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Sura 34
Aya 23
23
وَلا تَنفَعُ الشَّفاعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلّا لِمَن أَذِنَ لَهُ ۚ حَتّىٰ إِذا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلوبِهِم قالوا ماذا قالَ رَبُّكُم ۖ قالُوا الحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ العَلِيُّ الكَبيرُ

Yusuf Ali

“No intercession can avail in His Presence, except for those1 for whom He has granted permission. So far (is this the case) that, when terror is removed from their hearts2 (at the Day of Judgment, then) will they say, ?what is it that your Lord commanded??3 they will say, ?That which is true and just; and He is the Most High Most Great?.###"
  • Cf. 20:109, n. 2634, where I have explained the two possible modes of interpretation. Each soul is individually and personally responsible. And if there is any intercession, it can only be by God’s gracious permission. For the Day of Judgment will be a terrible Day, or Day of Wrath (Dies irae) according to the Latin hymn, when the purest souls will be stupefied at the manifestation of God’s Power. See next note.
  • “Their hearts”: the pronoun “their” refers to the angels nearest to God. On the Day of Judgment there will be such an irresistible manifestation of Power that even they will be silent for a while, and will scarcely realise what is happening. They will question each other, and only thus will they regain their bearings. Or “their” may refer to those who seek intercession.
  • In their mutual questionings they will realise that God’s Judgment, as always, is right and just. Does this mean that no sort of intercession is required?