QIṢṢAT AL-GHARĀNĪQ IN GLIMPSES OF HISTORY
Abstract
Several chronic narratives in the historiographies are totally ineffective because of their mythical trends. Qiṣṣat al-Gharānīq is a similar narrative, in which the Holy Prophet. (PBUH) is accused to be inspired by Satan. As he recited some verses of Sūrah al-Najm, Satan, reportedly, mixed some of his words – praising the pagan idols – in the divine revelation. Due to the alleged satanic words “gharānīq al-ʿulā” it is also called “story of the cranes”, which has been titled later as ‘Satanic Verses’ by orientalists. The historical complications of this story are being tried to resolve here in this study. The appraisal of the history of this story would be very significant and helpful to clear the ambiguities about the basic Islamic thought of the preservation of the Holy Qur’ān and impeccability of the Holy Prophet. (PBUH) Historically, this story has faced huge ups and downs. With a careful analysis of the early, medieval and modern periods of Islamic history, the inceptors, endorsers and the nullifiers of this story have been exposed here. Its historic complications reveal that this story was neglected from its very outset. Almost the entire Islamic history evidenced the negation of this story. Thus, the propagation of this story has no authentic background.
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