and his resolve to meet his subjects’ needs, either because of the effect upon his heart of the words of an adviser, admonisher or counsellor, or because of the hope or fear aroused by the words of someone who presumes upon his closeness to him.

Allah, the Most High, however, is the Lord and Sovereign of all things. He is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child. Everything comes into being only by His will: whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. When He causes His servants to benefit one another—making one show kindness to another, supplicate for him, have his intercession on his behalf accepted, and so forth—it is He who creates all of this. It is He who creates in the heart of that benefactor, supplicant and intercessor the desire to show kindness, supplicate and intercede. It is impossible for there to be anyone in existence who compels Him to act against His will, teaches Him what He did not know, or is someone on whom the Lord places hope or whom He fears. Thus the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Let none of you say, ‘O Allah, forgive me if You will; O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.’ Rather, let him ask firmly, for no one can compel Him.”

Those who intercede with Him do so only with His permission, as He says:

“Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?”

And He, the Most High, says:

“They do not intercede except for those with whom He is pleased.”

And He, the Most High, says:

“Say, ‘Call upon those whom you claim to be gods besides Allah. They possess not an atom’s weight in the heavens or on earth, nor do they have any share in either, nor does He have any helper among them.’”

“Intercession with Him is of no benefit except for one to whom He gives permission.”

He thus makes clear that none of those invoked besides Him possesses any dominion, has any share in His dominion, or is His helper, and that their intercession is of no benefit except for one to whom He gives permission. This is unlike kings: someone who intercedes with them may possess dominion of his own, may share in their dominion, or may support and assist them in maintaining their sovereignty, and these people