21. Surah Al Anbiya'

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ...  

21:28.  He knows what is before them, and what is behind them,

...وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى...

and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable,

C2688. Cf. 20:109. Those who have conformed to the Will of Allah and obeyed His Law, thus winning the stamp of His approval.

...وَهُم مِّنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾

and they stand in awe and reverence of His (glory).

C2689. They: the usual interpretation refers the pronoun to the servants of Allah who intercede:

it may also refer to those on whose behalf intercession is made: they do not take it as a matter of course, but stand in due awe and reverence of Allah's great glory and mercy.

Asad’s Version:

21:28

He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them:" hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already) graced with His goodly acceptance, 37 since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him.

[[Asad’s note - 37 Cf. 19:87 and 20:109. Regarding the problem of "intercession" as such, see note 7 on 10:3.]]