—channels the benefit of His servants through one another: He causes this one to show kindness to that one, to pray for him, and to intercede on his behalf, and so forth. He is the One who created all of this, and He is the One who placed within the heart of that benefactor, supplicant, and intercessor the very desire to do good, to pray, and to intercede. It is impossible that anyone in existence could force Him to act against His will, teach Him what He did not already know, or be someone whom the Lord Himself would fear or upon whom He would pin His hopes.

For this reason the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “None of you should say, ‘O Allah, forgive me if You will; O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.’ Rather, let him ask with firm resolve, for no one can compel Him.” The intercessors who plead with Him do so only with His permission, as He says: “Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?” (Qur’an 2:255); and, “They do not intercede except for those He has approved” (Qur’an 21:28). He also says: “Say, ‘Call upon those you claim besides Allah. They possess not an atom’s weight in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either of them, nor is He supported by any helper from among them. Intercession is of no benefit with Him except for one to whom He grants permission’” (Qur’an 34:22–23).

Thus He has made clear that everyone who is invoked apart from Him possesses no dominion and no