(4) باب فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى { أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ الْوَسِيلَةَ}
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported in connection with the verse:
" Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord," that it related to a group of people who worshipped a party amongst the Jinn. The group from amongst the Jinn embraced Islam, but the people kept worshipping them as they did before, and it was (on this occasion) that the verse was revealed:" Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord." This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 3030 b, c
In-book reference: Book 56, Hadith 33
USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Book 43, Hadith 7183