44 Preface قُل لِلَّهِ الشَّفاعَةُ جَميعًا ۖ لَهُ مُلكُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيهِ تُرجَعونَYusuf AliSay: “To God belongs exclusively (the right to grant) intercession:1 to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: In the End, it is to Him2 that ye shall be brought back.”For Shafa'ah (Intercession, Advocacy) see 2:255; 10:3; 20:109, n. 2634; and 21:28, n. 2688. It follows that no one can intercede with God, except (1) by God’s permission, and (2) for those who have prepared themselves by penitence for God’s acceptance. Even in earthly Courts, Advocacy is not permitted to anyone; the Advocate must be granted the position of Advocate before he can plead before the judge. Nor can it be supposed that a plea for forgiveness or mercy can be put forward except on grounds recognised by equity and justice.At all times, including our present life, all dominion belongs to God, At the End of the present plane of existence, we shall be placed before God for Judgment. Cf. 10:4.