And intercession does not benefit with Him
وَلا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ
The Exalted refuted their claim that their deities intercede with Him.
except for one whom He permits
إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ
(with the hamza opened and closed)
He has permitted for it
أُذن له فيها
When they said: Yes, our deities do not possess anything in the heavens or on the earth. Our deities have no partnership with Allah. Our deities did not assist Allah, but they intercede, as He said:
and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah
َيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ
[Yunus:18] They intercede. Allah cut off this last means.
And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits.
وَلا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ
So these deities cannot intercede except after Allah’s permission. And is it possible that He would permit it? It is not possible, because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.
وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ لا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَى
[Al-Najm:26] And He, Mighty and Majestic, says:
and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves
وَلا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى
[Al-Anbiya:28] And it is known that He, Glorified and Exalted is He, is not pleased with the disbelievers, neither that they intercede nor that intercession is done for them. Thus it becomes clear that everything the polytheists cling to in their shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah is all invalid and all impossible. So the causes by which they might benefit are one of four matters we count: sovereignty independently, sovereignty by partnership, assistance, and intercession. All four of these are negated in the worship of these invoked beings other than Allah. So every cause by which the polytheists cling is cut off. And at that time, it is obligatory that worship and supplication be for whom? For Allah the Exalted alone, because He is the One who has sovereignty over the heavens and the earth. Now, what is intercession? Intercession with Him. Intercession in language means making the odd number even, or making the even number odd. The intercessor is the odd one, so they add one to one, and one to three, and so on. But in technical terminology, it means mediating for another to bring a benefit or remove a harm. This intercession is that you mediate for someone else, either by bringing a benefit for them or removing a harm. So intercession for the people of Paradise is entering Paradise, which is bringing a benefit. And intercession for one who has earned the Fire so that he does not enter it, and for one who has entered it so that he is taken out, this is intercession to remove harm. So intercession does not go beyond these two matters: either bringing benefit or removing harm. Now, a person intercedes for someone to have his debt fixed, this is bringing a benefit. He intercedes for a person to have a fine removed from him, this is removing a harm. And His saying:
except [that of] one to whom
إلا من أَذن
or He has permitted
أو أُذن
Is the permission here cosmic or legislative? Cosmic means except for whom Allah has granted permission to intercede. And the condition of the permission is that Allah the Exalted is pleased with the intercessor, what? And with the one for whom intercession is sought. So He, Glorified and Exalted is He, permits it as a favor to the intercessor, a manifestation of his excellence, a mercy to the one for whom intercession is sought, and a kindness to him. And Allah knows best.
other than Allah
من دون الله
The supplication here ...
