~Ramadan, 5th year of the dawah (c. 615 CE) · 7 BH
Details differ across the sources
The core Bukhari report (via Ibn Abbas RA) that the Quraysh prostrated with the Muslims at the end of Surah al-Najm is authentic and undisputed. The further elaboration that shaytan inserted "satanic verses" praising the idols (found only in weak, discontinued chains in tertiary sources) is heavily disputed; the majority of scholars, including Sh. Yasir Qadhi, reject it, while a minority (Ibn Hajar for a limited version, Ibn Taymiyyah for the fuller version) accept parts of it.
In Ramadan of the fifth year of his mission, the Prophet ﷺ recited the whole of Surah al-Najm before a gathering of Muslims and members of the Quraysh in Makkah. The surah builds toward a powerful ending, and its force moved everyone present. When he reached the last verse, "So prostrate to Allah and worship Him" (53:62), the Muslims fell into sajdah, or prostration. The Quraysh were so moved that they prostrated with them. For the first time, Muslims and non-Muslims all united behind the Prophet ﷺ. The only one who refused was al-Walid ibn al-Mughira, or in another narration Umayyah ibn Khalaf. He took a handful of sand, put it to his head, and said that this was enough for him.
Ibn Abbas RA narrates this account in Sahih al-Bukhari, and scholars accept it as authentic. The detail that it happened in Ramadan comes from Ibn Ishaq.
Later reports add a much weaker story. These reports are not found in the six main books of hadith, nor in the biographies of Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham. They appear only in later works that collected everything, such as al-Tabari's Tafsir and al-Wahidi's Asbab al-Nuzul. They claim that after verse 20 of the surah, shaytan added two lines praising the idols al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat. The lines called them "the exalted cranes, whose intercession is to be hoped for."
One version says that only the Quraysh heard these words, and the Muslims did not. A further, more extreme version says that the Prophet ﷺ himself mistook shaytan's words for those of Jibril AS and recited them, until Jibril AS came back and told him the words were not his. The Western orientalist Sir William Muir later gave this story the name "the satanic verses". Islamic sources call it Qissat al-Gharaniq, the Story of the Cranes.
This event explains why the roughly fifteen Muslims who had emigrated to Abyssinia in Rajab of that year came back to Makkah only three months later, in Shawwal. News of the mass prostration reached them in an exaggerated form, as a rumor that the Quraysh had accepted Islam, and they returned too early. The majority of scholars reject the "satanic verses" additions entirely as fabricated. They include Ibn Kathir, al-Qadi Ayyad, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, al-Albani and Ibn Khuzaymah. For them the authentic account in al-Bukhari explains everything, since the power of the Qur'an alone moved the Quraysh to prostrate. A minority of scholars accepted parts of the weaker reports. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani accepted the version in which only the pagans heard shaytan's words and the Prophet ﷺ's own recitation was untouched. Ibn Taymiyyah defended the fuller version. He read Surah al-Hajj (22:52-53) as describing it, and argued that it shows the revelation was protected, not corrupted, and that the Prophet ﷺ's telling of the story proves his honesty. A conference of scholars held in Cairo in 1966 concluded that both later versions are fabrications.
Other events recorded in 7 BH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
This is sufficient for me.
When the Prophet ﷺ finished reciting Surah al-Najm and the whole gathering fell into prostration, al-Walid ibn al-Mughira alone refused to prostrate, lifting a handful of dust to his forehead instead.
“Have you not seen al-Lat and al-Uzza?”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
“Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you [O Prophet] and he recited [Our revelations], satan would influence [people's understanding of] his recitation. But [eventually] Allah would eliminate satan's influence. Then Allah would [firmly] establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. All that so He may make satan's influence a trial for those whose hearts are sick and those [disbelievers] whose hearts are hardened. Surely the wrongdoers are totally engrossed in opposition.”
Cited by Ibn Taymiyyah and others as bearing on the disputed "satanic verses" versions of this event; the majority read it as a general statement, not specific to this incident.
“And the third of them, Manat?”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
“Are you going to get the males and you will give Him the females?”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
“What an unfair sharing.”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ
“Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ
“And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations]”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ
“That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
“And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ
“And that his effort is going to be seen”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَىٰ
“Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَىٰ
“And that to your Lord is the finality”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ
“And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا
“And that it is He who causes death and gives life”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ
“And that He creates the two mates — the male and female”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ
“From a sperm-drop when it is emitted”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ
“And that [incumbent] upon Him is the next creation”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ
“And that it is He who enriches and suffices”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ
“And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ
“And that He destroyed the first [people of] 'Ad”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ
“And Thamud — and He did not spare [them]”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ
“And the people of Noah before. Indeed, it was they who were [even] more unjust and oppressing.”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ
“And the overturned towns He hurled down”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ
“And covered them by that which He covered.”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ
“Then which of the favors of your Lord do you doubt?”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَىٰ
“This [Prophet] is a warner like the former warners.”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
“The Approaching Day has approached.”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ
“Of it, [from those] besides Allah, there is no remover.”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ
“Then at this statement do you wonder?”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ
“And you laugh and do not weep”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
وَأَنتُمْ سَامِدُونَ
“While you are proudly sporting?”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.
فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا
“So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him]”
This ayah is part of Surah al-Najm, which the Prophet ﷺ recited in full at this event -- building to the prostration verse (53:62) that moved even the Quraysh to fall into sajdah with the Muslims.