سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 23
وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُۥ ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits. So much so that when fear is banished from their (angels’) hearts, they (angels) say: "What is it that your Lord has said?" They say: "The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And not
تَنفَعُ
tanfaʿu
benefits
ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ
l-shafāʿatu
the intercession
عِندَهُۥٓ
ʿindahu
with Him
إِلَّا
illā
except
لِمَنْ
liman
for (one) whom
أَذِنَ
adhina
He permits
لَهُۥ ۚ
lahu
for him
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
Until
إِذَا
idhā
when
فُزِّعَ
fuzziʿa
fear is removed
عَن
ʿan
on
قُلُوبِهِمْ
qulūbihim
their hearts
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they will say
مَاذَا
mādhā
What is that
قَالَ
qāla
your Lord has said
رَبُّكُمْ ۖ
rabbukum
your Lord has said
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They will say
ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ
l-ḥaqa
The truth
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلْعَلِىُّ
l-ʿaliyu
(is) the Most High
ٱلْكَبِيرُ
l-kabīru
the Most Great
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
23. 1. The meaning of "for whom permission is granted" is the Prophets and angels, etc., that is, only they will be able to intercede, no one else. Because the intercession of anyone else will not be beneficial, nor will they be granted permission. The second meaning is: those deserving of intercession. That is, the Prophets (peace be upon them), angels, and the righteous will only be able to intercede on behalf of those who are deserving of intercession, because permission from Allah will be granted only for them, not for anyone else (Fath al-Qadeer). The meaning is that apart from the Prophets (peace be upon them), angels, and the righteous, no one else will be able to intercede there, and even these personalities will only be able to intercede for sinful believers, not for disbelievers, polytheists, and rebels against Allah. The Noble Quran has clarified both these points at another place. (مَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهٗٓ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖ) 2. Al-Baqarah: 255) (وَلَا يَشْفَعُوْنَ ۙ اِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضٰى) 21. Al-Anbiya: 28)
