Does the permissibility of attributing what is known as the story of the Gharaniq (cranes/idols) to the Prophet contradict his saying to Abdullah ibn Amr: "Write, for by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, nothing but the truth comes out of him"?

The story of the Gharaniq (Cranes) is disputed in its authenticity. The preponderant view is that what the polytheists heard was from the prompting of Satan, not from the utterance of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This does not contradict his statement: "Write, for by Him in whose hand is my soul, nothing comes out of it except the truth," because the words did not emanate from his noble mouth.

Some scholars believe that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did utter those words, but he was not confirmed in them, and Allah abrogated them. This is evidence of his truthfulness. The infallibility of the prophets prevents the persistence of error in what they convey from Allah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah indicated that what was narrated from the predecessors regarding the interpretation of the verse in Surat al-Hajj: ﴿And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he aspired, Satan cast into his aspiration; but Allah abolishes what Satan casts in, then Allah makes His verses firm﴾, indicates that Allah abolishes what Satan casts in order to make His verses firm and distinguish truth from falsehood. Allah's making His verses firm and His abolishing of what Satan casts in is evidence of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) truthfulness and his distance from caprice.

Indeed, the meaning of the hadith "Write, for by Him in whose hand is my soul, nothing comes out of it except the truth" is trust in the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is achieved by Allah's correction of his speech and the abrogation of any error that might enter into it, so that nothing that is not part of the religion is attributed to it.