How is intercession affirmed without directing worship to creation?
2026-09-21
T30 · Ibn Taymiyyah
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah
شيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية
Selected explanation · Selected source passage(s) — fully translated
Selected passage about intercession authorized by Allah. The supplied opening identifies the intercessor described in the preceding sentence as someone whom Allah has permitted to intercede. The English translates every displayed Arabic paragraph; this selection is not the complete surrounding work. Square brackets identify translator-supplied clarification.
النص العربي
المقتطف
لَمْ يَكُنْ مُسْتَقِلًّا بِالشَّفَاعَةِ بَلْ يَكُونُ مُطِيعًا لَهُ أَيْ تَابِعًا لَهُ فِي الشَّفَاعَةِ وَتَكُونُ شَفَاعَتُهُ مَقْبُولَةً وَيَكُونُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ لِلْآمِرِ الْمَسْئُولِ. وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ بِنَصِّ الْقُرْآنِ فِي غَيْرِ آيَةٍ: أَنَّ أَحَدًا لَا يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ. كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى {مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ} وَقَالَ: {وَلَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ} وَقَالَ: {وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى} وَأَمْثَالِ ذَلِكَ.
English translation
English translation reviewed against the displayed Arabic by SalafAlSalih editorial preparation (AI-assisted); explanatory additions appear in square brackets or separate notes.
Selected explanation
[The intercessor who has been given permission] is not acting independently in intercession. Rather, he is obedient to Him—that is, he follows Him in interceding—and his intercession is accepted. The entire matter belongs to the One who commands and to whom the request is made. The explicit text of the Qur’an establishes in more than one verse that no one intercedes with Him except by His permission. As He, Exalted is He, says: “Who can intercede with Him except by His permission?” He also says: “Intercession with Him is of no benefit except for one to whom He has given permission”; and: “They do not intercede except for someone He is pleased with”; and similar verses.
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 1/118
مجموع الفتاوى
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
Arabic passage checked against the cited volume and printed page. English reviewed against every displayed Arabic paragraph on 14 October 2026.