وَلَا يَمْلِكُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ 86
Translations
And those they invoke besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.
Transliteration
Wa lā yamlikū alladhīna yad'ūna min dūnihi ash-shafā'ata illā man shahida bil-haqqi wa hum ya'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that those who are invoked besides Allah (idols, saints, angels) have no power of intercession (shafā'ah) except for those who bear witness to the truth with full knowledge. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as a refutation of polytheistic beliefs in intercessory power of false deities, emphasizing that all authority belongs exclusively to Allah. The exception clause refers to the truthful servants of Allah whose intercession is permitted by Him, underlining that even intercession is ultimately Allah's prerogative.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Az-Zukhruf, a Meccan chapter revealed during the period when the Quraysh were adamantly resisting the monotheistic message and clinging to their idolatrous practices. The surah addresses fundamental theological principles, and this particular verse responds to the pagan Arabs' belief that their idols and ancestral figures could intercede for them before Allah, directly challenging the religious justifications used to uphold polytheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari 13). Related thematically is the hadith in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet said: 'Intercession on the Day of Judgment is for those who recognized the Oneness of Allah' - emphasizing that only those with true knowledge of tawhīd can benefit from intercession.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that we should place our trust entirely in Allah rather than seeking intermediaries, and that our spiritual status depends on genuine knowledge and witnessing of the truth with sincere hearts. It reminds us that closeness to Allah comes through authentic faith and righteous deeds, not through reliance on false intercessors.