When approaching a specific page such as "Al-Tabari Volume 6, Page 111," scholars should:

It is widely accepted that for the "Satanic Verses" account, al-Tabari’s primary source was the now-lost Sīrah (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad by (d. 767 CE). We do not have Ibn Isḥāq's original work in its complete form; our knowledge of it comes primarily from later abridgements and quotations, most famously by Ibn Hishām (d. 833 CE), who lived and wrote after al-Tabari.

To understand why this text exists in Al-Tabari's work, it is critical to look at his methodology.

Al Tabari's history is significant not only for its comprehensive coverage of Islamic history but also for its objectivity and critical approach to sources. He drew upon a wide range of sources, including Islamic traditions, Quranic commentaries, and earlier historical works, to create a nuanced and balanced account of events.