Satan in the Quran?

Ok, I've read enough.  I would like the christian members to please stop reading Anti-Islamic sites, if you truely want to understand what Islam really is.. and not what people think Islam is.. or what people acuse Islam of...  Ask the muslims about Islam, and not the people who don't know anything about Islam in the first place.

If I was to post that Jesus wasn't crucifed and bible has many contradictions...  you would take offense to that wouldn't you?  But I will not post that out of respect.  Even though they are direct quotes from the bible. However, if you do want to learn more about it, just ask and I'll post it here. 

Its unfortunate, that Islam is perceived in such a negative manner and leads people to believe redicoulous things about Islam.

And a request to all the muslim brothers and sisters here, dont start attacking the questioners even if they ask such harsh question and with no basis.  They dont know any better about Islam, that is why they are asking.  Asking is a step forward in the right direction.  Ask them and treat them nicely, the true Islamic way.

Jazakallah Khair

Cicely wrote: <FONT face="Courier New, Courier, mono" size=3> <DIV =RTE><FONT face=Arial color=#003366 size=2>Ok I really don't understand this...there are verses in the Quran that are attributed to Satan? How can one expect a non-muslim to believe in a book that includes satanic verses? Didn't Muhammad think that he was possesed by a demon when he was writing the Quran and not writing the words of God? This is very troubling to me, and makes me think that this alone strengthens my unbelief in Islam being the true path to God. If I am wrong, please correct me. Again I would like REFERENCE not sole opinion. I want clarity not a debate. thanks!

The Christian missionaries have been trying all along to undermine the march of Islam by putting forth various fraudulent claims and allegations against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The charge you have mentioned above is only one of them, and it is really against Allah Almighty and His Prophet.

They say that Satan was able to interpolate his own verses into the Qur�an, through the mouth of the Prophet. Their proof is a story culled from no less an authority on the early history of Islam than Abu Ja`far Muhammad ibn Jarir At-Tabari! While it is true that there is such a story narrated by At-Tabari, the critics of Islam do not consider the fact that he was simply repeating a story he got from other sources. Because At-Tabari himself wrote:

�Hence, if I mention in this book a report about some men of the past, which the reader or listener finds objectionable or worthy of censure because he can see no aspect of truth nor any factual substance therein, let him know that this is not to be attributed to us but to those who transmitted it to us and we have merely passed this on as it has been passed on to us.� (Tarikh Al-Tabari: Tarikh Al-Umam wal-Muluk)

This story is as follows:

When the Muslims in Makkah were facing staunch opposition and persecution from the people of the Quraysh, the Prophet (peace be upon him) wished for a revelation that would help a reconciliation with his people. One day, while he was sitting with the Quraysh in one of their club houses around the Ka`bah, he recited to them Surat An-Najm. After reading the verses: *{Would you consider Al-Lat and Al-`Uzza? As well as Manat, the third goddess?}* (An-Najm 53:19-20), he is reported to have continued the recitation with the statement: �They are the goddesses on high. Their intercession is worthy of being sought.�

He then proceeded with his reading of the surah as we know it. When he finished he prostrated himself, and all the Quraysh followed him. But later, the Prophet is reported to have changed his mind and blasphemed the same goddesses; and so the Quraysh reverted to persecution.

Now the problems with this story are as follows:

The story contradicts both the message of the Qur�an and the mission of the Prophet, namely to lead the world from the worship of many gods to the unconditional worship of the One and Only God. The Prophet, who was not tempted by the offer of the most coveted positions in Makkah besides all kinds of attractive offers from the people of the Quraysh, cannot be expected to yield to the kind of temptation mentioned in the story. Remember how he risked his own life and wealth and all for Allah; and how can we believe that he fell into such a silly trap?

It is quite natural that he desired for a way to reconcile the hostile Quraysh; but we cannot imagine that he would stoop to this level as to recognize the pagan deities to the detriment of his life mission. What purpose does it serve?

For this reason alone, we can dismiss this story out of hand. But consider certain other factors too.
Allah has commanded us that the recitation of the verses of the Qur�an must begin compulsorily with the formula: �I seek refuge with Allah, from Satan the rejected.� If so, how can Satan hoodwink Allah Almighty, to interpolate verses into His Qur�an?

From Allah�s own words in the Qur�an, we learn that Satan can trap only those humans who are basically prone to be his victims. In primordial time, when Satan was sent out of Paradise, Allah gave him respite. The Qur�an says what means:
*{[Iblis] said: �O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the [dead] are raised.� [God] said: �Respite is granted thee, till the Day of the time appointed.� [Iblis] said: �O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make [wrong] fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong. Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified [by Thy Grace].� [God] said: �This [way of My sincere servants] is indeed a way that leads straight to Me. For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee.�}* (Al-Hijr 15:36-42)

Note the last verse: *{For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee.}* It is clear from this verse that Satan will have no power over Allah�s good servants, whoever they are. If this is so, how can we expect Allah Almighty�s final Messenger to be such a weak victim of caprice as to fail the standard expected of many of his own followers? And that, too, in the case of conveying the word of the All-Powerful, Ever-Watchful Sovereign Lord of the universe?

The Christian critics may note that according to their own Bible, the Son of God was tempted by Satan:

�Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me� (Matthew 4:8-9).

Here we see how Satan takes the Son of God (i.e., God Himself!) to �an exceeding high mountain� by his cunning, to tempt him with the offer of the kingdoms of the world, if only God falls down and worships Satan!

The Christians read the above as gospel truth; and so they may wonder why we go to this extent to prove the falsity of the charge against Muhammad (peace be upon him), a mere mortal.

Indeed, the expression, �Satanic verses� was popularized by Salman Rushdie, who got the idea from Christian sources. The missionaries were delighted to hail the Islamophobic author and his book, as they do not waste any opportunity that comes by to bash Muslims.

By way of conclusion we can say:
Even if we accepted the allegation as true, the verse attributed to Satan is not there in the Qur�an: There is no Satanic verse in the Qur�an. Absolutely not.

No one can dispute the fact that the mission of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was basically to fight idolatry and polytheism at all costs, by all means. And so the allegation that he tried to appease idolaters is at best a miserable and ludicrous bid by the enemies of Islam to denigrate God and His last Prophet. The very life of the Prophet offers the strongest denial of the charge, rather than any written refutation.
And Allah knows best.
Thank you and Salam

Ok, one more comment.

I don't know where your reading about Islam but I hope you find a new website.

Because porphet mohammad didn't make any mistakes.

Cicely wrote: I could answer the person who said Jesus called a woman a dog, but it would be beside the point.

Oh! I see. But haven't you related the topic through sinful/sinless doctrine of religious personalities? In that, I have argued that what sinful you attribute to Prophet Mohammad, can also be stated for Jesus, simply because both of them were pure humans (or 100% humans as my Christian brothers readily admit). However, if we consider them as Prophets and messangers of God, then they are almost sinless as compared with all other humans on earth. With this in mind, I think the notion of 'Satan in Quran' can simply be dismissed, though bro Ak has already presented the historical background of such bogus reports.