Many reports have come down from a number of the early generations explaining Allah’s words about the people of Noah: “And they said, ‘Do not abandon your gods; do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwāʿ, nor Yaghūth, and Yaʿūq, and Nasr’ ” (1). They state that these five—Wadd and the others named with him—were righteous worshippers. When they died, Satan whispered to their people to devote themselves to their graves; then he inspired the following generation to fashion images of them, making this seem attractive on the pretext that it would help them remember those men and emulate their good deeds. Next he urged the third generation to worship those images instead of Allah, convincing them that their forefathers had already done so. Thereupon Allah sent Noah—peace be upon him—commanding them to worship Allah alone, but only a few responded. Allah, mighty and majestic, relates their story in Sūrah Nūḥ.

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (8/543) records from Ibn ʿAbbās: “These five were the names of righteous men from the people of Noah….”