Tafsir of Surat al-Najm
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Fatwa No. ( 1546 ):
Q: The following text appears in [A Summary of the Prophet's Biography] (peace and blessings be upon him): "And among the things that occurred is the story of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with them when he recited Surat al-Najm in their presence. When he reached the words of the Exalted:, Satan inserted into his recitation: 'Those are the lofty cranes, and their intercession is to be hoped for.' They thought that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had said it, and they rejoiced in it with great joy.' Is this narration authentic? And assuming its authenticity, does Satan have the power to insert into his recitation those words mentioned? I ask for your information, with much thanks.
A: The story of the Cranes is mentioned by many scholars of tafsir when interpreting the words of the Exalted:[Al-Hajj 22:52], the verses from Surat al-Hajj, and when interpreting the words of the Exalted: , the verses from Surat al-Najm. They narrated it through several chains with different wordings
different, but all of them were narrated through mursal (disconnected) chains, and it was not transmitted through authentic chains as marfu' (traced to the Prophet), as stated by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) in his tafsir. When he presented this story through its chains, he said afterwards: "And all of them are mursal and munqati' (broken)." End of quote. And Ibn Khuzaymah said: "This story is a fabrication of the Zindiqs (heretics)." End of quote. Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi and the Qadi Iyadh and others also rejected it in terms of both chain and text. As for the chain, it is as mentioned above. As for the text, it is due to what Ibn al-Arabi mentioned, that when Allah the Exalted sends an angel to His Messenger, He creates in him the knowledge that the one to whom revelation is being sent is an angel. Therefore, it is not possible for Satan to insert into his mouth something that would confuse him so that he recites it as if it were the Qur'an. And due to the consensus on the infallibility of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) from shirk (associating partners with Allah), it is impossible for him to speak the word: "Those are the lofty cranes, and their intercession is to be hoped for," whether by mistake or thinking that it is the Qur'an. And because it is impossible for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to prefer the ties of his people and their satisfaction over the ties of his Lord and His satisfaction, wishing that Allah would not reveal to him what would anger his people out of his desire for their satisfaction. Furthermore, what was cited as evidence for the establishment of the story from the words of the Exalted:[Al-Isra 17:73] does not indicate its authenticity, but rather indicates the innocence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from what was attributed to him of reciting
this word of shirk; because it implies negation, not affirmation. And because it implies that Satan inserted into his "amniyyah" (i.e., his recitation), and it does not state that Satan inserted those words of shirk into his mouth, or that he inserted them into his mind so that he recited them, read them, or spoke them by mistake, error, or intention, until Jibril came and rebuked him and corrected what he had erred in, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was deeply grieved over what he had let slip. It has not been established that the verse was revealed to console the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he suffered from what is mentioned in this story, so that it would support interpreting it with what is in it of abominations. The majority of the people of the Sunnah agreed with Ibn al-Arabi in what he mentioned, and they stated that the meaning of the verse is: "And We sent not before you any messenger or prophet except that when he wished [to recite or speak], Satan inserted into his wish [recitation] a word spoken by Satan, which the present ones hear, or Satan whispers whispers that he inserts into the hearts of the disbelievers and the sick-hearted among the hypocrites, so that those people think it is from the revelation, whereas it is not. Then Allah invalidates what Satan inserted of speech or doubt or whispering and removes it, and He establishes the truth with His words due to the perfection of His knowledge and His wisdom. And this is the practice of Allah with His messengers and prophets, and with their enemies and their enemies' enemies, so that the meaning of trial and testing is completed, and the bad is distinguished from the good, so that those who perish may perish by what Satan inserted among the disbelievers and the sick-hearted, and those who live may live with clear proof from the people of knowledge and certainty whose hearts were reassured by faith and who were guided to a straight path.
From what has preceded, it becomes clear that the narrations of the story of the Cranes are not authentic, and that Satan does not have the power to insert into the mouth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) anything of falsehood for him to recite or speak. Perhaps Satan inserted a word during the recitation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which Satan speaks and the present ones hear, or Satan whispers whispers that he inserts into the hearts of the disbelievers and the sick-hearted among the hypocrites, so that those people think it is from the revelation, whereas it is not. Then Allah invalidates that Satanic speech, removes the doubt, and makes His verses prevail. It also becomes clear that what the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) said is the opinion of the majority of scholars, that Satan inserted a word or whisper during the recitation, but it was not on the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in his mind, nor in the mind of anyone who is sincere in his faith in him. Rather, that is an insertion by Satan during the recitation into the ears of the disbelievers, or a whisper of the mind that occurred in their ears and hearts, so they thought it was recited Qur'an. And the wisdom of Allah forbids but that He remove falsehood and make His verses prevail; to establish the truth and as a mercy to the servants. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise. And the scholars of Islam, all of them, have agreed on the infallibility of all the messengers in everything they convey from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: The following text appears in [A Summary of the Prophet's Biography] (peace and blessings be upon him): "And among the things that occurred is the story of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with them when he recited Surat al-Najm in their presence. When he reached the words of the Exalted:
Have you then considered al-Lat and al-'Uzza, and Manat, the third, the other?
أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللاتَ وَالْعُزَّى (19) وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الأُخْرَىA: The story of the Cranes is mentioned by many scholars of tafsir when interpreting the words of the Exalted:
And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ وَلاَ نَبِيٍّ إِلا إِذَا تَمَنَّى أَلْقَى الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أُمْنِيَّتِهِHave you then considered al-Lat and al-'Uzza, and Manat, the third, the other?
أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللاتَ وَالْعُزَّى (19) وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الأُخْرَىdifferent, but all of them were narrated through mursal (disconnected) chains, and it was not transmitted through authentic chains as marfu' (traced to the Prophet), as stated by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) in his tafsir. When he presented this story through its chains, he said afterwards: "And all of them are mursal and munqati' (broken)." End of quote. And Ibn Khuzaymah said: "This story is a fabrication of the Zindiqs (heretics)." End of quote. Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi and the Qadi Iyadh and others also rejected it in terms of both chain and text. As for the chain, it is as mentioned above. As for the text, it is due to what Ibn al-Arabi mentioned, that when Allah the Exalted sends an angel to His Messenger, He creates in him the knowledge that the one to whom revelation is being sent is an angel. Therefore, it is not possible for Satan to insert into his mouth something that would confuse him so that he recites it as if it were the Qur'an. And due to the consensus on the infallibility of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) from shirk (associating partners with Allah), it is impossible for him to speak the word: "Those are the lofty cranes, and their intercession is to be hoped for," whether by mistake or thinking that it is the Qur'an. And because it is impossible for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to prefer the ties of his people and their satisfaction over the ties of his Lord and His satisfaction, wishing that Allah would not reveal to him what would anger his people out of his desire for their satisfaction. Furthermore, what was cited as evidence for the establishment of the story from the words of the Exalted:
And indeed, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you in order to [make] you invent about Us something else
وَإِنْ كَادُوا لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ الَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِيَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُthis word of shirk; because it implies negation, not affirmation. And because it implies that Satan inserted into his "amniyyah" (i.e., his recitation), and it does not state that Satan inserted those words of shirk into his mouth, or that he inserted them into his mind so that he recited them, read them, or spoke them by mistake, error, or intention, until Jibril came and rebuked him and corrected what he had erred in, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was deeply grieved over what he had let slip. It has not been established that the verse was revealed to console the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what he suffered from what is mentioned in this story, so that it would support interpreting it with what is in it of abominations. The majority of the people of the Sunnah agreed with Ibn al-Arabi in what he mentioned, and they stated that the meaning of the verse is: "And We sent not before you any messenger or prophet except that when he wished [to recite or speak], Satan inserted into his wish [recitation] a word spoken by Satan, which the present ones hear, or Satan whispers whispers that he inserts into the hearts of the disbelievers and the sick-hearted among the hypocrites, so that those people think it is from the revelation, whereas it is not. Then Allah invalidates what Satan inserted of speech or doubt or whispering and removes it, and He establishes the truth with His words due to the perfection of His knowledge and His wisdom. And this is the practice of Allah with His messengers and prophets, and with their enemies and their enemies' enemies, so that the meaning of trial and testing is completed, and the bad is distinguished from the good, so that those who perish may perish by what Satan inserted among the disbelievers and the sick-hearted, and those who live may live with clear proof from the people of knowledge and certainty whose hearts were reassured by faith and who were guided to a straight path.
From what has preceded, it becomes clear that the narrations of the story of the Cranes are not authentic, and that Satan does not have the power to insert into the mouth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) anything of falsehood for him to recite or speak. Perhaps Satan inserted a word during the recitation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which Satan speaks and the present ones hear, or Satan whispers whispers that he inserts into the hearts of the disbelievers and the sick-hearted among the hypocrites, so that those people think it is from the revelation, whereas it is not. Then Allah invalidates that Satanic speech, removes the doubt, and makes His verses prevail. It also becomes clear that what the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) said is the opinion of the majority of scholars, that Satan inserted a word or whisper during the recitation, but it was not on the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in his mind, nor in the mind of anyone who is sincere in his faith in him. Rather, that is an insertion by Satan during the recitation into the ears of the disbelievers, or a whisper of the mind that occurred in their ears and hearts, so they thought it was recited Qur'an. And the wisdom of Allah forbids but that He remove falsehood and make His verses prevail; to establish the truth and as a mercy to the servants. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise. And the scholars of Islam, all of them, have agreed on the infallibility of all the messengers in everything they convey from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.