were not worshipped for their own sake as inanimate objects, but for reasons that prompted such worship. The Arabs’ polytheism was predominantly of the first kind, though it included elements of all these kinds. For ‘Amr ibn Luhayy was the first to alter the religion of Abraham—peace be upon him. He had travelled to Syria and seen that the people of al-Balqā’ had idols through which they sought to obtain benefits and avert harm. He then did the same in Mecca, when Khuzā‘ah were the custodians of the House before Quraysh, and he was the chief of Khuzā‘ah. In the two Sahīh collections, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is reported to have said:

“I saw ‘Amr ibn Luhayy ibn Qam‘ah ibn Khindif dragging his entrails—that is, his intestines—in the Fire. He was the first to alter the religion of Abraham, set votive camels free to roam, and slit the ears of she-camels to mark their consecration.”

The polytheism of Noah’s people was likewise—and Allah knows best—though it began with the worship of righteous people. Satan leads people from this to other forms of polytheism. People are more readily drawn to this, however, because they know the righteous man, his blessing and his supplications. They therefore frequent his grave and seek these things from him. Sometimes they ask him; sometimes they ask Allah through him; and sometimes they pray and supplicate at his grave, believing that prayer and supplication at his grave are better than in mosques and homes.

Since this was the beginning of polytheism, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—closed this door, just as he closed the door to polytheism involving heavenly bodies. In Sahīh Muslim, he is reported to have said five days before his death:

“Those who came before you used to take graves as places of worship. Beware! Do not take graves as places of worship, for I forbid you to do so.”

And in