(Say: To Allah belongs all intercession)

This is—as the Imam stated—a rebuttal to what they answer with, which is that the intercessors are not the idols themselves, but rather individuals brought near [to God] whom those idols represent. The meaning is that He, Exalted is He, is the Possessor of all intercession; no one can intercede for anything unless the one interceded for is accepted [by Him], and the intercessor is granted permission, and both of these are absent in their case. This verse is sometimes used as evidence for the existence of intercession in general on the Day of Resurrection, because ownership or exclusivity, which is the implication of the lam (the prefix "li-" in lillahi) here, necessitates existence. Therefore, using this verse to negate intercession absolutely is of the utmost weakness.

And His saying, Exalted is He: (To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth) is a causal commencement explaining why all intercession belongs to Him, Mighty and Majestic is He. It is as if it were said: That [intercession] belongs to Him because He, Glorious and Exalted is He, is the Owner of all dominion, and therefore no one may dispose of anything within it without His permission and His pleasure. Thus, "the heavens and the earth" is a metonymy for everything other than Him, Glorified is He.

And His saying, Exalted is He: (Then to Him you will be returned) is a conjunction to His saying, "To Him belongs the dominion," etc. It is as if it were a classification regarding the ownership of the Hereafter, in which lies the greatest benefit of intercession, and an indication of the cessation of apparent ownership for anyone other than Him, Mighty and Majestic is He. It is also permitted that it be a conjunction to His saying, "To Allah belongs the intercession," and in al-Bahr [al-Muhit], it is considered a threat to them, as if it were said: Then to Him you will be returned, and you will know that they do not intercede for you, and your efforts in your worship will be in vain. The prepositional phrase "to Him" (ilayhi) is brought forward for the sake of the rhyming interval (fasilah) and to indicate exclusivity; for the meaning is: to Him, Exalted is He, and not to anyone else—neither independently nor by way of partnership—will you be returned.