12. [12/309] Qasas al-Anbiya: Via his chain to al-Saduq from Ibn al-Mutawakkil from al-Himyari from Ibn Isa from Ibn Mahbub from al-Ahwal from Burayd b. Muawiya who said: I heard Aba Ja’far عليه السلام saying in the Masjid of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله:

Iblis the accursed was the first to fashion an image in the likeness of Adam so that he could tempt the humans and divert them from the worship of Allah the Elevated. Wadd was one of the sons of Qabil and his (Qabil’s) successor over the rest of his siblings and all those living nearby at the foot of the mountain. They would all revere and follow him. When Wadd died his brothers mourned him greatly. He had placed over them a son called Suwa’ as his successor. But he (Suwa’) could not reach the stature of his father in their estimation. Iblis came to them in the form of an old man and said: ‘I have come to know of your suffering because of the death of Wadd your great one. What would you say if I were to fashion an image in the likeness of Wadd from which you could seek comfort and ease?’ They said: ‘Do it’. The Repulsive One directed himself to lead and melted it until it became liquid. Then he fashioned for them an image in the likeness of Wadd in his house. They turned to the image and began kissing it, and placing their cheeks upon it, and prostrating to it. However, Suwa’ wished that the veneration and prostration be for him, so he sprang upon the image and started scraping it until he had left nothing of it. They (the people) were driven to kill Suwa’ but he admonished them saying: ‘I take the place that was taken by Wadd, I am his son, if you kill me then you will have no chief!’ They inclined to Suwa’ in obeying and showing reverence to him. Suwa’ did not stay long and died. He left behind a son called Yaghuth. They grieved over Suwa’ and Iblis came to them and said: ‘I am the one who fashioned for you an image of Wadd. What do you say to me making for you (an image) in the likeness of Suwa’ in a way that no one will be able to change it?’ They said: ‘Do it’. He directed himself to wood and hewed it then fixed it in the house of Suwa’. That wood was called Khilaf (‘opposite’) because Iblis fashioned the image in an opposite way to (how he had done with) the image of Wadd. He (the Imam) said: they prostrated to him and venerated him. They said to Yaghuth: ‘We do not trust you over this idol, you might scheme against it the way your father schemed against the likeness of Wadd!’. They decided to appoint guards and attendants (to protect the idol). They used to come to the idol on a single day, venerating it more excessively than they used to venerate Suwa’. When Yaghuth saw that he came and killed the guards and attendants one night and crushed the idol to pulp. When news reached them they attempted to kill him but he concealed himself from them until they searched for him and eventually made him their leader and venerated him. Then he died and left behind a son called Ya’uq. Iblis came to them and said: ‘I have come to know of the death of Yaghuth. I am going to make an image of his using something that no one will be able to distort’. They said: ‘Do it’. The Reviled One turned to white stone and hammered it using iron until he had fashioned for them an image of Yaghuth. They venerated it more excessively than all the previous ones. They built for it a room made of stone. They made an oath among themselves that they would not open the door of that room except at the beginning of every new year. What they did was called ‘Bay’a’ on that day (for the first time) for they made a pledge (‘Tabaya’u’) and a pact upon that. This became unbearable for Ya’uq so he took soft sheets and other shabby clothes set them on fire and threw them one night (into that house). The people woke up to find the house, the idol, the guards all burnt down and the remains of the idol discarded. They grieved because of that and desired to kill Ya’uq but he said to them: ‘if you kill your leader then your affairs will disintegrate’ so they decided to hold back. It was not long before Ya’uq died and left a son called Nasr as his successor.Iblis came to them and said: ‘I have come to know of the death of your great one. I will make for you (an image) in the likeness of Ya’uq using something which can never perish’. They said: ‘Do it’. He directed himself towards gold and heated it by fire until it became liquid. Then he sculpted a statue in the likeness of Ya’uq using clay and poured the molten gold into it. He set it up for them in their houses. This became unbearable for Nasr but he could not enter into those houses. He decided to separate himself from them together with a small group of his brothers who worshipped him (Nasr), and the rest kept worshipping the idol (Ya’uq). Then Nasr died and the prophethood of Idris began. He came to know the state of the people. That some worship a body in the likeness of Ya’uq and that Nasr was worshipped by others instead of Allah. He marched to them with those who were with him and decamped in a town whose people supported them (Idris and his followers). They defeated them (the idol-worshippers). Some were killed while others ran away. They (the idol-worshippers) became scattered in the lands. He (Idris) ordered that the idol be brought and it was cast into the sea. Every group (of the scattered remaining idol-worshippers) took for itself an idol and gave them names. They remained like that generation after generation not knowing anything except those names. Then came the prophethood of Nuh. He called them to the worship of Allah alone and abandoning what they used to worship of idols, whereupon some of them said: “do not abandon your gods, do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwa’ nor Yaghuth, nor Ya’uq nor Nasr”.