Az-Zumar (The Groups)

44. [O Prophet!] Say [unto them]: “To Allah belongs all intercession [in this world and the Hereafter]. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you shall be brought back.”

God Almighty is the Master of the entire existence and all the agents involved in it.

The blessed Verse in question says:

“To Allah belongs all intercession [in this world and the Hereafter]. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you shall be brought back.”

Thus, all idols are totally abandoned, since the Unity prevailing the entire world informs us that intercession is solely possible if it is permitted by God Almighty;

“Who is supposed to intercede with Him without His Permission?”1

Some exegets maintain that intercession is basically the same as supplication to the Most Beautiful Divine Names, His Graciousness, Forgivingness, and Concealing of sins committed by His servants. Thus, any intercession is supposed to be carried out with His Pure Essence. Therefore, how may one intercede with Him without His Own Permission?¹

Exegets produce different interpretations as to the nexus between the clause:

“then to Him you shall be brought back”

and the preceding points discussed herein.

1. The clause indicates that not only the intercession in this world is subject to His Permission and one is not supposed to invoke other entities besides God to solve their problems and remove their hardships, but also intercession and deliverance in the Hereafter shall be dependent upon His Will.

2. The clause in question produces another argument for the fact that intercession is solely dependent on God Almighty since the first argument lays emphasis on Divine Mastery and the second one emphasizes the return of all beings toward Him.

3. The clause serves as a warning to polytheists as per which they all return unto God Almighty and shall be chastised for their evil deeds. It is to be noted that all the interpretations sound appropriate; however, the first two seem to be more suitable as to the contextual meaning of the Verse.