For this reason, Abraham, Allah’s close friend, said:

“Have you considered what you have been worshipping—you and your forefathers? They are enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds.”

Allah Most High also said:

“You have an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have arisen between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.’”

For this reason, Abraham said at the conclusion of his speech:

“I disavow whatever you associate with Allah. I have turned my face toward Him who created the heavens and the earth, devoted to Him alone, and I am not one of the polytheists.”

He made clear that he worshipped Allah alone. To Him he directed his face when his intention turned toward Him: his face followed his intention, turning wherever his heart turned. Thus his heart, his intention, and his face were all directed toward Allah Most High. This is why he said:

“And I am not one of the polytheists.”

He did not mention acknowledging the existence of the Maker, for this was already known among his people. They did not dispute with him over the existence of the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Rather, the dispute concerned worshipping something other than Allah and taking it as a lord. They worshipped the heavenly stars and made earthly idols to represent them.

This is “the second form of polytheism.” Polytheism among Noah’s people originated in the worship of righteous people—the occupants of graves. They then fashioned statues of them, so their polytheism involved earthly beings. Satan only leads people astray according to what is possible, and it was easier for him to begin by establishing the worship of righteous people alongside Allah.

Then Abraham’s people moved on to associating heavenly beings—the stars—with Allah. They made “idols” for them according to what they perceived their natures to be, preparing for each star food and a ring