Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (14/403)

Thus, whoever takes the exception to be continuous is in effect saying that those invoked besides Allah have no power to intercede unless they bear witness to the truth while knowing, or that they intercede only for those who bear witness to the truth while knowing. As for those who are not invoked besides Allah, their intercession for anyone remains unmentioned. This meaning neither befits the Quran nor accords with it. The occasion of the verse’s revelation also refutes it. Furthermore, His statement,

“Those whom they invoke besides Him have no power to intercede,”

includes everything worshipped besides Him, including idols. For their worshippers used to say, “They intercede for us.” Allah Most High says:

“They worship besides Allah what can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say, ‘Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on earth?’”

If it is said that He excepted the angels and the prophets, this would encourage those who believe that the beings they worship besides Allah intercede for them. This further demonstrates the unsoundness of the aforementioned view narrated from Qatādah. For if the meaning were that those worshipped do not intercede unless they are angels or prophets, this would affirm that those worshipped intercede for their worshippers if they were

فَمَنْ جَعَلَ الِاسْتِثْنَاءَ مُتَّصِلًا فَإِنَّ مَعْنَى كَلَامِهِ: أَنَّ مَنْ دُعِيَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُ الشَّفَاعَةَ إلَّا أَنْ يَشْهَدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَوْ لَا يَشْفَعُ إلَّا لِمَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ. وَيَبْقَى الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُدْعَوْا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَمْ تَذْكَرْ شَفَاعَتُهُمْ لِأَحَدِ. وَهَذَا الْمَعْنَى لَا يَلِيقُ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَلَا يُنَاسِبُهُ. وَسَبَبُ نُزُولِ الْآيَةِ يُبْطِلُهُ أَيْضًا. وَأَيْضًا فَقَوْلُهُ {وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ} يَتَنَاوَلُ كُلَّ مَعْبُودٍ مِنْ دُونِهِ. وَيَدْخُلُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْأَصْنَامُ. فَإِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ: هُمْ يَشْفَعُونَ لَنَا. قَالَ تَعَالَى {وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ} . فَإِذَا قِيلَ: إنَّهُ اسْتَثْنَى الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَالْأَنْبِيَاءَ كَانَ فِي هَذَا إطْمَاعٌ لِمَنْ عِنْدَهُمْ أَنَّ مَعْبُودِيهِمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ يَشْفَعُونَ لَهُمْ. وَهَذَا مِمَّا يُبَيِّنُ فَسَادَ الْقَوْلِ الْمَذْكُورِ عَنْ قتادة. فَإِنَّهُ إذَا كَانَ الْمَعْنَى: أَنَّ الْمَعْبُودِينَ لَا يَشْفَعُونَ إلَّا إذَا كَانُوا مَلَائِكَةً أَوْ أَنْبِيَاءَ كَانَ فِي هَذَا إثْبَاتُ شَفَاعَةِ الْمَعْبُودِينَ لِمَنْ عَبَدُوهُمْ إذَا كَانُوا