to him as a result. But Allah has full knowledge of all things: He knows what is secret and what is even more hidden, and He has power over all things. All causes originate with Him and return to Him. Every cause is dependent upon other causes and subject to counteracting factors. Fire, for example, burns only what is susceptible to burning; it does not burn the salamander. When Allah wills, He prevents its effect, as He did for Abraham, peace be upon him.

The Lord’s will, however, depends on no one else, and nothing can prevent it. Whatever Allah wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. He—glory be to Him—is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child. He treats them kindly, has mercy upon them, and relieves their suffering, although He has no need of them and they are utterly dependent upon Him.

“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

The Lord thus ruled out all these possibilities, leaving only intercession. He said:

“Intercession is of no avail with Him except for those to whom He grants permission.”

And He said:

“Who is there who can intercede with Him except by His permission?”

He is the One who permits intercession, and He is the One who accepts it; it all comes from Him alone. The more sincerely a person devotes himself to Allah, the more likely he is to receive the Messenger’s intercession.

Abū Hurayrah said to him: “Who will be most fortunate in receiving your intercession, O Messenger of Allah?”

He replied: “Whoever says, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,’ seeking thereby the Face of Allah.”

As for those who place their trust in someone to intercede for them apart from Allah Most High, and attach themselves to that person, they are like the polytheists who have taken intercessors besides