Abu al-ʿAbbas said: Allah has stripped from everything besides Himself whatever the polytheists rely on. He has denied that anyone other than Him possesses sovereignty, or even a share of it, or that anyone can assist Allah. Nothing remained but intercession, and He made plain that it benefits only the one for whom the Lord grants permission, as He says: “and they do not intercede except for those whom He approves” (21:28).

Hence, the intercession imagined by the polytheists is nullified on the Day of Resurrection, just as the Quran has nullified it. The Prophet ﷺ reported that he will come, prostrate to his Lord, and praise Him—he will not begin with intercession first—then it will be said to him: “Raise your head, speak and you will be heard, ask and you will be granted, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.” (1)

Abu Hurayrah asked, “Messenger of Allah, who will be the happiest of people through your intercession?” He replied, “Whoever says, ‘There is no deity except Allah,’ sincerely from his heart.” (2)

Therefore, by Allah’s permission, that intercession is reserved for the people of sincerity; it is not for those who commit shirk. In reality, it is Allah, exalted is He, who graciously forgives the sincere by means of the supplication of one whom He permits to intercede, thereby honoring him and granting him the Praised Station.

The intercession the Quran negates is any that involves association of partners with Allah. For this reason Allah affirms intercession—by His permission—in other verses, and the Prophet ﷺ clarified that it is granted only to the people of monotheism and sincerity. This ends his words.

—

Abu al-ʿAbbas is Shaykh al-Islam, Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn ʿAbd al-Halim ibn