An-Najm - An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an

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26. And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given permission for whom He wills and is pleased with.

The main emphasis in the blessed Verse in question is laid on the issue of polytheists saying that there are many angels in the heavens whose intercession is of no avail unless God Almighty gives permission for whom He wills and is pleased with.

When the angels of the heavens with their grandeur and greatness may not intercede with God Almighty unless He gives permission, such inanimate and insignificant idols may not be expected to be of any avail. When eagles swift in flight cannot soar that high, such ineffectual mosquitoes may not be expected to be of any use. Would it not be shameful that they say that they worship these idols so that they may intercede at Divine Threshold on our behalf?

The interrogative and exclamatory particle kam ("how many, how much") ad hoc designates generality, that is, none of the angels may intercede with God Almighty on anyone's behalf without His permission.