Muslim also narrated a hadith from Ibn ‘Abbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:

“While the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was among a group of the Ansār, a shooting star was hurled, shining brightly. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, ‘What would you say in the days of ignorance when you saw something like this?’ They replied, ‘We would say that a great man had died or a great man had been born.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘These are not hurled because of anyone’s death or birth. Rather, when our Lord, blessed and exalted is He, decrees a matter, the bearers of the Throne glorify Him. Then the inhabitants of the heaven nearest to them glorify Him, followed by those nearest to them, until the glorification reaches the inhabitants of this heaven. Then the inhabitants of the seventh heaven ask the bearers of the Throne, “What did our Lord say?” They tell them, and the inhabitants of each heaven in turn ask for the news, until it reaches the inhabitants of the lowest heaven. The devils snatch a hearing and are pelted, then pass what they heard on to their allies. Whatever they convey accurately is true, but they add to it.’”

In another narration, Ma‘mar said: “I asked al-Zuhrī, ‘Were they hurled in the days of ignorance?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but it intensified when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sent.’”

Al-Aswad al-‘Ansī, who claimed prophethood, had devils who informed him of certain unseen matters. When the Muslims fought him, they feared that the devils would tell him what they were saying about him. Eventually, his wife helped them against him after his disbelief became clear to her, and they killed him.