"Say (O Muḥammad pbuh): 'Call upon those besides Him whom you pretend (to be gods)..." (V.17:56)
Narrated `Abdullah:Regarding the explanation of the Verse: 'Those whom they call upon (worship) (like Jesus the Son of Mary, angels etc.) desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allah) as to which of them should be the nearer and they hope for His Mercy and fear His torment.' (17.57) They themselves (e.g. Angels, saints, Apostles, Jesus, etc.,) worshipped Allah, Those Jinns who were worshipped by some Arabs became Muslims (embraced Islam), but those human beings stuck to their (old) religion. Al- A`mash said extra: 'Say, (O Muhammad): Call unto those besides Him whom you assume (to be gods).' (17.56)
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 4714
In-book reference
Book 65, Hadith 236
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 238
Translation by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan · Language: EN
Sahih
Arabic Text
حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، {إِلَى رَبِّهِمِ الْوَسِيلَةَ} قَالَ كَانَ نَاسٌ مِنَ الإِنْسِ يَعْبُدُونَ نَاسًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ، فَأَسْلَمَ الْجِنُّ، وَتَمَسَّكَ هَؤُلاَءِ بِدِينِهِمْ. زَادَ الأَشْجَعِيُّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ. {قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ}