' inhabitance in Mecca, Abdullah Ibn Abbas was even then no more than a small child or even a baby and cannot narrate this event as an eye-witness. In this way Ibn Abbas's narrative loses its credibility and encounters the same fate the other narratives encountered.

Having the fact in mind that none of the narrators were present at the time of this events' occurance, all being born afterwards, we ask: Then how could they related these narratives and in them tell of these events with so many particulars and lengthy details?

We don't wish to place the burden of sin from this enormous lie, fabrication and calumny on their shoulders, and we consider it more probable that a group of fabricators created these types of narratives and attributed them to these narrators as the basis of a calculated plot. Our future discussions, by the grace of God, will be responsible for further clarifying this matter

Contrasts And Contradictions In The Texts Of The Gharaniq Fable Narratives.

In a study of the texts of these narratives - not including all of their other problems - we come up upon the contradictions existing in them and the contrasts that some have with others.

If we look at the first and second narratives we realize that the second narrative is only a lengthier more detailed version of the first. In the second narrative we read: When Gabriel was communicating the Surah Najm to the Holy prophet, after the verse Satan suggested the phrases to the Prophet and he recited them in the Quranic verses and the continued the Surah to its end. After that he prostrated and the believers and idolators also fell down in prostration. '---Arabic text---'

In the last part of the narrative the narrator says: The Prophet prostrated when the Satanic words came to an end and afterwards Gabriel appeared to the Prophet saying to him: What did you do?! Amongst those verses you recited something that I did not bring for you! The Propeht was saddened by this occurance and here the lord revealed verse 52 of the Surah Haj to comfort him. Then he abrogated that which satan suggested to him and revealed

'---Arabic text---'

Therefore the substance and contents of the end of this narrative is that the Prostration was after the reading of the Satanic verses, and after this prostration the end of the surah was revealed and the satanic suggestions were abrogated. This is in the event that at the beginning of this narrative all of these events occured after the end and termination of the Surah, and as such this lier was forgetful and spoke two contradictory things in one narrative.

In addition to this plain contradiction in the texts of the second narrative, contradictions may be seen in the texts of other narration in relation to one another.

In some of these narratives we read that the Prophet nourished thoughts in his heart regarding the quraishites gods and that these thoughts and reflections were spoken by him in the form of these verses.

In another we see that satan placed these words on his tongue In a third we read that satan appeared to the Prophet in the form of a wild being and made him believe that he was Gabriel.

In the fourth it says that Satan suggested his remarks at a time when the Prophet paused in the recitation of the Quran.

Another relates that the Prophet recited this surah during prayer while another says it was at a time other than prayer and in an assembly of his tribe.

Last of all another says that satan suggested his words to the Prophet while he was napping.

This Fables Contents Contrast With And Are Contradictory To The Prophet's Natural Disposition.

In addition to the many reasons we previously spoken of, me must add here that the substance of the narratives on the "Gharaniq Fable" are essentially contradictory to the Prophets natural disposition, character and behaviour throughout his lifetime. In the previous lesson we saw that when Bahira asked the Holy prophet (s.a.w) to swear by Lat and Uzza, the Prophet (s.a.w) said to him: "Do not request anything of me in the name of lat and Uzza, by God I swear that I look on nothing else with such hatred and enmity!" This remark was made at a time when the Prophet was only 8 or 12 years old. 358

Likewise, on the Prophets second trip to Sham, while in Bostra he had differences with a merchant over a business transaction. When the merchant asked him to swear by Lat and uzzza he said: "I have never sworn by them, and everytime I pass them I turn away (out abhorrence)". 359

Following the lords explicit demand to declare the invitation and mission, the Prophet said in his first public message to the Quraishites in Mecca: "I am Gods messenger to you and I invite you to worship only God and to refrain from the worship of the idols who give no benefit or profit and may cause no harm, who neither create nor give sustenance, neither give life nor cause death. 360

History has also recorded: At the beginning of Islams emergence and arising and during the first years in which the Prophet called the people of his tribe to accept Islam, they did not draw away or banish or reject him. When the names of their gods were mentioned, however, and the Prophet began finding fault with them and criticizing them the Quraishites rose in opposition and hate for him and strived to keep him from this in anyway possible. For example they went to Abu Talib the Shaikh and leader of Quraish and Bani Hashem telling him: O' Abu Talib you are superior to all of us in age, honour and position. We have asked you to put a stop to your nephew's actions and remarks. By god, we will not tolerate abusive language regarding our fathers and we will not accept ridicule, ill words and criticism of our gods and beliefs. Either you prevent him from doing this or you will have to deal with us".

