The Allah Who Cried Wolf

People form a religion around a miracle/illusion from Paul, claiming Paul wanted it.

Paul then comes back, says he faked it, and tortures everyone who believes in this religion.

People form a second religion around another miracle/illusion from Paul, again claiming Paul wanted it.

Would you believe in the second religion?

Quran is the appearance in question.
Deception resulting in hell burns down the reliability of the channel.
So, “The appearance is true because the appearance said so” doesn’t work.

“And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.” Quran 22:52

“And We did not send before you any messenger (rasūl) — this is a prophet who has been commanded to deliver a Message — or prophet (nabī) — one who has not been commanded to deliver anything — but that when he recited [the scripture] Satan cast into his recitation, what is not from the Qur’ān, but which those to whom he [the prophet] had been sent would find pleasing. The Prophet (s) had, during an assembly of the [men of] Quraysh, after reciting the [following verses from] sūrat al-Najm, Have you considered Lāt and ‘Uzzā? And Manāt, the third one? [53:19-20] added, as a result of Satan casting them onto his tongue without his [the Prophet’s] being aware of it, [the following words]: ‘those are the high-flying cranes (al-gharānīq al-‘ulā) and indeed their intercession is to be hoped for’, and so they [the men of Quraysh] were thereby delighted. Gabriel, however, later informed him [the Prophet] of this that Satan had cast onto his tongue and he was grieved by it; but was [subsequently] comforted with this following verse that he might be reassured [of God’s pleasure]: thereat God abrogates, nullifies, whatever Satan had cast, then God confirms His revelations. And God is Knower, of Satan’s casting of that which has been mentioned, Wise, in His enabling him [Satan] to do such things, for He does whatever He will.” Tafsir al-Jalalayn on Quran 22:52

One of the most influential scholars in Islam, “Shaykh al-Islam,” Ibn Taymiyyah:

“What occurred in Surat al-Najm, his saying ‘these are the exalted gharaniq, whose intercession is hoped for,’ is, according to what is well-known among the salaf and the khalaf, that it occurred upon his tongue, and then God abrogated it and nullified it.” Ibn Taymiyyah, Minhaj al-Sunnah 2/409
“But can something proceed from him which God then rectifies, abrogating what Satan casts and confirming His verses? On this there are two positions. And what is transmitted from the salaf agrees with the Qur’an on it.” Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmu’ al-Fatawa 10/291

Authoritative classical commentator on Sahih Bukhari, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani:

“All of them apart from the chain of Sa‘id b. Jubayr are either weak or disconnected, but the multitude of chains indicates that the story has a basis; moreover it has two other mursal chains whose narrators are on the condition of the two Sahihs.” Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari 8/439

“This study of the Satanic verses incident in the historical memory of the early Muslim community will demonstrate in detail that the incident constituted an absolutely standard element in the memory of early Muslims of the life of their Prophet. In other words, the early Muslim community believed almost universally that the Satanic verses incident was a true historical fact. As far as the overwhelming majority of the Muslim community in the first two hundred years was concerned, the Messenger of God did indeed, on at least one occasion, mistake words of Satanic suggestion as being of Divine inspiration.” Shahab Ahmed, “Before Orthodoxy: The Satanic Verses in Early Islam” (50 Early Islamic Sources)

Magic was worked on Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) so that he used to think that he had sexual relations with his wives while he actually had not (Sufyan said: That is the hardest kind of magic as it has such an effect). Then one day he said, “O ‘Aisha do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. The one near my head asked the other. What is wrong with this man?’ The latter replied the is under the effect of magic The first one asked, Who has worked magic on him?’ The other replied Labid bin Al-A’sam, a man from Bani Zuraiq who was an ally of the Jews and was a hypocrite.’ The first one asked, What material did he use)?’ The other replied, ‘A comb and the hair stuck to it.’ The first one asked, ‘Where (is that)?’ The other replied. ‘In a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of Dharwan’ ’’ So the Prophet (ﷺ) went to that well and took out those things and said “That was the well which was shown to me (in a dream) Its water looked like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils.” The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “Then that thing was taken out’ I said (to the Prophet (ﷺ) ) “Why do you not treat yourself with Nashra?” He said, “Allah has cured me; I dislike to let evil spread among my people.” Sahih Bukhari 5765

Parallel narration in Sahih Muslim:

“that a Jew from among the Jews of Banu Zuraiq who was called Labid b. al-A’sam cast a spell upon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) with the result that he (under the influence of the spell) felt that he had been doing something whereas in fact he had not been doing that. (This state of affairs lasted) until one day or during one night Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) made supplication (to dispel its effects). He again made a supplication and he again did this and said to ‘A’isha: “Do you know that Allah has told me what I had asked Him? There came to me two men and one amongst them sat near my head and the other one near my feet and he who sat near my head said to one who sat near my feet or one who sat near my feet said to one who sat near my head: What is the trouble with the man? He said: The spell has affected him. He said: Who has cast that? He (the other one) said: It was Labid b. A’sam (who has done it). He said: What is the thing by which he transmitted its effect? He said: By the comb and by the hair stuck to the comb and the spathe of the date-palm. He said: Where is that? He replied: In the well of Dhi Arwan.” She said: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent some of the persons from among his Companions there and then said: “’A’isha, by Allah, its water was yellow like henna and its trees were like heads of the devils.” She said that she asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as to why he did not burn that. He said: “No, Allah has cured me and I do not like that I should induce people to commit any high-handedness in regard (to one another), but I only commanded that it should be buried.” Sahih Muslim 2189a

The Quran twice quotes “wrongdoers” telling Muslims they follow a bewitched man:

“We know best how they listen to your recitation and what they say privately—when the wrongdoers say, “You would only be following a bewitched man.”” Quran 17:47

“And the wrongdoers say ˹to the believers˺, “You are only following a bewitched man.”” Quran 25:8

“But why do [Jews] come to [Muhammad] for judgment when they already have the Torah containing Allah’s judgment, then they turn away after all? They are not ˹true˺ believers.” Quran 5:43

“So let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed in it. And those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are truly the rebellious.” Quran 5:47

“Say, O Prophet, ‘O People of the Book! You have nothing to stand on unless you observe the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to you from your Lord.’” Quran 5:68

“So if you are in doubt, [O Muhammad], about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you.” Quran 10:94

“The Word of your Lord has been perfected in truth and justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” Quran 6:115

“And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me.” Quran 2:41 Quran 2:91 Quran 3:81

“The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allāh”; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allāh.” That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before [them]. May Allāh destroy them; how are they deluded?” Quran 9:30

“They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allāh is the Messiah, the son of Mary” while the Messiah has said, “O Children of Israel, worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord.” Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh - Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.” Quran 5:72

“Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” Quran 4:48

“Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.” Quran 4:56