other chains of transmission. This cannot be countered by His saying:

“And that man will have nothing except what he strives for.”

There are two reasons for this.

First, texts transmitted through numerous independent channels and the consensus of the early generations of this community establish that a believer benefits from things that are not his own efforts. These include the angels’ supplications and their seeking forgiveness for him, as in the Most High’s saying:

“Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify their Lord with praise, believe in Him, and seek forgiveness for those who believe,”

and the remainder of the verse. They also include the prophets’ and believers’ supplications and their seeking forgiveness, as in the Most High’s saying:

“And pray for them; indeed, your prayer is a source of reassurance for them.”

And His saying, glorified is He:

“And among the Bedouins are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and regard what they spend as a means of drawing near to Allah and obtaining the Messenger’s prayers.”

And His saying, mighty and majestic is He:

“And seek forgiveness for your sin, and for the believing men and believing women.”

Such too are the supplications of those who pray for the deceased and for believers whose graves they visit.

Second, the verse’s apparent meaning is simply that a person has only his own striving. This is true: he owns and is entitled to nothing but his own efforts. As for another person’s efforts, he neither owns them nor has any entitlement to them. But this does not prevent Allah from benefiting him and showing him mercy through them, just as He continually shows His servants mercy through means beyond their power.

In His wisdom and mercy, He, glorified is He, shows mercy to His servants through acts performed by other servants, so that He may reward those who perform these acts and thus show mercy to all. This is illustrated by the authentic hadith in which he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“No man offers a supplication for his brother without Allah assigning an angel to him. Whenever he supplicates for his brother, the angel assigned to him says: ‘Amen, and for you