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Chapter 7: Desiring Intercession Of The Allah's Saints

God is very much kind and benevolent to His servants and has always been subjecting them to His clemency and mercy. One of the manifestations of this extensive benevolence and general kindness is the different means and ways which He has put before His servants for the sake of their forgiveness. He has provided them with the means and grounds for their getting liberated from the hell fire. These means and ways include repenting and intercession.

Repenting means to get ashamed of sin and turning back towards Allah and intercession is achieving the forgiveness of Allah as a result of the intercession and mediation of the pious servants of Allah who pray and ask Him the forgiveness of the person's sins.

Intercession is a station and an honour which Allah has granted to some of His servants from among the Prophets and Saints and given them this distinction that they may mediate about the sinners from among the faithfuls and request Allah their being forgiven.

Of course, intercession has some rules, regulations and conditions and everyone cannot get included and covered up by the mediation of the mediators and intercessors. On the other hand, nobody can mediate about someone without the permission of Allah. Only those would be able to mediate on the resurrection day who will be permitted and authorised by Allah to do so.

The polytheists and idolators of the Prophet's period boasted and presumed that the idols whom they worshipped would intercede for them before Allah. This was another deviation and distraction of the thought besides their making partners in Allah's prayers, and servitude. The Holy Qur'an has attacked the polytheists on many occasions about their polytheism in prayers. On occasions, it hammers and knocks the idea of the intercession or idols and in the following verse puts in both the subjects together.

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

And they serve beside Allah what can neither harm them nor profit them and they say these are our intercessors with Allah, say: Do you presume to inform Allah of what He knows not in the heavens and the earth? Glory be to Him and Supremely exalted is He above what they det up with Him. (10:18)

The Holy Qur'an, discarding this idea of the polytheists that they considered their idols as intercessors reflects that intercession belongs to Allah and is attributed to Him and only those can mediate who are granted permission by Allah and it is evidently clear that He does not allow the idols to mediate.

قُلْ لِلَّهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِيعًا لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

Say, Allah is the intercession altogether. His is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you all shall be brought back. (39:44)

مَا مِنْ شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ

There is no intercession except after His permission. (10:3)

In the above-mentioned verses (Allah) in connection with contradicting and discarding the belief of polytheists about the mediation of idols earmarks this fact as well that there are some personalities who can intercede by the permission of Allah.

The Prophet of Allah (S) has introduced these persons, who are permitted intercessors and Allah has given them that allowance, through many hadiths.

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قال: شفاعتي لأهل الكبائر من امتي.

The Prophet (S) said: My Intercession will include those of my Ummah who would have comitted great sins. 1

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قال: يشفع يوم القيامة ثلاثة: الأنبياء ثم الشهداء.

The Prophet (S) said: On the doomsday three groups will intercede, the Prophets, then the scholars then the martyrs. 2

Now, when the Prophets, Allah's Saints from among the scholars and clerics and martyrs are holding the stations of intercession, particularly the glorious Prophet of Islam holds the glorious station from the intercession point of view and Allah has granted this station to him, we can wish from them to mediate for us, and recommend us to Allah on the justice day.

This is exactly like requesting them to impart the knowledge of religion or ask them for our guidance. In the same way as the Prophet is a guide, purifier and a teacher, he is an intercessor too. Therefore, we can seek solicit, guidance, purity, education training, and intercession with him.

Seeking intercession with the Saints of Allah is the utmost and height of humbleness and humility before Allah. Since the servant because of his sins does not find himself the object of the kindness of Allah. But due to the optimism which he has about Him does not get disappointed from His mercy and beneficence and to seek His mercy and get benefited from His vast beneficence he makes those who have been granted permission by Allah as his mediator.

This is the reason that we see that the companions of the Prophet (S) always regularly requested him to intercede for them. They wished of him that he must not forget them on the resurrection day, and bless them with his intercession. He, by virtue of the kindness and special tender sentiments which he had about them, would commit that to them.

Now, pay attention to a few hadiths as an example, regarding the requesting and demanding of intercession by the companions of Prophet (S) from him.

عن عوف بن مالك في حديث طويل قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله:

خبرني ربي بين: أن يدخل نصف أمتي الجنة بغير حساب ولا عذاب، وبين الشفاعة. قلنا: يا رسول الله ما الذي اخترت؟ قال: اخترت الشفاعة، قلنا جميعا: يا رسول الله اجعلنا من اهل شفاعتك قال: إن شفاعتي لكل مسلم.

Malit Ibn Auf says: The Prophet of Allah (S) said: Allah gave me the choice to select any of the two either that half or my Ummah enters the paradise without any accountability and being brought to account and chaisement. We asked O Prophet of Allah! Which one will you choose '? he replied I adopted (chose) the Intercession of my Ummah my meditation will Include each Muslim. 3

عن أنس قال سألت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله ان يشفع لي يوم القيامة فقال: انا فاعل قلت: فاين اطلبك؟ قال: اطلبني أول ما تطلبني على الصراط.

Anas say: I requested the Prophet (S) to intercede for me on the justice day. He said: I will do so. I said 'where do I find you '. He said: On the Sirat (Path). 4

عن أبي موسى في حديث طويل قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أتاني جبرائيل عليه السلام آنفا فخيرني بين: الشفاعة، وبين يغفر لنصف أمتي، فاخترت الشفاعة. فنهض القوم إليه فقالوا: يا رسول الله اشفع لنا. قال شفاعتي لكم.

