وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُۥ ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ 23
Translations
And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one another], "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.
Transliteration
Wa la tanfaʿu ash-shafāʿatu ʿindahu illā liman adhina lahu. Ḥattā idhā fuzziʿa ʿan qulūbihim qālū mādhā qāla rabbukum. Qālū al-ḥaqq. Wa huwa al-ʿAliyy al-Kabīr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that on the Day of Judgment, no intercession (shafāʿah) will benefit anyone except those for whom Allah has given permission, and only Allah can grant such permission. When the angels relay Allah's judgment to the inhabitants of Paradise and Hell, they report only the truth, emphasizing Allah's absolute sovereignty and justice. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi explain that this verse refutes the false beliefs of those who thought their status or relationships would earn them automatic intercession, while Ibn Kathir notes it affirms that all intercession depends entirely on Divine Will.
Revelation Context
Surah Saba was revealed in Mecca during the early-to-middle Meccan period, when the Prophet (ﷺ) was addressing polytheists who relied on false intercessors and idols. This ayah specifically responds to the Meccan disbelievers' assumption that their wealth, status, or proximity to idols would grant them intercession before Allah, reestablishing monotheistic doctrine regarding Allah's exclusive authority over judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'No one's deeds will save him [from Hell].' They asked, 'Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'Not even me, unless Allah covers me with His Mercy' (Sahih Bukhari 5673). Additionally, 'Every soul will taste death, and you will only be paid your wages on the Day of Resurrection' (Qur'an 3:185), thematically reinforcing individual accountability.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers not to place false hope in worldly status, wealth, or intermediaries, but to rely solely on Allah's mercy and to seek His permission through righteous deeds. It encourages sincere repentance and good works, knowing that on the Day of Judgment, only Allah's permission and divine mercy determine intercession and salvation.