, they will not speak except one whom the Most Merciful permits and who speaks rightly.” This is like His words:

“On that Day, intercession will not benefit except one whom the Most Merciful permits and whose words He approves.”

In both passages, He makes His permission a condition. There He mentions “speaking rightly,” and here He mentions “His approval of what one says.” Whoever speaks rightly, Allah approves of his words, for Allah approves only of what is right.

Two interpretations have been given of that verse:

The first is that it too refers to intercession, as Ibn al-Sā’ib said: “They possess no power of intercession except with His permission.”

The second is that created beings cannot speak to the Lord except with His permission. This was stated by Muqātil. Likewise, concerning His words, “They have no power to address Him,” Mujāhid said: “To speak.” This is part of the Quranic exegesis reliably transmitted from him. He was among the most knowledgeable of the Successors in Quranic exegesis—or the most knowledgeable of them.

Al-Thawrī said: “If an explanation of the Quran reaches you from Mujāhid, that is sufficient for you.”

Mujāhid said: “I went through the Quran with Ibn ‘Abbās, stopping him at every verse and asking him about it.” Al-Shāfi‘ī and Ahmad relied on him, as did al-Bukhārī in his Sahīh. This interpretation also encompasses “intercession.”