What is shafa‘ah (intercession), why the Shias believe in it?

Reply: Shafa‘ah {intercession} is one of the principles confirmed by Islam which has been acknowledged by all Muslim sects and schools of thought which abide by the Qur’an and Sunnah regardless of their different views about the outcome of shafa‘ah. Shafa‘ah means that an honorable person who enjoys special station and proximity to God can plead with God, the Exalted, for the forgiveness of the sins of sinners, or elevation of the station of others.
The Holy Prophet (S) says:
لاُمّتِي فَادَّخَرْتُهَا الشَّفاعَةَ اُعْطِيْتُ وَ …خَمْسًا اُعْطِيْتُ
“I have been granted five things… and I have been granted intercession which I have reserved for my ummah.”[15][84]
The extent of shafa‘ah
The Qur’an rejects the idea of absolute and unconditional intercession. Intercession cannot be effective without the following conditions:
First: The intercessor must be authorized by God to intercede. The only group that can intercede are those who, apart from having spiritual proximity to God, are authorized by Him (to intercede). In this regard, the Glorious Qur’an says:
عَهْدًا الرَّحْمٰنِ عِندَ اتَّخَذَ مَنِ إِلاَّ الشَّفَٰعَةَ يَمْلِكُونَ لاَّ
“No one will have the power to intercede {with Allah}, except for him who has taken a covenant with the All-beneficent.”[16][85]
Also, it states:
قَوْلاً لَهُ وَرَضِىَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ لَهُ أَذِنَ مَنْ إِلاًّ الشَّفَٰعَةُ تَنفَعُ لاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ
“Intercession will not avail that day except from him whom the All-beneficent allows and approves of his word.”[17][86]
Second: Also, the person to be interceded for should also be worthy of attaining the divine grace through the intercessor. That is, his faith in God and his spiritual ties with the intercessor should not be broken. As such, the unbelievers who have no faith in God and some of the sinful Muslims, such as murderers and those who do not offer prayers, who are not spiritually attached to the intercessor, will not be interceded for.
Concerning those who do not offer prayers and deny the Day of Resurrection, the Qur’an states:
الشَّٰفِعِينَ شَفَٰعَةُ تَنفَعُهُمْ فَمَا
“So the intercession of the intercessors will not avail them.”[18][87]
And regarding the wrongdoers, it says:
يُطَاعُ شَفِيعٍ وَلاَ حَمِيمٍ مِنْ لِلظَّالِمِينَ مَا
“The wrongdoers will have no sympathizer, nor any intercessor who might be heard.”[19][88]
The philosophy of shafa‘ah
Shafa‘ah {intercession}, like tawbah {repentance}, is a gleam source of hope for those who can abandon their sins in the midway of deviation and sin, and spend the rest of their life in obedience to God; for, whenever a sinful person feels that he or she can, under limited circumstances (not any circumstances), attain the intercession of the intercessor, he or she will try to keep to this limit and not go any further.
The outcome of shafa‘ah
Different views are shown by exegetes on whether the outcome of intercession is forgiveness of sins or elevation of one’s station, but the following saying of the Prophet (S):
اُمَّتي مِنْ الْكَبَائِر لأَهْلِ الْقِيَامَةِ يَومَ شَفَاعَتِي إنَّ
“My intercession on the Day of Resurrection is granted to those from my ummah who have committed major sins”[20][89]
highlights the first view.
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What is shafa‘ah (intercession), why the Shias believe in it?

Reply: Shafa‘ah {intercession} is one of the principles confirmed by Islam which has been acknowledged by all Muslim sects and schools of thought which abide by the Qur’an and Sunnah regardless of their different views about the outcome of shafa‘ah. Shafa‘ah means that an honorable person who enjoys special station and proximity to God can plead with God, the Exalted, for the forgiveness of the sins of sinners, or elevation of the station of others.
The Holy Prophet (S) says:
لاُمّتِي فَادَّخَرْتُهَا الشَّفاعَةَ اُعْطِيْتُ وَ …خَمْسًا اُعْطِيْتُ
“I have been granted five things… and I have been granted intercession which I have reserved for my ummah.”[15][84]
The extent of shafa‘ah
The Qur’an rejects the idea of absolute and unconditional intercession. Intercession cannot be effective without the following conditions:
First: The intercessor must be authorized by God to intercede. The only group that can intercede are those who, apart from having spiritual proximity to God, are authorized by Him (to intercede). In this regard, the Glorious Qur’an says:
عَهْدًا الرَّحْمٰنِ عِندَ اتَّخَذَ مَنِ إِلاَّ الشَّفَٰعَةَ يَمْلِكُونَ لاَّ
“No one will have the power to intercede {with Allah}, except for him who has taken a covenant with the All-beneficent.”[16][85]
Also, it states:
قَوْلاً لَهُ وَرَضِىَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ لَهُ أَذِنَ مَنْ إِلاًّ الشَّفَٰعَةُ تَنفَعُ لاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ
“Intercession will not avail that day except from him whom the All-beneficent allows and approves of his word.”[17][86]
Second: Also, the person to be interceded for should also be worthy of attaining the divine grace through the intercessor. That is, his faith in God and his spiritual ties with the intercessor should not be broken. As such, the unbelievers who have no faith in God and some of the sinful Muslims, such as murderers and those who do not offer prayers, who are not spiritually attached to the intercessor, will not be interceded for.
Concerning those who do not offer prayers and deny the Day of Resurrection, the Qur’an states:
الشَّٰفِعِينَ شَفَٰعَةُ تَنفَعُهُمْ فَمَا
“So the intercession of the intercessors will not avail them.”[18][87]
And regarding the wrongdoers, it says:
يُطَاعُ شَفِيعٍ وَلاَ حَمِيمٍ مِنْ لِلظَّالِمِينَ مَا
“The wrongdoers will have no sympathizer, nor any intercessor who might be heard.”[19][88]
The philosophy of shafa‘ah
Shafa‘ah {intercession}, like tawbah {repentance}, is a gleam source of hope for those who can abandon their sins in the midway of deviation and sin, and spend the rest of their life in obedience to God; for, whenever a sinful person feels that he or she can, under limited circumstances (not any circumstances), attain the intercession of the intercessor, he or she will try to keep to this limit and not go any further.
