Quran Verses about Intercession

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ ٢٥٥

Allāhu lā ilāha illā huwal-ḥayyul-qayyūm, lā taʾkhudhuhū sinatuw wa lā nawm, lahū mā fis-samāwāti wa mā fil-arḍ, man dhal-ladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahū illā biʾidhnih, yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum, wa lā yuḥīṭūna bishayʾim min ʿilmihī illā bimā shāʾ, wasiʿa kursiyyuhus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, wa lā yaʾūduhū ḥifẓuhumā, wa huwal-ʿaliyyul-ʿaẓīm.

Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living,¹ the Self-Sustaining.² Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,³ and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī⁴ extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High,⁵ the Most Great.⁶

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلۡأَمۡرَۖ مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ إِذۡنِهِۦۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُوهُۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ٣

Inna rabbakumullāhul-ladhī khalaqas-samāwāti wal-arḍa fī sittati ayyāmin thummastawā ʿalal-ʿarsh, yudabbirul-amr, mā min shafīʿin illā mim baʿdi idhnih, dhālikumullāhu rabbukum faʿbudūh, afalā tadhakkarūn.

Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne,¹ arranging the matter [of His creation]. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allāh, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember?

لَّا يَمۡلِكُونَ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةَ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ عِندَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ عَهۡدٗا ٨٧

Lā yamlikūnash-shafāʿata illā manittakhadha ʿindar-raḥmāni ʿahdā.

None will have [power of] intercession except he who had taken from the Most Merciful a covenant.¹

يَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُۥ قَوۡلٗا ١٠٩

Yawmaʾidhil lā tanfaʿush-shafāʿatu illā man adhina lahur-raḥmānu wa raḍiya lahū qawlā.

That Day, no intercession will benefit except [that of] one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and has accepted his word.

يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ وَلَا يَشۡفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ وَهُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيَتِهِۦ مُشۡفِقُونَ ٢٨

Yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum wa lā yashfaʿūna illā limanirtaḍā wa hum min khashyatihī mushfiqūn.

He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,¹ and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا شَفِيعٍۚ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٤

Allāhul-ladhī khalaqas-samāwāti wal-arḍa wa mā baynahumā fī sittati ayyāmin thummastawā ʿalal-ʿarsh, mā lakum min dūnihī miw waliyyiw wa lā shafīʿ, afalā tatadhakkarūn.

It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne.¹ You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded?

وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُۥۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمۡ قَالُواْ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ ٢٣

Wa lā tanfaʿush-shafāʿatu ʿindahū illā liman adhina lah, ḥattā idhā fuzziʿa ʿan qulūbihim qālū mādhā qāla rabbukum, qālul-ḥaqq, wa huwal-ʿaliyyul-kabīr.

And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts,¹ they will say [to one another], "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.

قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ جَمِيعٗاۖ لَّهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٤٤

Qul lillāhish-shafāʿatu jamīʿā, lahū mulkus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, thumma ilayhi turjaʿūn.

Say, "To Allāh belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned."

وَلَا يَمۡلِكُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٨٦

Wa lā yamlikul-ladhīna yadʿūna min dūnihish-shafāʿata illā man shahida bil-ḥaqqi wa hum yaʿlamūn.

And those they invoke¹ besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.²

۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٖ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغۡنِي شَفَٰعَتُهُمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن يَأۡذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرۡضَىٰٓ ٢٦

Wa kam mim malakin fis-samāwāti lā tughnī shafāʿatuhum shayʾan illā mim baʿdi ay yaʾdhanallāhu limay yashāʾu wa yarḍā.

And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allāh has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.

وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمٗا لَّا تَجۡزِي نَفۡسٌ عَن نَّفۡسٖ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡهَا شَفَٰعَةٞ وَلَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنۡهَا عَدۡلٞ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٤٨

Wattaqū yawmal lā tajzī nafsun ʿan nafsin shayʾaw wa lā yuqbalu minhā shafāʿatuw wa lā yuʾkhadhu minhā ʿadluw wa lā hum yunṣarūn.

And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul¹ at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.

وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمٗا لَّا تَجۡزِي نَفۡسٌ عَن نَّفۡسٖ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡهَا عَدۡلٞ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَٰعَةٞ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ١٢٣

Wattaqū yawmal lā tajzī nafsun ʿan nafsin shayʾaw wa lā yuqbalu minhā ʿadluw wa lā tanfaʿuhā shafāʿatuw wa lā hum yunṣarūn.

