Surah Saba' ([The People of] Saba) 34 : 23

Explanatory Note

The verse appears to refer to a particular type of alleged partner with God. These are the angels whom the Arabs claimed to be God’s daughters, alleging that they could intercede with God on people’s behalf. Perhaps they were among those partners about whom the Arabs said: “We worship them for no reason other than that they would bring us nearer to God.” (39: 3) Therefore, in the next verse the sūrah denies that they have any means of intercession while drawing a scene that fills hearts with fear: “Before Him, intercession is of no avail, except by one to whom He may have granted permission.” Intercession, then, is dependent on God’s permission. Needless to say, God will not permit intercession on behalf of people who do not believe in Him and deserve His grace. Those who associate partners with Him do not deserve that He grant permission to angels or anyone else to intercede on their behalf.

The sūrah then describes the fearful scene when intercession is needed: “When the terror is lifted from their hearts, they will ask [one another]: ‘What has your Lord ordained?’ They will answer: ‘The truth. He is the Most High, the Supreme.’” The day is exceedingly hard: people stand awaiting developments, and those who can intercede and the ones who hope for intercession in their favour wait for a signal from the Almighty permitting such intercession. The wait continues, faces look down, sounds die out and hearts go quiet as all await a signal from the Lord, full of majesty and glory.

The word of permission is then given and all prospective intercessors and the ones they are interceding for are overwhelmed with awe. They are unable to comprehend. Then, “when the terror is lifted from their hearts,’ and they recover their senses and faculties, they begin to ask one another: “What has your Lord ordained?” They wonder whether they have understood what God said. The answer is given in one word: The truth.’ It may he that the angels of the highest order are the ones who give this perfect answer. Your Lord has stated the truth, complete and perfect; the truth that comes from Him who is truth absolute. For whatever God says is absolutely true. “He is the Most High, the Supreme.” It is a most fitting description.

This short answer, in one word, imparts the awesomeness of the situation when intercession is permitted. It describes how the angels stand before their Lord. Can anyone who looks at it pretend to be a partner with God, interceding in favour of those who attribute partners to Him?