After this meeting was concluded Abu Talib sent someone to bring the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) and when he came to his uncle, Abu Talib said: "Nephew, your relatives, kinsmen and tribe have come to me and have said this and that, do not allow you and I to be killed and done away with and do not place an intolerable burden on my shoulders".

The Prophet said in reply: "O' Uncle, I swear to God, if they were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left so that I will abandon this way and deed, I would never do so until I am either victorious or killed". The Prophet said this and red, and afterwards stood up and left his uncles' meeting. When he had turned his back on him Abu Talib called out: "Come back nephew!" then he added: "Go and say whatever you like, I swear to God that I will never deliver you to them, nor will I abandon you". 361

Once again history is a witness to the fact that in the month of Ramazan in the year 9 A.H. the people of Taif sent a group of representatives to see the Holy Prophet (s.a.w). They remained in Medina for a time and participated in discussions with him, at the end of which they naturally accepted Islam, but they also had several requests of the prophet. They wanted: First of all for the idol Lat to remain among them protected for three years not being destroyed, in this way hoping to remain safe from the hands of the illiterate people, their protests and anger. The Prophet (s.a.w) did not accept this request. They decreased their request and agreed to two years but again the Prophet (s.a.w) did not accept. They lowered it to one year but the prophet (s.a.w) still did not approve. In the end they were satisfied with only one month. The Prophet of Islam (s.a.w) did not accept that either.

Secondly they requested that they be exempted from saying prayers. The Prophet (s.a.w) rejected this request also saying: "In a religion without prayer there is nothing!"

At the end of these discussions the Prophet sent two officers along with them to destroy their idol. 362

In light of all these positions, a few of which were mentioned here, can the fabricated, fabilistic story of Gharaniq be believed?

We really don't know how those who possess sound judgement can accept this fable?! Would you believe it if they were to say: Karl Marx, Vladimir Ilyieh Lenin or Joseph Stalin had delivered a speech in a gathering and assembly composed of the supporters of Capitalism and in it made a strong attack on this economic system while also making this remarks:

"Human prosperity is provided for in the Capitalist economic system" or "Prosperity is not achievable for the suffering and hard-working in any other system but the Capitalist system"!!

Or would you believe that the speaker did not realize the meaning and effect of his remarks and the listeners (who were all supporters of capitalism) would be pleased with this remark totally forgetting that the whole speech was in criticism of and an attack on Capitalism while only this single remark was to their liking!! Could someone who possesses a reasonably sound mind really believe such a story? How could a human being with sound judgement accept that a Prophet who in the Surah Yousef with such clarity said to the idolators:

"You do not serve besides Him but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent down any authority for them;". 363

And warns them in the Surah Araf:

"What! do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have given? Allah has not sent any authority for them;" 364

And in this very Surah Najm, which we are discussion, after mentioning lat, Uzza and Manat it is pointed out to the idolators that:

"They are naught but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent for them any authority". 365

And he speaks to them in the Surah Anbia saying:

"Surely you and what you worship are the firewood of hell: to it you shall come. Had these been gods, they would not have come to it and shall abide therein". 366

While in the Surah Kafereen which was revealed in the first year of his mission it was said:

"Say: O Unbelievers! I do not serve that which you serve, nor do you serve Him whom I serve: Nor am I going to serve that which you serve. Nor are you going to serve Him whom I serve: You shall have your religion and I shall have my religion".

In light of all these verses, found throughout the Quran, in addition to many other verses, could any sound mind believe that the Gharaniq Fable possesses even the slightest trace of truth?!.