The outcome of shafa‘ah
Different views are shown by exegetes on whether the outcome of intercession is forgiveness of sins or elevation of one’s station, but the following saying of the Prophet (S):
اُمَّتي مِنْ الْكَبَائِر لأَهْلِ الْقِيَامَةِ يَومَ شَفَاعَتِي إنَّ
“My intercession on the Day of Resurrection is granted to those from my ummah who have committed major sins”[20][89]
highlights the first view.
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Tawassul {Resorting To Inter mediation}, Death and Shafa‘Ah {Intercession} According to the Shi`ah and the Wahhabis

In this chapter, tawassul {resorting to intermediation} according to Wahhabism shall be examined. The 'ulama' of this sect believe that Tawassul to other than God, paying homage {ziyarah} to a grave and praying in a place where there is a grave in front of the person praying are not consistent with Tawhid in Lordship. According to them, the requisite of Tawhid is that one should not resort to the intermediation of other than God even if he is the Prophet of Islam (s), because tawassul, shafa'ah {intercession} and the like are outside the Sunnah of the Prophet and the pious predecessors {as-Salaf as-salih}, and the Qur'an also regards this belief as polytheism.1
It is thus stated in the book, al-Tawhid bi'l-Lughati al-Farisiyyah:
Seeking the help of other than God is polytheism and seeking refuge in other than God is also within the sphere of polytheism… The Words {kalimat} of God are identical with the uncreated {qadim} Essence of God. So, for this reason, one may entreat {istighathah} these Words otherwise, such act of entreating will be regarded as polytheism.2
In refuting this proposition, it must be stated first of all that the pertinent verse had been revealed with respect to the jinn. Concerning the circumstances surrounding the revelation of this verse, it must be said that the Arabs used to believe that the jinn live in the desert, and during the pre-Islamic period of ignorance {al-Jahiliyyah}, they used to turn to the “chief of the jinn” at the time of going out of the city for help, addressing him thus: “O chief of the jinn! Save us from the evil of the jinn and preserve us from their annoyance.”
Of course, resorting to the jinn is absolutely unlawful because God has explicitly prohibited this practice. In addition to this, seeking help from anyone who denies God is obviously more so. Secondly, there are a lot of differences between the prophets {anbiya'} and messengers {rusul} who have direct connection with God, and the receivers of the divine revelation, on one hand, and the jinn who do not recognize God on the other. Therefore, the Islamic belief demands that we have to beseech and entreat God, the Exalted, and seek the intercession of those who are closer to Him.
We have mentioned earlier the viewpoint of the Wahhabi 'ulama' regarding the status of tawassul to other than God. Now, we shall examine their reasons:
First reason: By citing as proof the noble verses,
﴿قُلْ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ فَلاَ يَمْلِكُونَ كَشْفَ الضُّرِّ عَنكُمْ وَلاَ تَحْوِيلاً. أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ.﴾
Say, 'Invoke those whom you claim {to be gods} besides Him. They have no power to remove your distress nor to bring about any change {in your state}. They {themselves} are the ones who supplicate, seeking recourse to their Lord, whoever is nearer {to Him}, expecting His mercy and fearing His punishment.' Indeed your Lord's punishment is a thing to beware of,3
they have concluded that one should never seek help and resort to anyone other than God.
Analysis of the above verses
If one contends oneself with the literal meaning and not take into consideration other Qur'anic verses, these two verses will conform to the statements of the Wahhabi 'ulama' because based on these words of God, when man abandons the “nearer means” (that is, God Himself) in order to get closer to God and resorts to a “remote means” (that is, “other than God” {min duni allahi}) and one who has no power to remove distress and the like, it will fall within the spheres of polytheism in Lordship {shirk-e rububi}.
It must be noted, however, that there are other verses indicating that with God's permission, one may also resort to other than God, in which case, the issue of polytheism would be irrelevant, and one could turn for help from the individuals approved by God. If these 'ulama' had only paid attention to these other verses, they would have never committed such a glaring mistake.
Turning for help {istimdad} of the weak to the strong
In principle, tawassul is one of the laws of creation and it means resorting to a superior means in order to attain an objective. One manifestation of tawassul is a child's tawassul to his mother when something happens to him. This meaning is true in all spheres of human life—social, political, ideological, material, and spiritual. Tawassul to God is the same tawassul to that which is perfect in power and force. Tawassul to the prophets and the saints of God is a case of the tawassul of the weak to the strong, because the prophets are stronger than other human beings. One may resort to the prophets and saints for help and take their practical conduct, which we called sunnah, as models for ourselves.
Tawassul in the Qur’an
Many verses of the Qur'an and Prophetic traditions speak about the subject of tawassul to the awliya'. As an example, one may refer to the verses related to the sons of Ya'qub (Jacob) ('a):
﴿قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ. قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ.﴾
They said, 'Father! Plead {with Allah} for forgiveness of our sins! We have indeed been erring'. He said, 'I shall plead with my Lord to forgive you; indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful'.4
In these verses, the sons of Ya'qub ('a) resorted to the inter mediation of their father. They had committed mistakes so many times; they had annoyed and disturbed two prophets of God (Ya'qub and Yusuf (Joseph) ('a)), and transgressed the command of God by annoying their parents and telling lies. Since those mistakes required the sons to seek forgiveness, they took their father as their intercessor; so this action has not been denied or rejected in the Qur'an.
Since God does not reproach the sons of Ya'qub for resorting to two persons of those who are near to Him {muqarrabun}, it can be concluded that there is nothing wrong in entreating the Prophet (s) especially since the eminence of his rank and the loftiness of his station are not hidden to anyone.
The other verse which may be cited is the following:
﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا.﴾
Had they, when they wronged themselves, come to you and pleaded Allah for forgiveness, and the Apostle had pleaded for forgiveness for them, they would have surely found Allah All-clement, All-merciful.533
It can be deduced from this verse that the inter mediation of the Holy Prophet (s) can also be resorted to in asking God for forgiveness of sins.
It is possible to criticize the deduction based on the first verse with the answer that the tawassul of the sons of Ya'qub ('a) to their father had been confined to their own time; that is, one may seek the help of the living and not the dead. We shall talk about this point later on in the section concerning tabarruk.
What can be inferred from the second verse is that tawassul to the Prophet (s) is in a general sense. That is, it includes both the time when the Prophet (s) was alive and the time afterward. And there is no reason to distinguish between tawassul during and after his lifetime.
