لَّا يَمْلِكُونَ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةَ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ عِندَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَهْدًا 87
Translations
None will have [power of] intercession except he who had taken from the Most Merciful a covenant.
Transliteration
Lā yamlikūn ash-shafāʿata illā mani ttakhādha ʿinda ar-rahmāni ʿahdan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that no one possesses the right of intercession (shafāʿah) on the Day of Judgment except those who have made a covenant with Allah (the Most Merciful). Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this covenant as sincere faith in Allah's oneness and obedience to His commands. The ayah refutes the false belief that angels, saints, or idols can intercede without Allah's permission, emphasizing that only those in a state of righteous belief and covenant with Allah can benefit from intercession.
Revelation Context
Surah Maryam addresses the disbelievers' false doctrines regarding intercession and the hereafter. This ayah appears in the context of discussing the Day of Judgment and refuting polytheistic practices of the Quraysh, who believed their idols and ancestors could intercede for them. The broader thematic context emphasizes Allah's absolute authority and the futility of relying on anything other than sincere faith in Him.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'No one's deeds alone will get him into Paradise.' When asked even the Prophet himself, he replied: 'Not even I, except that Allah grants me His mercy' (Sahih Bukhari 5674). This relates to the ayah's emphasis on Allah's mercy and the condition of covenant with Him as necessary for benefiting from intercession.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that salvation and divine favor depend entirely on establishing a sincere covenant with Allah through faith and obedience, not on external intermediaries or worldly status. In modern times, it encourages Muslims to prioritize their direct relationship with Allah rather than seeking spiritual benefits through questionable intermediaries, reinforcing the Islamic principle of tawhīd (monotheism).