Ibn Ka’ab al-Quzari: When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) realized how alienated the Qurayshites had become, and how intensely they had persecuted his companions, Muhammad expressed the wish that a revelation would come so as to reconcile his people, rather than further alienate them. When, one day, he was sitting with some Qurayshites in on of their club houses around the Ka’abah, he recited to them the chapter of “al-Najm”. After reading the verses:
Would you consider al-Lat and al-Uzza? As well as Manat, the third goddesses?
He 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 Sura’ to the end. When he finished, he prostrated himself and all the attending Qurayshites also prostrated. Subsequently, the Qurayshites proclaimed their satisfaction with what the Prophet had read and said, “We have always known that Allah creates and gives life, gives food and resurrects. But our gods intercede for us with Him. Now that you have allowed for them a place in your new religion, we are all with you.” Thus the difference between Muhammad and the Qurayshites was dissolved. When the news of this reconciliation reached Abyssinia, the Muslims, who had migrated there three months earlier, decided to return to their beloved country and people. As they drew close to Mecca, they met some Kinnanah tribesmen who informed them that Muhammad allowed the gods a good place in his religion, reconciled Quraysh, and was now followed by everyone. The narrative has it that Muhammad reverted to condemning those gods, and the Qurayshites reverted to persecution. The returnees stopped to consider what their next move should be; however, they missed their relatives and next-of-kin so much that they went ahead and entered Makkah. Then Jibreel came to the Prophet (SAW) and said to him, “What did you do? You recited to people what I did not come to you with from Allah, and you said things which He did not say.” The Prophet was grieved and full of fear of Allah.
Allah, who was ever merciful to him, consoled him, lightening his burden and informed him that, when prophets and messengers before him wished, as he wished, or liked something as he did, Satan would throw in their wishes, etc. Thus, Allah relieved His Prophet of his sorrow, strengthened his confidence, and rectified what Satan had put into his mouth (when the Prophet said of their goddesses that “they are the high flying cranes. And their intercession is to be sought”) by saying concerning al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat “How many so ever be the angels in the heavens, their intercession will avail nothing, except after Allah has given leave for whom he pleases, and that he is acceptable to Him.” The intercession of these goddesses is therefore of no avail.
Once Allah rectified the words put by Satan into the Prophet’s mouth, the Qurayshites said: Muhammad renounced the importance he assigned earlier to our goddesses. And it so happened that those two sentences concerning their goddesses became so much liked and repeated by every polytheist when they were rectified by Allah that the polytheists became more hostile than they were before.
What is the authenticity of this specific report? The point which needed explanation is what has been considered to be irrefragable proof of the story of al-gharaniq, the return of the emigrants from Abyssinia. Is there any basis that, out of the so-called verses of al-gharaniq, the Muslims' return was because of a compromise which they've heard from the tribe of Kinnanah?