Since the following verse reproaches tawassul to idols and regards it as a form of polytheism, some individuals might cite it as proof that tawassul to other than God leads to misguidance:
﴿وَقَالُوا لاَ تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلاَ سُوَاعًا وَلاَ يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا. وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَلاَ تَزِدْ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلاَّ ضَلاَلاً.﴾
They say, 'Do not abandon your gods. Do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, Ya'uq and Nasr,' and they have certainly led many astray. Do not increase the wrongdoers in anything but error'.6
In reply, it must be said that if what is meant by “other than God” are idols, then one cannot find fault with this statement, but if “other than God” includes the prophets and awliya', then it would be contrary to the truth because these beloved ones are approved by God and are vicegerents of Allah {khulafa' Allah}. Idols are in contrast and contradiction with God while the prophets ('a) and saints are concordant with Him and are means of His grace. In the same manner, idols are a source of deviation from God while the prophets ('a) are means of guidance and righteousness. In sum, the comparison between tawassul to the prophets ('a) and tawassul to the idols is an asymmetrical and false analogy.
The other point is that an idol is basically an object of worship and not a means of nearness to God {taqarrub}. There are two types of means of nearness to God: One is legitimate, referring to the prophets ('a) and the saints, and the other is illegitimate such as idols and the like which religion has made forbidden to man.
Death according to the Wahhabis
There are different viewpoints concerning death, and we shall deal with the viewpoint of the Wahhabis on the subject. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah is reported to have said:
Tawassul to the dead, even if he be the Prophet of Islam (s), is an act of polytheism because based on the statement of the Qur'an, he is dead and extinct:
﴿إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ مَيِّتُونَ.﴾
You will indeed die and they {too} will die indeed.735
He then continues:
Entreating the dead and uttering words such as: “O my master, O the Messenger of Allah! Help me,” “O my master 'Ali ibn Abi Talib! Assist me,” and the like are acts of polytheism.836
It is indeed amazing that Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah and the Wahhabis could have no belief in the purgatorial life {hayat al-barzakh}, thinking that the dead cannot establish spiritual relations with others, while the Qur'an affirms that those who are in the barzakh are alive.9 How could the Wahhabis regard the martyrs {shuhada'} as dead while the Qur'an says,
﴿وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ.﴾
Do not suppose those who are slain in the way of Allah to be dead; rather they are living and provided for near their Lord.10
Accordingly, how could Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab also say that “Anyone who dies would be annihilated,”20 while the Holy Qur'an says,
﴿فَكَشَفْنَا عَنْكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ.﴾
We have removed your veil from you, and so your sight is acute today.11
In another place, it states thus,
﴿وَلَهُمْ رِزْقُهُمْ فِيهَا بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا.﴾
And therein they will have their provision morning and evening.12
Since there is morning and evening in the world of barzakh according to the verse quoted, and that the dead have provisions, those who are in the world of sojourn (barzakh) cannot be regarded as nonexistent {ma'dum}. Of course, morning and evening are special characteristics of barzakh because there is no sun on the Day of Resurrection which could portray this case. So, death is not equivalent to nonexistence, and the theory of the Wahhabis is consequentially rendered false.
The permission to resort to the sacred personages
In the following verse, the Holy Qur'an regards it permissible and acceptable to resort to and seek the intermediation of the chosen ones of God in seeking nearness to Him {taqarrub}:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ.﴾
O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the means of recourse to Him, and wage jihad in His way, so that you may be felicitous.13
Although in this verse seeking the means of recourse is discussed in a general sense, based on the other proofs and pieces of evidence mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and the traditions, one of its vivid manifestations is the prophets and saints. Therefore, the purport of this verse may be expressed in the following words:
Though approaching God is the outcome of grace, you have to observe God-wariness {taqwa} perfectly and since it is possible that the persons resorted to have no independence of their own and have obtained such station through sincerity {ikhlas} and God-wariness {taqwa}, you also have to maintain God-wariness in resorting to them.
Istimdad and tawassul to the living ones
Seeking help and assistance from the living is permissible and it cannot be treated as a form of polytheism. This is a point which has been endorsed and affirmed by stories in the Qur'an. For example, when Hadrat Yusuf (Joseph) ('a) was in prison he requested his cellmate, that if the latter was released, he should mention his case to the king:
﴿اذْكُرْنِي عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ.﴾
Mention me to your master.14
Or, when Hadrat Musa and Khidr ('a) arrived at a certain village, they made a request to the inhabitants of the village, hence:
﴿فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا.﴾
So they went on. When they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food.15
It can be said that the acts of these three great personalities, apart from not being acts of polytheism, they are rational and customary behaviors, having no inconsistency with their infallibility {ismah}. Also, in confirming this statement, the following verse, which is addressed to the Prophet (s), can be cited as proof:
﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا.﴾
Had they, when they wronged themselves, come to you and pleaded Allah for forgiveness, and the Apostle had pleaded for forgiveness for them, they would have surely found Allah all-clement, all-merciful.16
Based on this verse, the Prophet (s) has been granted the permission to be the intercessor of sinners. According to the Shi`ah, this intercession is still valid and is not confined to the lifetime of the Prophet (s).
The preeminence of tawassul to the Divine Essence
Before ending the discussion, it is necessary to pose this question: Which is superior, tawassul to God, or tawassul to the saints of God? It can be concluded from the verse,
﴿أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ.﴾
“whoever is nearer {to Him}”17
that tawassul to God is superior. That is, as much as possible, one must seek help from God and this is a principle to which Muslim mystics are steadfast. But just as he makes use of his intellect, natural instinct and other means in managing his life, man also seeks the assistance of intermediaries in the domain of spirituality and seeking nearness to Allah.
Tawassul as identical with servitude {‘ubudiyyah}
Since tawassul to the prophets and the awliya' of God is like the angels' act of prostration (to Adam) with the permission and command of God, resorting to these beloved ones is identical with servitude {'ubudiyyah} and worship {'ibadah}. Among the Muslim sects, only the Wahhabis do not believe in tawassul and its devotional dimension. It must be noted that this sect is trying to make its incorrect and false ideas dominant.
Of course, if we ever regard the Wahhabis' opposition to tawassul as incorrect, it is because there are authoritative traditions and hadiths that prove the incorrectness of this sect's belief. For example, after the demise of the Prophet (s) a certain Arab came to the grave of the Prophet (s) and threw himself on the holy shrine. While pouring the soil of the grave over his head, he said: “O Messenger of Allah! I heard from you the verse, “Had they, when they wronged themselves, come to you…” And now I have wronged myself and I have come here to ask you to plead for forgiveness for me.” At the end of the hadith, it is thus stated regarding this episode: “Then a voice from the grave was heard: 'You are forgiven!'”18
In another tradition, it has been narrated that there was once a famine in Medina. Bilal ibn Harith, one of the Companions, went to the grave of the Prophet (s) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! There has been no rain for quite sometime. Pray to God to shower the rain of His mercy upon us. During the night, Bilal saw the Prophet (s) in a dream, saying: “You shall soon benefit from the rain of the Lord.”
