This is the religion of the Sabian polytheists, such as the Chaldeans, Canaanites, Greeks, Aristotle, and others who followed this religion. His discussions of natural magic and spiritual magic are well known, as are the books known as The Treasury of Alexander son of Philip, from whom they reckon their dates. He lived about three hundred years before Christ.

The Greeks were polytheists who worshipped idols, just as Abraham’s people were polytheists who worshipped idols. Hence Abraham, Allah’s intimate friend, said:

“Indeed, I am free of what you worship, except the One who created me; He will surely guide me.” [Al-Zukhruf: 26-27]

He also said:

“Have you considered what you have been worshipping—you and your forefathers? They are enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds.” [Al-Shu'arā': 75-77]

These and similar statements make clear his disavowal of whatever they worshipped besides Allah.

Most of these people denied Allah’s attributes and actions subsisting in Him, as is the doctrine of the Peripatetic philosophers. They maintain that He has no affirmative attribute; rather, His attributes are either negative or relational. This is also the doctrine of the esotericist Qarmatians, who advocate invoking the stars, the sun, and the moon, and prostrating to them. It was followed by those among the Banū 'Ubayd, the rulers of Cairo, and others like them who adhered to it.

Thus, those who practised the polytheism that Abraham forbade, and on account of which he opposed its adherents, were the leading authorities of these deniers of divine attributes and actions. The first to openly proclaim this denial within Islam was al-Ja'd ibn Dirham, the tutor of Marwān ibn Muhammad.