Saheeh Seerah Al Albaanee English

Chapter 37: Falsity of the story of al-Gharaaneeq 286
Ibn Is-ḥaaq then mentioned the names of those who returned to Makkah from their
migration to Abyssinia. They did so when news reached them that the people of
Makkah have embraced Islaam. The news was incorrect and there was a reason for it.
(Ibn Katheer said): What is well established in the books of “Ṣaḥeeḥ” (Aḥaadeeth) and
elsewhere is that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ was sitting with the Mushrikeen
(idolaters) one day and Allaah تعاىل revealed:
‏﴿وَالنَّج مُِإِذَاُهَوَىُ*ُمَاُضَلَُّصَاحِ‏ ب ك م ‏ُوَمَاُغَوَىُ﴾‏
{By the star when it goes down, (or vanishes). Your companion (Muḥammad) has
neither gone astray nor has erred.} [Surah al-Najm (53): 1-2]
ﷺ recited to them the complete Surah, and at the end of it he ﷺ The Prophet
prostrated, and with him prostrated the Muslims and the Mushriks – from the Jinn and
human beings. 287
But that (i.e. the prostration by the Mushrikeen along with the Muslims) had a reason
which is mentioned by the Mufassireen (exegetes) in their respective Tafseer regarding
‏:تعاىل the saying of Allaah
286 [TN: The word al-Gharaaneeq is the plural of Gharnooq, which means beautiful and handsome, as it is said
“Shaab Gharnooq” for a handsome young man. The word Gharnooq also has the meaning of the long-necked,
white bird known in English as a crane. And Allaah knows best. It is a false tale, that the Prophet ﷺ praised the
“gods” of the idolaters in the Qur’aan in order to please them and to encourage them to accept Islaam. The story
and its refutation by the scholars will be mentioned at the end of this chapter – In shaa Allaah.]
287 I (al-Albaanee) say: (The reports) regarding this prostration of the Mushriks (idolaters) who had joined the
Prophet ﷺ in doing so is correct – without a doubt, and these narrations will be mentioned shortly. But the
way this is phrased and attributing it to the “Ṣaḥeeḥ” (of al-Bukhaaree) is disputable because he (al-Bukhaaree)
did not report the narrations with this wording. I think that this is from the way of speech of the author (Ibn
Katheer) who paraphrased the narration (instead of narrating the exact wording). As for (Ibn Is-ḥaaq’s) statement
that those who had migrated to Abyssinia, when they heard the news (rumors) that the people of Makkah have
converted to Islaam, they returned to Makkah – I (al-Albaanee) have not come across any authentic chain for it.
Rather, whatever has been mentioned in this regards is “Mursal” (disconnected) and no proof can be established
through them. And in these narrations, the story of al-Gharaaneeq is mentioned which is pointed out by the
author.
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