And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul¹ at all, and no compensation will be accepted from it, nor will any intercession benefit it, nor will they be aided.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَ يَوۡمٞ لَّا بَيۡعٞ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٞ وَلَا شَفَٰعَةٞۗ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٢٥٤

Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū anfiqū mimmā razaqnākum min qabli ay yaʾtiya yawmul lā bayʿun fīhi wa lā khullatuw wa lā shafāʿah, wal-kāfirūna humuẓ-ẓālimūn.

O you who have believed, spend from that which We have provided for you before there comes a Day in which there is no exchange [i.e., ransom] and no friendship and no intercession. And the disbelievers - they are the wrongdoers.

وَأَنذِرۡ بِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحۡشَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ لَيۡسَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ وَلِيّٞ وَلَا شَفِيعٞ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ ٥١

Wa andhir bihil-ladhīna yakhāfūna ay yuḥsharū ilā rabbihim laysa lahum min dūnihī waliyyuw wa lā shafīʿul laʿallahum yattaqūn.

And warn by it [i.e., the Qur’ān] those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord - for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor - that they might become righteous.

وَذَرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ دِينَهُمۡ لَعِبٗا وَلَهۡوٗا وَغَرَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَذَكِّرۡ بِهِۦٓ أَن تُبۡسَلَ نَفۡسُۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ لَيۡسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيّٞ وَلَا شَفِيعٞ وَإِن تَعۡدِلۡ كُلَّ عَدۡلٖ لَّا يُؤۡخَذۡ مِنۡهَآۗ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُبۡسِلُواْ بِمَا كَسَبُواْۖ لَهُمۡ شَرَابٞ مِّنۡ حَمِيمٖ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡفُرُونَ ٧٠

Wadharil-ladhīnattakhadhū dīnahum laʿibaw wa lahwaw wa gharrathumul-ḥayātud-dunyā, wa dhakkir bihī an tubsala nafsum bimā kasabat laysa lahā min dūnillāhi waliyyuw wa lā shafīʿuw wa in taʿdil kulla ʿadlil lā yuʾkhadh minhā, ulāʾikal-ladhīna ubsilū bimā kasabū, lahum sharābum min ḥamīmiw wa ʿadhābun alīmum bimā kānū yakfurūn.

And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. But remind with it [i.e., the Qur’ān], lest a soul be given up to destruction for what it earned; it will have other than Allāh no protector and no intercessor. And if it should offer every compensation, it would not be taken from it [i.e., that soul]. Those are the ones who are given to destruction for what they have earned. For them will be a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment because they used to disbelieve.

وَأَنذِرۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓزِفَةِ إِذِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ لَدَى ٱلۡحَنَاجِرِ كَٰظِمِينَۚ مَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ حَمِيمٖ وَلَا شَفِيعٖ يُطَاعُ ١٨

Wa andhirhum yawmal-āzifati idhil-qulūbu ladal-ḥanājiri kāẓimīn, mā liẓ-ẓālimīna min ḥamīmiw wa lā shafīʿiy yuṭāʿ.

And warn them, [O Muḥammad], of the Approaching Day, when hearts are at the throats, filled [with distress]. For the wrongdoers there will be no devoted friend and no intercessor [who is] obeyed.

وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُونَا فُرَٰدَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖ وَتَرَكۡتُم مَّا خَوَّلۡنَٰكُمۡ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِكُمۡۖ وَمَا نَرَىٰ مَعَكُمۡ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ أَنَّهُمۡ فِيكُمۡ شُرَكَٰٓؤُاْۚ لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنكُم مَّا كُنتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُونَ ٩٤

Wa laqad jiʾtumūnā furādā kamā khalaqnākum awwala marratiw wa taraktum mā khawwalnākum warāʾa ẓuhūrikum, wa mā narā maʿakum shufaʿāʾakumul-ladhīna zaʿamtum annahum fīkum shurakāʾ, laqad taqaṭṭaʿa baynakum wa ḍalla ʿankum mā kuntum tazʿumūn.