Abu Musa narrates in a lengthy hadith saying the Prophet of Allah (S) said: Jabriel descended from heavens and said: Allah gave me a choice between intercession and that half of my Ummah to be forgiven. I chose and adopted the intercede on. People rose to their feet and said, 'Oh Prophet of Allah do Intercede for us' The Prophet (S) said: 'I will mediate for you'. 5

عن معاذ بن جبل وأبي موسى عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أتاني آت في منامي فخيرني بين: أن يدخل نصف أمتي الجنة، أو شفاعة، فاخترت لهم الشفاعة. فقلنا: إنا نسألك بحق الإسلام وبحق الصحبة لما ادخلتنا في شفاعتك.

Maaz Ibn Jabat and Abu Musa narrate from the Prophet (S) that he said: A messenger came ta me in dream and made me choose between half of my Ummah's going to paradise and the intercession. I adopted the Intercession for them. So we said: 'We request you for the sake of Islam and the right of companionship will you that you intercede for us'. 6

عن أنس بن مالك قال: دخل رجل من دوس يقال له سواد بن قارب على النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وأنشد شعراً وفي آخره: فكن لي شفيعاً يوم لا ذو شفاعة سواك بمغن عن سواد بن رقاب.

Anas Ibn Malik says 'A man named Sawad Ibn Qarb from the Doss tribe visited the Prophet (S) and recited poem whose last rhyme said: Thus, be my intercessor on the day when no intercessor except you will make Sawad Ibn Qarb needless. 7

عن أبي هريرة في حديث طويل عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله: يذكر يوم القيامة إلى قال: فيأتون محمداً صلى الله عليه وآله فيقولون: يا محمد أنت رسول الله وخاتم الأنبياء وقد غفر الله لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر، اشفع لنا الى ربك ألا ترى الى ما نحن فيه. فأنطلق فآتي تحت العرش فاقع ساجدا لربي… ثم يقال: يا محمد ارفع رأسك تعطه واشفع تشفع.

Abu Huraira narrates a long hadith about the Justice Day in which the Prophet (S) said: Then the people come towards Muhammad and say: 'Oh Muhammad you are the Prophet of Allah and the terminator of the Prophet (hood) and Allah has forgiven your previous and later sins. Mediate for us to Allah. Do you not see our condition 8move from there to underneath the supreme throne and fall into prostration before Allah. Then, it is said (by Allah) ''Oh Muhammad raise your head. Do ask so that you may be granted and do intercede so that your intercession be accepted''. 9

زياد بن أبي زياد عن خادم للنبي صلى الله عليه وآله قال: كان النبي صلى الله عليه وآله مما يقول للخادم ألك حاجة؟ قال حتى ذات يوم فقال يا رسول الله حاجتي قال وما حاجتك؟ قال حاجتي ان تشفع لي يوم القيامة.

Zyad a servant or the Prophet narrates from the Prophet (S) that he said: From one of those things which the Prophet used to say to his servants is: 'Do you have a need?' He says one day the servant said to the Prophet 'Oh Prophet of Allah (S) I have an urge, the Prophet asked him, 'what is it your need?' He replied: 'Indeed your intercession (for myself) on the resurrection day'. 10

This was specimen of the hadiths where in the Prophet (S) has been requested for intercession and he did never stop the requesters and those demanding from malting such requests. He did not tell them to ask his intercession from Allah. Therefore, requesting the intercession of the Prophet from him is a work legal, commendable, and praiseworthy as has been established by hadiths. The companions of the Prophet (S) always requested it from him.

Had this topic go to the least tinge of polytheism, doubtlessly, the Prophet (S) would have stopped his companions from doing it. But we observe that he not only did not stop them but also gave them his word about mediation.

The point which must be stressed upon here is that as for the topic of intercession of the Prophet (S) is concerned there is no difference between his life and death. Because, according to the true hadiths which we have narrated on the back pages the Prophet (S) is the observer of the deeds of his Ummah even after his death and their words and speech do reach him. This is the very reason why Muslims, during visiting his Shrine, ask him intercession, too.

The Ziarat Namas which have been narrated in the books of the clerics and scholars of different Islamic schools of thought do contain the request for intercession.

  • 1. Sunan Abi Daud vol. 2, p. 279.
  • 2. Sunan Ibn Maja vol. 2, p. 1443.
  • 3. Majma uz zawaid vol. 1, p. 369.
  • 4. Sunan Tirmizi vol. 4, p. 621.
  • 5. Majma uz zawaid vol. 10, p. 369.
  • 6. Majma uz zawaid vol. 10, p. 368.
  • 7. Al-Isabah fi tamyiz al Sahabah, vol, 2, p. 95.
  • 8. According to true Islamic beliefs the Prophets are sinless. Therefore, sin here does not stand or its conventional meanings, rather is different with regard to the Prophets who do never, with the help of Allah, commit any in whether consciously or unconsciously. At their station sin changes its usual meanings whereby the Prophets considering themselves short of their worship of Allah ask forgiveness from Him. (Translator).
  • 9. Sahih Bukhari vol. 6, p. 158.
  • 10. Musnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal vol. 3, p. 500.