He selected him, as Allah says:

﴿ وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَآ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ رُشۡدَهُ ۥ مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَـٰلِمِينَ ﴾

(And before, We indeed gave Ibrahim his integrity, and We were indeed most knowledgeable about him)(21:51). Then Allah says:

﴿ وَهَدَٮٰهُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬ ﴾

(and guided him to a straight path.) which means to worship Allah alone, without partners or associate, in the manner that He prescribed and which pleases Him.

﴿ وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬‌ۖ ﴾

(And We gave him good in this world,) meaning, `We granted him all that a believer may require for a good and complete life in this world.'

﴿ وَإِنَّهُ ۥ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ﴾

(and in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous.) Concerning the Ayah:

﴿ وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬‌ۖ ﴾

(And We gave him good in this world,) Mujahid said: "This means a truthful tongue.''

﴿ ثُمَّ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ أَنِ ٱتَّبِعۡ مِلَّةَ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۖ ﴾

(Then, We have sent the revelation to you: "Follow the religion of Ibrahim (he was a) Hanif...) meaning, `because of his perfection, greatness, and the soundness of his Tawhid and his way, We revealed to you, O Seal of the Messengers and Leader of the Prophets ,'

﴿ أَنِ ٱتَّبِعۡ مِلَّةَ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِڪِينَ ﴾

(Follow the religion of Ibrahim (he was a) Hanif and he was not of the idolaters.) This is like the Ayah in Surat Al-An`am:

﴿ قُلۡ إِنَّنِى هَدَٮٰنِى رَبِّىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬ دِينً۬ا قِيَمً۬ا مِّلَّةَ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ﴾

(Say: "Truly, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a right religion, the religion of Ibrahim, (he was a) Hanif and he was not of the idolaters.'') (6:161). Then Allah rebukes the Jews,

﴿ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ ٱلسَّبۡتُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَہُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا ڪَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ ﴾

(124. The Sabbath was only prescribed for those who differed concerning it, and verily, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about what they differed over.)