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

Imām Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī [d. 310 AH] said:

The true meaning of the verse is: Fear a day when no right that one soul bears upon another will be unjustly waived, whether that be a right of Allāh the Exalted in Praise or other than Him. Neither will intercession be accepted to this end. Rather, the right of each soul shall stand.

Another opinion is that Allāh addresses the recipients of this verse in such a way because they are the Jews from among the Children of Israel who used to boastfully allege: ‘We are the children of Allāh, His most beloved, the descendants of His prophets. They [the prophets] will indeed intercede with Him on our behalf.’ Thus, Allāh the Exalted in Might relates to them that no soul shall suffice another on the Day of Reckoning. Just as no intercession will be accepted [for them] until the rights of each soul are completely fulfilled. Allāh the Exalted in Praise allows despair to set upon them [in relation to the intercession] they had hoped for their souls that would have granted them safety from Allāh’s torment while they continued disbelieving in what they know to be the truth; behaving contrary to the order of Allāh to follow Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and all that he brought them from Him. [Allāh rejects that their alleged safety could] be attained by the intercession of their forefathers or anyone other than them from mankind. Rather, Allāh relates to them that such things hold no benefit for them, except that they turn to Him in sincere repentance for their disbelief, fully replacing their misguided acts.

This is in order to let their condition be an example for any who would adopt a similar ideology, such that no apostate disbeliever could ever hope for His mercy [while remaining in a state of disbelief]. This verse, despite the generality of its recitation, its true meaning is precise. This is due to the multitude of narrations from the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) who said: ‘My intercession is for the perpetrators of major sin from among my ummah’, and he said: ‘There is no prophet except that they have been granted an [accepted] invocation. Indeed, I have concealed my invocation, [for the purpose of] interceding on behalf of my ummah. It will be accepted, by the Will of Allāh, for the ones among them who refrain from associating anything with Allāh [in worship of all types].’

Hence, it becomes clear that Allāh may pardon His believing servants by way of the intercession of our Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) for them, forgoing a plethora of punishments for their committed crimes between themselves and Him. As for His saying: ‘nor will intercession be accepted from it [the disbelieving soul],’ it applies only to the ones who die upon disbelief, refusing to repent to Allāh.

Endnotes:

Source: Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī 2:32-33
Translated by: Riyāḍ Al-Kanadī