And they worship the thing other than Allah, which neither harms them nor benefits them *, and they say, "These are our intercessors ** before Allah"; say, "What! You inform Allah of something which in His knowledge does not exist in the heavens or in the earth?" Purity and Supremacy are to Him, above their association. (* Some things like the sun, stars, trees are useful but they too are created by Allah. Their worship will not benefit - in fact it is harmful ** Only the virtuous will be granted permission by Allah to intercede.)