He said: 'And has the covenant not been taken from you regarding the Loyalty of his Successor, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib?'

We remained silent and did not answer with our tongues, for our hearts and intentions refused and would not acknowledge it. He said to us: 'Will you not speak it with your tongues and hearts?' So we spoke it with our tongues, while our hearts and intentions did not accept it. He let out a great cry at us and said: 'Become, by Allah’s leave, Transformed Beings (Musukhan)—each group a distinct species (jins).

And O wastelands, become, by Allah’s leave, rivers inhabited by these transformed beings; and connect to the seas of the world so that there shall be no water except that they are within it.'

Thus we were transformed; we were twenty-four groups, forming twenty-four species.

Twelve groups of us cried out: 'O you who have power over us by the power of Allah, by His right upon you, exempt us from the water and place us upon the surface of the earth however you wish.' He said: 'I have done so.'"