quote:

Say: "Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate gods) besides Allaah, they do not possess even the weight of an atom, either in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor is there for Him any supporter from among them. And no intercession profits with Him except for him whom He permits. (Saba' 34:22-23) (sorry, I couldn't copy the arabic text of the Qur'an onto the thread)

quote:

Thus, the Mushrik (worshipper of others besides or alongside Allaah), he takes something as his object of worship on account of what he believes that on account of it he will attain some benefit. And benefit cannot be brought about except from one who has any of these four characteristics: *Either an owner (maalik) of whatever his worshipper seeks from him      *So if he is not an owner, then he is a partner (shareek) to the owner [in what he owns] *And if he is not a partner to him [in what he owns], then he is a helper (mu'een) and an aider (dhaheer) to him *And if he is not an aider and nor a helper, then he is one who     intercedes with him (i.e. the owner). So, He, the Sublime, negated all of these four levels, in a successive manner, moving from the one that is the highest to the one that is less than it. So he negated dominion, (mulk, i.e. ownership), and partnership (sharikah), and aiding, assisting (mudhaaharah), and intercession (shafaa'ah) which the Mushrik thinks to be so [but in reality it is Shirk]. And then He affirmed the [true, affirmed] intercession in which there is no portion for the Mushrik, and this is the intercession that occurs with His permission. So sufficient is this verse as light, and evidence, and deliverance, and purity in Tawheed, and cutting off the foundations of Shirk, and its underlying roots, for the one who understands it.