It is not useless to note the fact that Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi'i, one of the leading figures of the Ahl as-Sunnah, regards tawassul to the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) as permissible, thus saying:
آلُ النَّبِيِّ ذَرِيعَتِي وَهُمُ إلَيْهِ وَسِيلَتِي
The family of the Prophet is my shelter
and they are means of my nearness to Him (God).
Regarding Hadrat Fatimah az-Zahra ('a), the following tradition has been narrated:
“أنَّ فَاطِمَةَ جَاءَتْ فَوَقَفَتْ عَلَى قَبْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ فَأخَذَتْ قَبْضَةً مِنْ تُرَابِ القَبْرِ فَوَضَعَتْهَا عَلَى عَيْنَيْهَا فَبَكَتْ.”
“Fatimah ('a) went to the grave of the Messenger of Allah (s); picked up some soil from the grave, put it on her eyes and cried.”
It can be inferred from the above hadith that to seek the help of the Prophet, the infallible Imams and the pioneers of religion is not against the religion because a personage such as Fatimah az-Zahra ('a) used to go to the grave of her great father and seek this beloved's assistance. There is another hadith which is as follows:
Because of the effect of famine and the lack of rain, a number of people went to the house of 'a'ishah (wife of the Prophet (s)), asking for her guidance. She said to them: “Make holes on the holy shrines of the Prophet (s) in such a way that the sky would become the watcher of the holy grave of the Prophet (s) so that it would shower rain in respect for the Prophet (s). When the people followed 'A'ishah's instruction, the rain came.
Many traditions have been recorded in the book, At-Tabarruk,19 all of which show the tawassul of the Companions to the soil of grave of the Messenger of Allah (s) for cure and blessings {tabarruk}.
Shafa‘ah according to Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and Ibn Taymiyyah
Based on some verses of the Qur'an, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, Ibn Taymiyyah and the contemporary Wahhabis regard seeking help from other than God or asking for their intercession {shafa'ah} as an act of polytheism. Their main proof is the phrase, “other than God” in verse 18 of Surah Yunus.20 The Wahhabis regard the prophets, saints, idols, the jinn, and the dead as the most vivid manifestations of this verse.
In reality, they have not made any distinction between the idols during the pre-Islamic period of ignorance {jahiliyyah}, which were taken by the people as their intercessors and were held in high esteem by their forefathers, and the person of the Prophet (s) because they believe that the Prophet (s) has passed away, and as such, he could not do anything and nothing could not be expected from him anymore. Therefore, they imagine the intercession of God on the Day of Resurrection as positive, and that of the Prophet (s) or other awliya' as negative.
It can perhaps be inferred from the apparent purport of their contention that this sect rejects intercession in general. They have divided intercession into positive and negative in the following manner:
1. Positive intercession is that which comes from God. There are many verses that substantiate it, and there is no debate and dispute concerning this type of intercession.
2. Negative intercession is that which comes from other than God such as the Prophet (s), other prophets ('a) and the awliya'—of course, when they are not alive.
The most fundamental basis for this belief of the Wahhabis is the following blessed verse:
﴿وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاَءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ.﴾
They worship besides Allah that which neither causes them any harm, nor brings them any benefit, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with Allah'.2149
An analysis of the quoted noble verse:
What the apparent purport and text of the verse substantiates is that God rejects the intercession of idols, not the intercession of human beings. In other words, “besides Allah” refers to idols and it is these idols whose intercession is not acceptable to God. The following verse also confirms this contention:
﴿وَلاَ يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلاَ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ.﴾
Neither intercession shall be accepted from it, nor any ransom shall be received from it, nor will they be helped.22
The absolute negation of intercession of other than God can be deduced from the phrase, “besides Allah” which is mentioned many times in the Holy Qur'an. The absoluteness and generality of “besides Allah”, however, is mitigated by other verses, and the intercession by individuals who possess the conditions for intercession is permissible and acceptable. Some of the verses that can substantiate this claim are the following:
﴿وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ.﴾
Intercession is of no avail with Him except for those whom He permits.23
﴿مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ.﴾
Who is it that may intercede with Him except with His permission?24
﴿يَوْمَئِذٍ لاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَانُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلاً.﴾
Intercession will not avail that day except from him whom the All-beneficent allows and approves of his word.25
﴿وَلاَ يَشْفَعُونَ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ ارْتَضَى.﴾
And they do not intercede except for someone He approves of.26
Based on these verses, the intercession of those who have the permission of Allah is acceptable. Now, a question that lingers in the mind is this: Have not those who negate the intercession of the prophets and saints come across these verses, or do they have other reasons?
In reply, it must be said that the intensity of their enmity to the Shi`ah have prompted the Wahhabis to focus on the verses that negate, and not affirm, intercession. Through this method and policy, they are determined to accuse the Shi`ah of disbelief {kufr} so as to incite the entire Muslim world against the Shi`ah as much as possible. At this juncture, the hidden hand of imperialism can be witnessed in some of the religious beliefs of Wahhabism.
In opposing and besmirching Shi`ah beliefs, the Wahhabis oppose the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) upon which this belief is based. The Qur'an and Sunnah acknowledge the intercession of the prophets and the saints on the Day of Resurrection. They respect the soil of their graves, encouraging the Muslims to honor and respect them, especially the Holy Prophet (s); and are the foundations of many material and non-material activities and achievements. The Wahhabis not only regard tawassul and visitation to the graves {ziyarah} as unlawful and acts of kufr and shirk, but also deny the principle and basis of intercession.27 The consequence of this practice will be drifting away from the Prophet (s) and the infallible Imams ('a), which is itself a kind of secret attack against Islam.
The precedence of the negation of tawassul and shafa‘ah
Ibn Taymiyyah, one of the Sunni 'ulama' of the Hanbali madhhab during the 8th century AH, says regarding tawassul and shafa'ah:
Seeking help from the dead without paying attention to God, even if that person is a prophet, or requesting the dead to pray to God to grant our request, or for us to implore God, “O God! By the station and position of so-and-so, grant our request”, etc. are forbidden and impermissible, which will finally lead to polytheism in worship.2856
As we can observe, the intellectual cornerstone of Wahhabism is traceable to Ibn Taymiyyah, however, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab discusses these doctrines with more fanaticism and extremisms, especially the negation of tawassul and shafa'ah. As it is always looking for every opportunity to catch fish in troubled waters imperialism has been trying to take advantage of the record and opposition of the Wahhabi thought to the other schools {madhahib}.
