ما هي قصة الغرانيق؟

The origin of the story of the "Gharaniq" (cranes) – as mentioned by some exegetes – is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) wished that nothing would be revealed to him that would alienate his people. So, he recited Surat An-Najm, and Satan cast praise of their deities upon his tongue. The polytheists prostrated with him. Then Gabriel came to him and informed him that he had recited something that had not been revealed to him. Thereupon, Allah Almighty revealed: "And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he wished, Satan cast into his wish. But Allah abolishes that which Satan casts, then Allah makes firm His verses. And Allah is Knowing and Wise."

However, meticulous scholars have refuted the falsehood of this story with the Holy Qur'an, such as His (Allah's) saying: "And if he had fabricated against Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized him by the right hand; then We would have cut from him the aorta," and His saying: "Nor does he speak from [personal] inclination," and His saying: "And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little."

Imam Ash-Shawkani, Al-Bazzar, Al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Khuzaymah, Qadi Iyad, and others have demonstrated the falsehood of the story and the weakness of its narrators, stating that it was fabricated by heretics and that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is infallible in conveying the message.