Several Quran commentators have likewise said this. They stated: “This indicates that intercession benefits only the believers.” The early generations also explained this verse in the same way. Commenting on His words,

“except one to whom the Most Merciful gives permission and whose words He approves,”

Qatādah said: “The scholars used to say that the praiseworthy station mentioned in Allah Most High’s words, ‘Your Lord may raise you to a praiseworthy station,’ is his intercession on the Day of Resurrection. As for His words, ‘except one to whom the Most Merciful gives permission and whose words He approves,’ Allah accepts the believers’ intercession for one another.”

Al-Baghawī said concerning “except one to whom the Most Merciful gives permission”: “Allah has permitted intercession to be made on his behalf.” Concerning “and whose words He approves,” he said: “That is, He approves of what he says.” Ibn ʿAbbās said: “It means that he has said, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.’” Al-Baghawī said: “This indicates that intercession is made only on behalf of a believer.”

They mentioned both interpretations concerning His words, Most High:

“Intercession will not benefit anyone with Him except those for whom He gives permission.”

There, a group of commentators put first the interpretation that the exception refers to the intercessor, rather than the person on whose behalf intercession is made, unlike the interpretation they put first here. Among them was al-Baghawī, who here mentioned only the person on whose behalf intercession is made when explaining the exception.