Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 39 Az-Zumar, Ayat 43-44

اَمِ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ شُفَعَآءَ​ ؕ قُلۡ اَوَلَوۡ كَانُوۡا لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ شَيۡـئًـا وَّلَا يَعۡقِلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿39:43﴾ قُلْ لِّـلَّـهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِيۡعًا​ ؕ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ ؕ ثُمَّ اِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُوۡنَ‏ ﴿39:44﴾

(39:43) Or have they taken others instead of Allah as intercessors?62 Say: “Will they intercede though they may have no power and though they may not even understand?” (39:44) Say: “All intercession lies with Allah.63 His is the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And to Him will all of you be sent back.”


Notes

62. That is, in the first place, these people have foolishly presumed that there are some beings who wield great influence with Allah, and whose intercession is never turned down, whereas there is no proof of their being intercessors at all, nor has Allah ever said that they hold such a position with Him, nor did these beings themselves ever claim that they would use their influence with Allah and help them out in every case. Another folly of these people is that they have ignored the real Master and have believed the imaginary beings to be all powerful who deserve to receive all their devotion and dedication.

63. That is, not to speak of getting his intercession granted, no one has the power to stand before Allah as an intercessor. The right to grant or not to grant anyone the permission to intercede with Him exclusively rests with Allah. Then He may allow intercession for whomever He may please and forbid for whomever He may please. (For understanding the difference between the Islamic concept of intercession and the polytheistic concept, see (Surah Al- Baqarah, Ayat 255); (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 51); (Surah Younus, Ayats 3, 18); (Surah Hud, Ayat 105); (Surah Ar- Raad, Ayat 11); (Surah An-Naml, Ayats 73, 84); (Surah TaHa, Ayats 109-110); (Surah Al-Anbiya, Ayat 23); (Surah Al-Hijr, Ayat 76), and the E.Ns thereof and (E.N. 40 of Saba).