Muhammad: Meccan Opposition[174] Cf. Nöldeke and Schwally, GQ, vol. 1, pp. 100 f; EI², s.v. "Kur'an,"
p. 404.
[175] In EI², s.v. "Muhammad," p. 365, Welch presumes that the tradition
of the Satanic inspiration was not found in Ibn Ishaq, and appears to have
based this presumption on that fact that the account is not given in Ibn
Hisham. However, Ibn Hisham wrote that he had suppressed materials from
Ibn Ishaq which were "disgraceful to discuss" and which "would distress
certain people"; Guillaume, Muhammad, p. 691, n. 10. Moreover, it is
certain that Ibn Hisham edited out traditions relating how the Meccans all of
the sudden became Muslims; see n. 173, above. Traditions of the Satanic
inspiration from Ibn Ishaq can not only be found in Tabari, (History, vol. 6,
pp. 108 f), but also in Ibn Bukayr's Ibn Ishaq recension (Guillaume, New
Light, pp. 38 f). Additionally, Suhayli states that these traditions were found
in both Ibn Ishaq and the rival collection of Musa b. Uqba (New Light, p. 39). Ibn Sad (Classes, vol. 1, 1, pp. 236 f) gives a version of the tradition
independent from Ibn Ishaq, and Tabari also gives a second account
(History, vol. 6, pp. 111 f), which comes from neither Ibn Ishaq nor Ibn
Sa`d's sources.
[176] Some Western scholars hold that the sufferings of the Hashimites
have been exaggerated in the tradition accounts; Watt, Muhammad, p. 77; in
Tabari, History, vol. 6, p. xliv; SEI, p. 396; EI², s.v. "Muhammad," p. 365.
[177] Some of the Quraysh pitied their countrymen and in effect ended the
boycott; Guillaume, Muhammad, pp. 172 f; New Light, p. 35; Tabari,
History, vol. 6, pp. 112 f.
[178] The document is said to have been eaten by: "worms" - Guillaume,
Muhammad, p. 173; "white ants" - Ibn Sa`d, Classes, vol. 1, 1, p. 242;
"termites" - Tabari, History, vol. 6, p. 114.
[179] Although failing to notice any relationship between the event of the
Satanic inspiration and the end of the boycott, Buhl states that `Umar may
have contributed to Muhammad's recanting the verses, but sees no reason
for Muhammad's followers to have compelled this retraction; Muhammeds,
p. 179, n. 129. Sira traditions depict the returning emigrants as having
learned of Muhammad's recantation shortly before reaching Mecca, and