Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. They are the leaders. (Ibn ʿAbbās, Abū al-ʿĀliyah, Qatādah, Muqātil, al-Zajjāj]
2. They are the devils. (al-Suddī)

Who is "those who were followed" referring to?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. It refers to bonds of affection. [Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, and Qatādah].
2. It refers to actions [Al-Suddī from Ibn Masʿūd and Ibn ʿAbbās, and is also the opinion of Abū Ṣāliḥ and Ibn Zayd].
3. It refers to familial ties [Ibn Jurayj from Ibn ʿAbbās].
4. It encompasses all of these interpretations. Ibn Qutaybah states, "It refers to the connections by which they maintained relations in the world." 

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'Sabab' in Arabic originally means 'rope,' and came to denote anything used to reach an objective.

What is the meaning of "cords" (*asbāb*) in this āyah?