It is likewise well-known through the ḥadīth of al-Nawwās ibn Samʿān from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and it is related from Ibn Masʿūd both as a companion-statement (mawqūf) and as a Prophetic report (marfūʿ), and also from Ibn ʿAbbās and others. The report clearly shows that intercession will benefit no one with Allah unless He grants permission for it; hence the intercessor must first be authorized, and the mere act of addressing him does not profit the one on whose behalf intercession is sought. This, in turn, entails that a fresh permission is conferred upon the intercessors each time.
By contrast, certain people maintain that nothing new ever issues from Allah in relation to intermediaries; they claim that the intermediaries are generated from Him and inseparable from His Essence from pre-eternity and forever. The ḥadīth also states that “the dread is lifted from the angels’ hearts,” meaning that their fear is removed. In the Qur’an the angels are depicted as possessed of awe and fear, whereas those people deem such awe or fear of Allah inconceivable. Allah the Exalted says:
“To Allah prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of living creatures, and [also] the angels, and they are not arrogant. They fear their Lord above them and do what they are commanded.” (16:49–50)
He also says, “And they are apprehensive out of fear of Him.” (21:28)
Regarding intercession He says, “And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession will avail nothing whatsoever, except after Allah permits it for whom He wills and with whom He is pleased.” (53:26)
His words “after Allah permits it for whom He wills and with whom He is pleased” imply a future permission, for the particle an confines the imperfect verb to future time. By consistent reasoning the same must be said of every Qur’anic text on this subject. This is the position of the overwhelming majority of the people of ḥadīth and the Sunnah, the view transmitted from the leading Imams of the early generations, and it is corroborated by sound rational proofs free from contradiction.