Hawzah News Agency- The word intercession (shafa'a) is well-known amongst the people and everybody is aware of it. It is the recommendation of great personality by which the errors are forgiven.
The intercessor and his greatness on one hand and the ability and capacity of the other on other hand. The combination of intercessor and the one who is being recommended results in intercession. This concludes that on the day of judgement every sinner will not be forgiven, neither anybody can do intercession.
To understand intercession, one must understand the importance of forgiveness. As it enlightens the lamp of guidance of Allah’s Mercy. There is no doubt that forgiveness and pardon is based on some conditions, as intercession is also based on some conditions.
In Islam, the conditions of both are well explained.
For example, the Qur'anic verses about intercession can be divided into several categories;
- some of them completely reject intercession:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌۭ لَّا بَيْعٌۭ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌۭ وَلَا شَفَٰعَةٌۭ ۗ وَٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ.
O you who believe! spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you before the Day comes when no bargaining (will avail) nor friendship nor intercession. Those who reject faith they are the wrong-doers. (Baqara.254)
وَ اتَّقُوا یوْماً لا تَجْزی نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَفْسٍ شَیئاً وَ لا یقْبَلُ مِنْها شَفاعَةٌ وَ لا یؤْخَذُ مِنْها عَدْلٌ وَ لا هُمْ ینْصَرُونَ.
And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will in aught avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be received from it, nor will they be helped. (Baqara.48)
- some others consider intercession solely to God.
قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ جَمِيعًا لَّهُ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ.
Say: To Allah belongs exclusively (the right to grant) Intercession: to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: in the End, it is to Him that ye shall be brought back. (Az-Zumar.44)
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ.
Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, in six Days. Then He mounted the Throne. Ye have not, beside Him, a protecting friend or intercessor. Will you not then remember? (Sajda.4)
- some of them confirm the conditional intercession of some creatures.
ما مِنْ شَفیعٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ ذلِکمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّکمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ.
There is no intercessor (with Him) save after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. (Yunus/3)
یوْمَئِذٍ لا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفاعَةُ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمنُ وَ رَضِی لَهُ قَوْلاً.
On that Day shall no intercession avail except for those for whom permission has been granted by (Allah) Most Gracious and whose word is acceptable to Him. (Ta-Ha.109)
یعْلَمُ ما بَینَ أَیدیهِمْ وَ ما خَلْفَهُمْ وَ لا یشْفَعُونَ إِلاَّ لِمَنِ ارْتَضی وَ هُمْ مِنْ خَشْیتِهِ مُشْفِقُون.
He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (glory). (Anbiya.28)
وَ کمْ مِنْ مَلَک فِی السَّماواتِ لا تُغْنی شَفاعَتُهُمْ شَیئاً إِلاَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ یأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ یشاءُ وَ یرْضی.
How many so ever be the angels in the heavens, their intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He pleases and that he is acceptable to Him. (Najm- 26)
مَنْ ذَا الَّذی یشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِه.
Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? (Baqara.255)
وَ لا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَه.
No intercession can avail in His Presence, except for those for whom He has granted permission. (Saba.23)
- and the verses which explicitly say that there will be no intersession and intercessor for unbelievers.
يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا۟ لَنَآ أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ.
On the day the event is finally fulfilled those who disregarded it before will say: "The Messengers of our Lord did indeed bring true (tidings). Have we no intercessors now to intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back? Then should we behave differently from our behavior in the past." (Araf.53)
وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ - حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَینَا ٱليَقِينُ - فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَـٰعَةُ ٱلشَّـٰفِعِينَ.
"And we used to deny the Day of Judgment - Until there came to us (the Hour) that is certain. - Then will no intercession of (any) intercessors profit them. (Muddaththir.46-48)
A thorough examination of the verses of intercession shows that the Holy Quran approves one type of intercession and rejects another type. The verses that deny the intercession mean that no one has such a right independently or without God’s permission, and the verses that prove the intercession mean that this position fundamentally belongs to God and also to those who possess His permission.