created things, He has not appointed any of His servants as an intermediary in that creation, as He has appointed the messengers as intermediaries in conveying His message. Rather, He creates whatever He wills through whatever causes He wills. Nothing among created things can independently bring anything into existence. Every cause requires other causes to assist it, and whatever opposes it must be counteracted. This is something that Allah alone can accomplish. Whatever Allah wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. Conveying His message is different: the Messenger alone served as the intermediary in conveying His message to His servants.
As for placing guidance in the hearts of His servants, that belongs to Allah, exalted is He, not to the Messenger. As Allah, exalted is He, has said:
“Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.”
And He, exalted is He, has said:
“Even if you are eager for their guidance, Allah does not guide those He causes to go astray.”
Likewise, the supplications of the prophets, blessings and peace be upon them, their requests for forgiveness, and their intercession are a cause that brings benefit only if Allah, exalted is He, makes the recipient receptive to it. Otherwise, even if the Prophet were to ask forgiveness for the unbelievers and hypocrites, they would not be forgiven. Allah, exalted is He, has said:
“It is all the same for them whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them: Allah will never forgive them.”
As for the messengers, it has become clear that they are the intermediaries between us and Allah, mighty and majestic, in conveying His commands, prohibitions, promises, warnings, and declarations. We must therefore believe everything they have conveyed and obey them in what they have made obligatory and commanded. We must believe in all the prophets of Allah, mighty and majestic, making no distinction between any of them. Whoever reviles any one of them is an unbeliever and an apostate whose blood may lawfully be shed.
When we discuss the exclusive devotion due to Allah, blessed and exalted is He, we explain that the prophets and all other created beings are not entitled to what belongs exclusively to Allah, blessed and exalted is He. Thus, they must not be associated with Him as partners, nor may one place one’s trust in them or seek their aid in distress as one seeks Allah’s aid, nor may one adjure