They have been attempting to do this when the precedence of the Wahhhabi creed is not a proof for the madhhabi nature of the Wahhabi movement. It cannot be considered one of the Islamic schools of thought because from the very beginning, the Muslim nation, the Ahl as-Sunnah in particular, has declared the ideas of Ibn Taymiyyah and his followers as an innovation in religion {bid'ah} and to be against the religion.
The ideas of Ibn Taymiyyah and the reaction of Ahl as-Sunnah
Taqi ad-Din Abu'l-'Abbas Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah was born in 661 AH in a Kurdish-populated village called Urfah in Turkey. When the Tatars invaded the Muslim lands, he along with his family went to Damascus (Syria) and studied in the religious school {madrasah} of the Hanbalis where he engaged in the memorization of the Qur'an. He read Musnad Ibn Hanbal and the book, Mu'jam at-Tabari, and engaged in learning other sciences. It has been said that he had good memory and talent.29
Profound talent and enthusiasm prompted Ibn Taymiyyah to encounter many intellectual problems and issues during the different stages of his studies. Since he would not be convinced of the views and opinions of the professors, he gradually reached a point in his beliefs that he elicited the reaction of the 'ulama' and fuqaha {jurists} at the time which led to his imprisonment and banishment.
Before Ibn Taymiyyah had the opportunity to repent, Sultan Nasir, the ruler of the time, allowed him to return to Damascus in 709 AH and Ibn Taymiyyah also made peace with the 'ulama' and fuqaha.30 In 720 AH, he was again put behind bars for having a clash with the fuqaha on the issue of divorce but in 721 AH, he was released from prison through the letter of the Sultan.
After his release, he once again languished in the prison cell of Damascus on the order of the government for the contradictions his religious edicts had with that of the Sunni and Shi`ah fuqaha in his region.
This time, the government prohibited him from issuing religious edicts, and as per judicial decree of a Shafi'i judge, all his students including Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah were imprisoned. Meanwhile, the people had been so angry with him that they decided to kill him.
The ‘ulama'’s opposition to Ibn Taymiyyah
Ibn Taymiyyah used to regard traveling to visit the graves of the prophets ('a) and the pious as impermissible, deeming it as a sinful travel, and would rule for the completion (instead of shortening) of prayer during this travel, which led the Shafi'is to rise up in opposition to him.
In a bid to portray a veneer of moderation to his creed, Ibn Taymiyyah used to say that since the Prophet (s) and the Companions had neither visited their graves nor sought their intermediation, and that the Followers {tabi'un}31 have also not done so, none of the Muslims should deem it recommended {mustahabb}. Anyone who observed this practice had gone against the consensus of Muslims. After issuing this religious edict, Ibn Taymiyyah considered the following hadiths from the Prophet (s) as fabricated {maj'ul}:
مَنْ حَجَّ وَلَمْ يَزُرْنِي فَقَدْ جَفَانِي.
He who performs the Hajj (pilgrimage) without paying a visit {ziyarah} to me has indeed deserted.
لاَ تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إلاَّ إلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ: الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ، وَمَسْجِدِي هَذَا، وَالْمَسْجِدُ الأقْصَى.
You are not supposed to travel except for the visitation {ziyarah} of three mosques: al-Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca), this mosque of mine (Masjid an-Nabi in Medina), and al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).
These kinds of views incited the opposition of the Sunni 'ulama'. So, it becomes clear that there had been no difference of opinion regarding it until that time and the first person to initiate this difference was Ibn Taymiyyah who, while in prison, wrote books in support of his creed.
After more than two years of imprisonment in the prison cell of Damascus, Ibn Taymiyyah passed away in 728 AH and was buried in Bab as-Saghir beside his brother. In the book, Al-Kunya wal-Alqab, Shaykh 'Abbas al-Qummi opines that he was buried in Jordan. Ibn Taymiyyah was later known as Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Halim al-Harrani ad-Damishqi.
Nowadays, there is no trace of his grave and the books attributed to him, as per reported in the book, Ibn Taymiyyah batal al-Islah ad-Dini, are estimated to be as many as seventeen books.
What we quoted regarding the issue of shafa'ah was from the book entitled, Ibn Taymiyyah batal al-Islah ad-Dini. Similar subjects are also recorded in the book, Fath al-Majid, which is a commentary on the book, At-Tawhid, by Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab. In a recently written book entitled, At-Tawhid bi'l-Lughati al-Farisiyyah, there has been some modification of issues about which the Shi`ah have opposing views.
This book in which some of those issues were presented was distributed freely among the Iranian pilgrims at the Jeddah Airport in 1374 AH (1995 CE). Concerning shafa'ah, it states that shafa'ah is exclusive for God. The inclusion of the divine grace and compassion has conferred this merit upon some of the servants of God. This book narrated a certain subject from Ibn Taymiyyah, at the end of which it says:
لاَ تَكُونُ إلاَّ لأهْلِ التَّوْحِيدِ وَالإخْلاَصِ.
Intercession includes individuals who are monotheists and sincere, and by the decree of God, intercession extends to these individuals.
In this book, the author writes that according to the Shi`ah, those individuals who best embody these qualities of Tawhid and ikhlas {sincerity} are the prophets, awliya' and infallible Imams ('a) who, according to the above quotation, are supposed to possess the privilege to intercede on the Day of Resurrection.32
Notes:
1. Fath al-Majid, p. 98.
2. Al-Tawhid bi’l-Lughati al-Farisiyyah, p. 140.
3. Surat al-Isra’ 17:56-57.
4. Surat Yusuf 12:97-98.
5. Surat an-Nisa’ 4:64.
6. Surat Nuh 71:23-24.
7. Surat az-Zumar 39:30.
8. Fath al-Majid, p. 198.
9. Surat Ghafir (or al-Mu’min) 40:46: “The Fire, to which they are exposed morning and evening.”
10. Surat Al ‘Imran 3:169.
11. Surat Qaf 50:22.
12. Surat Maryam 19:62.
13. Surat al-Ma’idah 5:35.
14. Surat Yusuf 12:42.
15. Surat al-Kahf 18:77.
16. Surat an-Nisa’, 4: 64.
17. See Surat al-Isra’ 17:56-57.
18. “.غفر لك قَد القبر مِن فَنودي”
19. Ayatullah ‘Ali Ahmadi Mayanji, At-Tabarruk (Beirut), pp. 147-151.
20. Surat Yunus 10:18: “They worship besides Allah that which neither causes them any harm, not brings them any benefit, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say, ‘Will you inform Allah about something He does not know in the heavens and on the earth? Immaculate is He and exalted above [having] any partners that they ascribe [to Him].”
