The fatal wound for Islam is that “satanic” verses are of course underpinned by actual historical events that compromised Mohammed’s claim to be a prophet like the prophets of the Bible. Put simply, it is an embarrassment to (and the enemy within for) Islam. If Mohammad was influenced by “Satan” in certain revelations, as devout Islamic scholars of the 8th/9th century like Ishaq faithfully record Mohammad as actually admitting, then it undermines Mohammad’s claim to have received any genuine revelations at all. It could indeed be called one of the litmus tests of Islam.
Of course blind belief will cut it anyway, but reason places an uncomfortable microscope on Mohammad’s claim to genuine revelations and therefore on the credibility of the Quran as the claimed “final word of God”.
Incidentally after Mohammad had his first encounter with the spirit who is claimed to have recited verses to him that were after his death complied as the Quran (he said the spirit was the angel Gabriel) Mohammad thought he was possessed.
No wonder the hatred for Salman. He opened a can of worms (at least in the free thinking West). It can’t be resealed unless a law were to be passed preventing any “criticism” (code for rational discourse) of Mohammad. This is already implied by the UN. In my view it is an intended code for preventing open inquiry into the credibility of Mohammad and therefore of the Quran and Islam itself. I can see why some Islamic groups are pushing for a blasphemy type law in the West. They could then enforce a prohibition on public discourse about sensitive issues such as the “satanic” verses.
Even Islam’s god Allah doesn’t escape attention in the actual “satanic” verses episode. Allah reveals in Mohammad’s “defence” that other prophets (Allah assumes Mohammad was a prophet like the Biblical prophets) were influenced by “Satan.” This sounds like an all too typical human excuse (i.e. when caught out the “others did it too” response), but unless there is evidence to back up Allah’s claim it’s a lame duck. The problem here for Allah is that there is no record of alleged influences involving the prophets in the Bible.
Thu`s when you follow the trail back it is uncomfortable. It goes from Mohammad to “Gabriel” to Allah. Who/what is Allah if his chief “angel” can be influenced by Satan…. Mohammad initially claimed it was a revelation from Allah (via Gabriel) so that would make Mohammad out to be a liar at worst or simply lacking spiritual discernment at best. Fatwa anyone? An unenviable conundrum for Islam.
It doesn’t help to say it wasn’t “Gabriel” who fed Mohammad the “satanic’ verses because that implies Mohammad didn’t know who was feeding him revelations. The implication here is horrendous for the Quran and thus Islam.
As far as the UN even enforcing any “intended code” aganist any free inquiry on Islam, both the Muslims and the UN will fine it will be too late, for to catch the horse back into the barn.