236—Ali informed us. Al-Hasan informed us. He said: Ya‘qub narrated to us. He said: Safwan narrated to us. He said: Al-Walid narrated to us. He said ⦗149⦘: I heard al-Awza‘i relate:

“Iblis met with his troops and said, ‘By what means do you approach the children of Adam?’ They replied, ‘By every means.’ He said, ‘Can you approach them through seeking forgiveness?’ They said, ‘We find it inseparably linked to tawhid (affirming Allah’s absolute oneness).’ So he said, ‘I shall approach them through a sin for which they will not seek forgiveness.’” He said: “Thus, he spread vain desires among them.”

237—Ali informed us. Al-Hasan informed us. He said: Ya‘qub narrated to us. He said: Ali ibn al-Hasan narrated to us from al-Mubarak, from al-Awza‘i, with the same report.