21. Surat Yunus 10:18.
22. Surat al-Baqarah 2:48.
23. Surat as-Saba’ 34:23.
24. Surat al-Baqarah 2:255.
25. Surat Ta Ha 20:109.
26. Surat al-Anbiya’ 21:28.
27. For more information, see Sayyid Ibrahim ‘Alawi, Tarikhcheh-ye Naqd wa Barrasi-ye Wahhabiyyah, pp. 257-353 and other books included in the bibliography of this book.
28. Mahmud Mahdi al-Istambuli, Ibn Taymiyyah batal al-Islah ad-Dini (Beirut: Nashr Maktaba’l-Islami, n.d.), pp. 136, 139.
29. Mahmud Mahdi al-Istambuli, Ibn Taymiyyah batal al-Islah ad-Dini (Beirut: Nashr Maktaba’l-Islami, n.d.), pp. 136, 139.
30. Mahmud Mahdi al-Istambuli, Ibn Taymiyyah batal al-Islah ad-Dini (Beirut: Nashr Maktaba’l-Islami, n.d.), pp. 30.
31. Tabi‘un [‘Followers’ or ‘Successors’] refers to the second generation of Muslims who came after the Companions, who did not know the Prophet (s) but who knew his Companions. [Trans.]
32. At-Tawhid bi’l-Lughah al-Farisiyyah, no. 27, p. 123.
al-islam.org

Intercession of the righteous on Judgment Day

The summary of a narration noted in volume 3 of Bihar is that, on the Day of Judgment, a voice will be heard from the Source of Majesty: O People! You fixed ranks of grace and honor on lineage, race, wealth and beauty. We have also fixed righteousness the criterion of gracefulness and honor. You acted in the world on the basis of your own standards and took pride in the said race, wealth, name and fame. All of you acted on this basis.
What you did not do was to see who has righteousness for honoring him. Now today is the day on which I act according to My criteria. Then comes a voice: O Righteousness people! Get up. O those who were God’s servants indeed! Rise up as your grace is to be manifested this day. According to the narration, every one of such righteous people will intercede for communities as big as Rabeeah and Mazar (two largest tribes in Arabia). God will multiply their honor. One of the wisdoms behind intercession is the manifestation of the grace of the intercessor. Hence the intercession of Husain in the highest of all, which, we hope, will reach everyone.
Bani Asad arrives in Medina
We will speak about faith and Islam and the circumstances of the revelation of the holy verse afterwards. The tribe of Bani Asad, whose population was apparently big, got up, took up their means and arrived in Medina and remained there. Greedy Arabs arrived and said: We want to become Muslims. They accepted Islam and stayed in Medina. They filled up the city of Medina. A number of them struck tents outside Medina and lived there. Every morning and evening, they came to the mosque and stayed with the Prophet saying, "O Messenger of Allah! We are different from all other tribes. Others submitted under pressure after wars and we did not resort to fight but have arrived ourselves willingly to become Muslims. Everyone else had come alone but we have come with our women and children and our belongings. Please include us in sharing the war booty."
This shows with what thinking they had become Muslims. In short, they created a sort of trouble for the Prophet. This verse, which I want to recite, refers to this group and so that all may know, till Judgment Day that what the Muslims who come later on and say: "There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah" and offered prayer, have an apparent or outward faith. This expression of faith is only on the tongue. There is nothing in the heart. It is of no use after death. As it was related only to the tongue, it has vanished. Does a man not lose his tongue after his death? Everything else also which is merely on tongue goes away. But what is in the heart or soul stays forever.
﴿
قَالَتْ الأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا
﴾
"The dwellers of the desert say: We believe. (49:14)"
These Bedouin Arabs arrived in Medina and said: We are believers.
﴿
قُلْ: لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا
﴾
"Say: You do not believe… (49:14)"
Say, you have not put faith. Is faith a joke? Is it merely on tongue or it is with devotions?
Faith is the awakening of the heart
True Faith is a divine light hidden in the heart. When did they believe truly? Yes, they say: We have submitted. So there is a difference between Faith and Islam, (between faith and submission). Islam means apparent acceptance, that is when they are told: Say "I witness that there is no god except Allah and I witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah", they utter so and also say Judgment Day is truth. You must offer prayer, observe fasts in Ramadhan, and go for Hajj also if possible.
Surely they accepts all this. That is very good. This is Islam, which is like the skin. Its keeps the body clean and makes one eligible for marriage, inheritance, and protection of life, wealth, property and honor. It is allowed to give them daughters, and to take daughters from them in marriage. Even when he dies, his relatives inherit from his property and he also gets inheritance from others. These rules are related to the confession by tongue, even if he has no faith in the heart. But if he dies in this state or condition, he has no benefits in the Hereafter.
Woe if one becomes a Muslim due to some greed. It also happens sometimes that a young boy intends to marry a Muslim girl. She says: I will not marry you until you become a Muslim. The boy says: All right, I become a Muslim. He takes that girl too. This marriage is also valid. His Islam also is good for this job. But if death comes to him, it is not known what will happen. This Islam, which was for getting a girl will be accepted and admitted in the society of Muslims. But this not the faith for which the Holy Prophet had arrived. The faith desired by the Holy Prophet is that man’s heart should know Allah. His interior should have fear of God. He must be afraid of the accountability on Judgment Day. Only verbal utterance of the words: The Hour will arrive, no doubt therein," is not enough.
He must, from his heart, believe in: "The questioning of Munkar and Nakeer in the grave is truth". He must truly realize and know that dreadful things are ahead. Until this thing does not exist in one’s heart, hundreds of verbal utterances are of no use. This is Islam. But until there is true belief in Paradise, Paradise is not attainable. Faith in Paradise is different from Islam. Faith in Paradise means that the heart must long for the reward of Allah and strive to attain it in a serious way. O friend! If you have a strong desire to build a palace; you work for it with or without saying, "I want a palace." The deep desire in your heart makes you work for your desired thing. But if he does not work for a thing he will not get it even if he calls for it a hundred times with his tongue.
If one says only with his tongue that Paradise is true, he does not go to Paradise. Hell is true. Does he escape from fire? What is required is belief in Paradise and hell in heart, not only on the tongue. In other words, on the tongue and in the heart, both. Islam means tongue. Faith means heart. God is present everywhere and sees everything. "He is with you wherever you may be." This is Islam. Faith is that the heart should develop a condition whereby even in his house he says: God is present everywhere. If there is an opportunity of sinning and even if there is no deterrent. There is a fear in his heart, which says God is Omnipresent. A kind of light (Noor) is created in his heart whereby he sees that God is present everywhere.
Faith has not yet entered your hearts
The Arabs say: We have believed. Say: You have not yet believed. But say: We have accepted Islam. Faith has not yet entered your hearts. If faith has entered the heart it must show some signs. It is not possible that real faith be signless. Fear and hope are two solid pillars of faith. It is impossible that there is Faith in heart but man does not fear divine punishment. At a thought of sinning, he does not tremble due to what is to happen on Judgment Day. It is not possible for the faithful not be eager for divine reward and Paradise. He will run after every good for buying Paradise, for building Paradise, for making arrangements for the Hereafter. If you see one who has become cold and lazy, know for sure that faith has not entered his heart.
They did not come up for jihad
The same Arabs who said: We are believers, when the Holy Prophet called upon them to participate in the battle of Hudaibiyah they turned back. Those who said: ‘We are the faithful’ did not arrive. This shows that Jihad requires Faith. It also required spending money in the path of God and even sacrificing ones life. Unless the noble aim is not in one’s mind, how can he give his money? Anyone in whom you see that he finds it difficult to spend in the cause of God, know that his faith is weak. If he does not spend at all, then know that he has no faith at all.
Therefore, He says: If you obey the orders of Allah and His Prophet, He will not decrease anything from your reward. O Arabs! O Bedouins! O the ones who claimed to have faith! We also tell you that you still do not have sincere faith. If you do act according to faith sincerely, then you should obey the commands of God and His Prophet. Your reward will not only not be decreased but you will receive it multiplied.
Imam reza network

Intercession of Prophets and Holy Imams

In the fourth and fifth verse of Surah Zoha.
Fourth verse "And surely what comes after is better for you than that which has gone before"
Fifth verse "And soon will your Lord will give you so that you shall be well pleased."
In these verses, God promises the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) to give him such things that he will become very much satisfied.
In ‘Tafseer-e-Durral Mansur’, it is written that on the Day of Judgment the Prophet (S.A.W.) will be permitted to intercede (recommend) the sinners of his Ummah (followers) will to be pardoned by God.
Ahmad Hanbal is the Imam of Hanbalis who has also written in his book ‘Musnad’ that the Prophet of God (S.A.W.) has said that he has been given five things and out of those five one thing is ‘intercession’ (recommendation) of the Sinners to God.
In books ‘Sunnan Tirmizi’ and ‘Sunnan Darmee’ the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) is quoted having said that on the Day of Resurrection it will be HE who will intercede (recommend) the sinners to God.
In ‘Musnad Ahmad Hanbal’ the Holy Prophet has said that he spent the whole night in praying God to bestow upon him the right of interceding (recommending) his ill-doing people on the Day of Judgment, and God the almighty accepted his supplication.
In spite of a big volume of traditions and verses of the Holy Quran Wahabis proclaim (declare) that anyone having the belief of intercession (recommendation) to God is likely to be killed. Certainly, such people who entertain this kind of false thing do not have any solid grounds upon which they can base their version. Even they do not have any solitary (secluded) tradition from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) to prove their claim and also they cannot present any verse from the Holy Quran. So it is a perceptible (visible, apparent) and clearly visible form of Terrorism.
There are many other references as well to be cited (quoted) in this connection, regarding intercession.
In Sahih Muslim, there is a Tradition of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) that if in a certain funeral forty people offer the funeral prayers, then that deceased, (dead) person is blessed from God.
In Sahih Tirmizi, it is narrated by a source Anas bin Malik that once he requested the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) to intercede (recommend) him on the Day of Judgment. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) promised him affirmatively.
The Wahabi Scholars and preachers (Ulemas) take the support from those verses of the Holy Quran, which are about idols, in which it is clearly said that the idols can’t intercede (recommend) you to God.
In Surah Yunis verse 18, "And they worship beside God what can neither harm them nor profit them and they say: These are our intercessors with God." it has been clearly mentioned that these idols neither can give you benefit nor can inflict any trouble on you and cannot intercede you to God.
Imam reza network

Asking the rightful intercessors for intercession (shafa‘ah)

While discussing this question, it is assumed that intercession {shafa‘ah} exclusively rests with God as it is stated in the Holy Qur’an:
قُل لِّلَّهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِیعًا
“Say, ‘All intercession rests with Allah’.”[21][90]
Therefore, turning for intercession to any other than God means asking for God’s absolute right from His servant and seeking such a need is, in reality, worshipping other than God which is inconsistent with “monotheism in worship” {tawhid fi’l ‘ibadah}.
Reply: Here, shirk {polytheism} does not mean polytheism in essence, creative power or in design (governing); it actually means polytheism in worshipping Him.
Obviously, elucidating this point depends on the correct interpretation of worship and devotion, and we all know that in interpreting the word “worship” we have not been authorized to consider as “worship” any form of submission to a creator or any type of request from a servant (of God).
According to the Glorious Qur’an, the angels prostrated to Adam (Adam) (‘a):
فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ ٭ فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ
“‘So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration before him.’ Thereat the angels prostrated all of them together.”[22][91]
This prostration, though decreed by God, it was not meant to worship Adam (‘a), otherwise God would not have ordered it.
Similarly, the sons of Ya‘qub (Jacob) (‘a) as well as Ya‘qub himself prostrated before Yusuf (Joseph) (‘a):
ورفع أبويه على العرش وخروا له سجدا
“And he seated his parents high upon the throne, and they fell down prostrate before him.”[23][92]
If we consider this humility as equivalent to worshipping Yusuf (‘a), then Prophet Ya‘qub (‘a) who has a station of infallibility {‘ismah} must not have done it nor must he have been pleased with his sons’ act. Meanwhile, there is no way of expressing humility that is loftier than prostration.
