– Intercession (belongs) to God altogether

After denying the power of intercession (shafā‘a) to anything besides Allah (v. 43), the Quran draws attention to the one who is sovereign over the heavens and the earth.

The Quran frequently speaks of intercession, and as in this passage, the Quran denies any power of intercession to the “gods” that people choose – either in this life or on the Day of Resurrection. In several other passages, the Quran allows the possibility of intercession by one to whom Allah gives his permission (2.255; 10.3; 34.23). Going further, the Quran allows intercession from the one whom Allah accepts (21.28), from the one whose word Allah accepts (20.109), from the one who has made a covenant with his Lord (19.87), or from “the one who has borne witness to the truth” (43.86). On a popular level, these anonymous exceptions to the absolute prohibition have contributed to a widespread Muslim hope in the intercession of the messenger of Islam.

The biblical book of Isaiah promises “intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12), and the New Testament is decisive in saying that Jesus the Messiah (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; cf. Hebrews 9:24; 1 John 2:1) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26–27) intercede for humans. Jesus is intercessor because he died and rose again and is at the right hand of God the Father (Romans 8:34). Because he lives forever, Jesus is able to save completely those who come to God through him (Hebrews 7:25).