Interpretation of Sura Maryam (Mary) - Verse 87

87. " They shall not own any intercession, save he who has taken a promise with the Beneficent (Allah)."

Commentary

On the Day of Resurrection, the wicked people are not able to intercede any one, and also none my intercede them. On the contrary, the believers will intercede each other and their intercession will be accepted. The verse says:

" They shall not own any intercession, save he who has taken a promise with the Beneficent (Allah)."

The Qur'an introduces some conditions for intercession and it is not so that every body can take everything or everybody he desires as his intercessor. In Hereafter, the infidels will try their best and ask refuge from everybody, but they will be refused and they will receive negative responds from them.

The objective meaning of the Arabic term /'ahd/ (promise), mentioned in the verse, may be the same promise of servitude unto Allah and separation from Satan which the Qur'an refers to, where it says: "Did I not charge you, O children of Adam! that you should not worship the Satan? Surely he is your open enemy", "And that you should worship Me, this is the Straight Path." 80 And in another occasion it says: "…shall no intercession avail except of him whom the Beneficent (Allah) allows and whose word He is pleased with." 81

The Qur'anic term /'ahd/ has been rendered into several meanings in the Islamic literatures, including the following:

1. Promise to the mastership of Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali-ibn-Abitalib (a.s.) and the immaculate Imams after him. 82

2. Making testament at the time of death, that a mortal gathers others around him and says that he is charged to believe that 'there is no god but Allah', 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah', and the rightfulness of Paradise and Hell. 83

3. Engagement and protection to the statutory prayers. 84

Notes:

80. Sura Yasin, No. 36, verses 60 and 61

81. Sura Taha, No. 20, verse 109

82. The Commentary of Al-Mizan, Safi, Burhan, Nur-uth-Thaqalayn

83. Majma'-ul-Bayan

84. The Commentary of Al-Mizan

Adopted from the book : "The Light of the Holy Qur'an; Interpretation of Surah Maryam" by : "Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imani and a Group of Muslim Scholars"