"The angels are the daughters of Allah, and we only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allah in status." He said: They adopted lords and statues of them in the image of the houries, so they adorned them and placed necklaces on them, and they said: These resemble the daughters of Allah whom we worship, meaning the angels.

His saying, the Almighty: "And they call upon none but a rebellious Satan."

[The First Interpretation]

[5975] I read to Muhammad ibn al-Fadl, Muhammad ibn 'Ali narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Muzahim Abu Wahb informed us, from Bukayr ibn Ma'ruf, from Muqatil ibn Hayyan, regarding His saying: "And they call upon none but a rebellious [Satan]," meaning: Iblis.

[The Second Interpretation]

[5976] 'Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, my father Hammad narrated to us, Mihran narrated to us, from Sufyan, regarding His saying: "And they call upon none but a rebellious Satan," he said: There is no idol but that there is a Satan inside it.

His saying, the Almighty: "Rebellious," [as in] Allah has cursed him.

[5977] My father narrated to us, 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn al-Mughirah narrated to us, Yazid Zuray' informed us, from Sa'id ibn Abi 'Arubah, from Qatadah, regarding His saying: "Rebellious," he said: He rebelled against the commands of Allah, [so] Allah cursed him.

His saying, the Almighty: "And [he] said, 'I will surely take from among Your servants...'

[5978] I read to Muhammad ibn al-Fadl, Muhammad ibn 'Ali narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Muzahim informed us, from Bukayr ibn Ma'ruf, from Muqatil ibn Hayyan, regarding His saying: "And [he] said, 'I will surely take from among Your servants,'" he said: This is the speech of Iblis.

His saying, the Almighty: "...a portion [designated]."

[5979] 'Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, Musa ibn Harun narrated to us, Marwan narrated to us, from Juwaybir, from al-Dahhak, regarding His saying: "I will surely take from among Your servants a portion designated," he said: They take them instead of You, and they become of my party.

[5980] Abu Bakr ibn Abi Musa narrated to us, Harun ibn Hatim narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hammad narrated to us, from Asbat, from al-Suddi, from Abu Malik, regarding His saying: "A portion," he said: A share."