[It will be said to them], "And you have certainly come to Us alone [i.e., individually] as We created you the first time, and you have left whatever We bestowed upon you behind you. And We do not see with you your 'intercessors' which you claimed that they were among you associates [of Allāh]. It has [all] been severed between you,¹ and lost from you is what you used to claim."

وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمۡ وَيَقُولُونَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ شُفَعَٰٓؤُنَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ قُلۡ أَتُنَبِّـُٔونَ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا لَا يَعۡلَمُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ١٨

Wa yaʿbudūna min dūnillāhi mā lā yaḍurruhum wa lā yanfaʿuhum wa yaqūlūna hāʾulāʾi shufaʿāʾunā ʿindallāh, qul atunabbiʾūnallāha bimā lā yaʿlamu fis-samāwāti wa lā fil-arḍ, subḥānahū wa taʿālā ʿammā yushrikūn.

And they worship other than Allāh that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allāh." Say, "Do you inform Allāh of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?" Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.

وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُم مِّن شُرَكَآئِهِمۡ شُفَعَٰٓؤُاْ وَكَانُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ كَٰفِرِينَ ١٣

Wa lam yakul lahum min shurakāʾihim shufaʿāʾu wa kānū bishurakāʾihim kāfirīn.

And there will not be for them among their [alleged] partners any intercessors, and they will [then] be disbelievers in their partners.

ءَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً إِن يُرِدۡنِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ بِضُرّٖ لَّا تُغۡنِ عَنِّي شَفَٰعَتُهُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ ٢٣

Aʾattakhidhu min dūnihī ālihatan iy yuridnir-raḥmānu biḍurril lā tughni ʿannī shafāʿatuhum shayʾaw wa lā yunqidhūn.

Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me?

أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُفَعَآءَۚ قُلۡ أَوَلَوۡ كَانُواْ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَعۡقِلُونَ ٤٣

Amittakhadhū min dūnillāhi shufaʿāʾ, qul awalaw kānū lā yamlikūna shayʾaw wa lā yaʿqilūn.

Or have they taken other than Allāh as intercessors? Say, "Even though they do not possess [power over] anything, nor do they reason?"

هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأۡوِيلَهُۥۚ يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِي تَأۡوِيلُهُۥ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشۡفَعُواْ لَنَآ أَوۡ نُرَدُّ فَنَعۡمَلَ غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي كُنَّا نَعۡمَلُۚ قَدۡ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ ٥٣

Hal yanẓurūna illā taʾwīlah, yawma yaʾtī taʾwīluhū yaqūlul-ladhīna nasūhu min qablu qad jāʾat rusulu rabbinā bil-ḥaqqi fahal lanā min shufaʿāʾa fayashfaʿū lanā aw nuraddu fanaʿmala ghayral-ladhī kunnā naʿmal, qad khasirū anfusahum wa ḍalla ʿanhum mā kānū yaftarūn.

Do they await except its result?¹ The Day its result comes, those who had ignored it before will say, "The messengers of our Lord had come with the truth, so are there [now] any intercessors to intercede for us or could we be sent back to do other than what we used to do?" They will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.

فَمَا لَنَا مِن شَٰفِعِينَ ١٠٠

Famā lanā min shāfiʿīn.

So now we have no intercessors

فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَٰعَةُ ٱلشَّٰفِعِينَ ٤٨

Famā tanfaʿuhum shafāʿatush-shāfiʿīn.

So there will not benefit them the intercession of [any] intercessors.

مَّن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةً حَسَنَةٗ يَكُن لَّهُۥ نَصِيبٞ مِّنۡهَاۖ وَمَن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةٗ سَيِّئَةٗ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كِفۡلٞ مِّنۡهَاۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مُّقِيتٗا ٨٥

May yashfaʿ shafāʿatan ḥasanatay yakul lahū naṣībum minhā, wa may yashfaʿ shafāʿatan sayyiʾatay yakul lahū kiflum minhā, wa kānallāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾim muqītā.

Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share [i.e., reward] therefrom; and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a portion [i.e., burden] therefrom. And ever is Allāh, over all things, a Keeper.¹

وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةٗ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامٗا مَّحۡمُودٗا ٧٩

Wa minal-layli fatahajjad bihī nāfilatal laka ʿasā ay yabʿathaka rabbuka maqāmam maḥmūdā.

And from [part of] the night, pray¹ with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān] as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that² your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.³