Consequently, we must distinguish between the concept of “humility” or “asking from other than God” and that of “worshipping God”. The true meaning of worship is to think of a creature as a god and worship it/him, or to regard a phenomenon as one of God’s creatures and assume that it has been commissioned to perform divine actions, such as governing the world and forgiving sins.
But when showing humility to someone and we do not regard that one as a god and we do not think that he or she has been commissioned to perform divine actions, such humility will mean nothing but an expression of respect to that one as in the case of the angels’ reverence to Adam (‘a) or the honor paid by the sons of Ya‘qub to Yusuf (‘a).
Regarding this question, it must also be stated that to assume that the right of intercession has been granted to the rightful intercessors and that they can unconditionally intercede for people or forgive their sins will entail polytheism {shirk}, for this means seeking what is with God from other than Him.
But when we think that a group of pure servants of God are authorized within a certain context to intercede on behalf of the sinners without assuming that they possess the station of shafa‘ah and we think that the most important requisite is God’s permission and good pleasure, it is clear that resorting to a righteous servant (of God) for intercession does not mean recognizing him as a god nor does it mean that the responsibility of the divine affairs has been entrusted to him; rather, it means asking someone who is worthy of it.
In the lifetime of the Prophet (S) sinners would come to him and ask him for forgiveness (of the sins) and he would not accuse them of polytheism. In the Sunan of Ibn Majah, the Prophet (S) is reported to have said:
فإنّه قال: .أعلم رسوله و الله قلنا: الليلة؟ ربّي خيّرني ما أتدرون”
فاخترت الشّفاعة بين و الجنّة امّتي نصف يدخل أن بين خيّرني
“.مسلم لكلّ هي قال أهلها من يجعلنا أن الله أَدْعُ الله رسول يا قلنا الشّفاعة
Do you know what God has granted me this night?” We said: “God and His Prophet know better.” He added: “He has granted me the favor of choosing one of two things: the first is that half of my ummah shall enter paradise and the second is the authority to intercede. So I chose the second.” We said: “O Messenger of Allah! Ask God that we will be worthy of it (intercession).” He said: “It will be for all Muslims.[24][93]
In this hadith, it is clearly shown that the Companions of the Prophet (S) are asking him for intercession, saying, “Ask God that…”
The Holy Qur’an also states:
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا
“Had they, when they wronged themselves, come to you and pleaded Allah for forgiveness, and the Apostle had pleaded for forgiveness for them, they would have surely found Allah all-clement, all-merciful.”[25][94]
Elsewhere, the Qur’an quotes the sons of Ya‘qub (‘a) as saying:
خَٰطِئِينَ كُنَّا إِنَّا ذُنُوبَنَا لَنَا اسْتَغْفِرْ يَٰأَبَانَا قَالُوا
“They said, ‘Father! Plead {with Allah} for forgiveness of our sins! We have indeed been erring’.”[26][95]
So, Hadrat Ya‘qub (‘a) promised them to plead with Allah to forgive them without accusing them of polytheism (for asking him to plead for forgiveness):
قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّيَ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“He said, ‘I shall plead with my Lord to forgive you; indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful’.”
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Shafaaat (Intercession)

The Entire Creation Including Messengers Will Need Muhammadi Shafaa'at
As per Bihar-ul-Anwaar, Abu Aiman is reported to have said that he once requested Imam Baqir (a.s): O Son of Rasoolullaah! You saints have made people proud (careless) by promising shafaa'at to them. This made the face of Hazrat turn red. He said: "Woe unto you. On the Day of Ressurection, all the formers and the latters, including even messengers, will be in need of the intercession of my grand father Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). Have you become proud imaging that you need no Shafaa'at!
Greater Intercession Is The Prerogative Of Only Muhammad And Aale Muhammad (a.s.)
The main shafaa'at is the intercession by Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and the Aale Muhammad (a.s.). Rest of intercessors are branches of the main one. This is to convey that they got this privilege because of the formers. For example, among the rest of the intercessors are also the ulema (scholars) and the righteous who will help many in entering paradise. Can they ever be other than the followers of Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.)? Likewise, among the intercessors will be Momineen (faithful persons) too. The Masoom (a.s.) says that every momin will intercede n favour of a hundred persons. From where the Momineen got this honour? Only from Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.). Also for instance, the intercessors will also include the Saadaats. Have they not been given this respectable position only due to their belonging to the Holy Progeny? Similarly the Holy Quran and the Holy mosques will also intercede on the Day of Resurrection. They too are among the aasaar (symbols) of the aforesaid Holy persons.
Intercession At Every Stage
The main place of intercession is the field (Maidaan) of Mahshar (Qiyamat). But there are evidences to show that intercession is effective not only in Barzakh but also in this world. For example, some kind of calamity is about to fall at a certain place but that trouble is removed as a result of the intercession of Hazrat Valiy-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.). Or, for instance, a body is under chastisement in the grave (barzakh) but some one from his relatives in the world approaches the Holy Ahle Bayt (a.s.) and after much weeping makes them a waastah (medium). The Merciful God pardons the aforesaid dead relative or friend due to the holiness of the said saints. If all our said masters will intercede God will surely forgive us. Many such events have taken place. (In this connection, martyr Dastgaib Shirazi has, in his commentary of Surah Najm quoted two events. Those who wish may refer to pages 120-131 titled 'Shafaa'at by Hazrat Abul Fazl Abbas'). The story of Syed Humeri is also to be found in many books. (Refer to Gunaahaan-e-Kabeerah under Aasaar-e-Share Khumr).
Student Who Became A Doctor
An event of healing by Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.) is also recorded in our world and that is the story of Haji Mirza Khalil. It is a recent event. Some aged people even today may remember it. At first Haji Mirza Khalil was a student in Madressa Daarus Shifaa in Qum. Once when he was sitting in his room, an old lady came running anxiously and said: "My lady master has a serious heart trouble. Do you know any medicine?" The Haji who had no concern with medical science, at once replied: Give such and such medicine to her. Next day he saw people coming to him with plates full of tasty foods as fees of his prescription. Thereafter neighours knew that a very knowledgable doctor has arrived in the madressa who cures serious illnesses only through prescriptions. As a result, people began to rush to the Haji's room. He also thought that the arrangement won't do. So he purchased Hakim Momin's book 'Tohfaa' and after studying it, engaged in the work of a medical practitioner regularly. He became an expert physician soon and people took him to Tehran and he remained in that profession for long. Once he thought of going to Karbala but he was not in a hurry about it. One night, he saw some one in his dream who was telling him: If your intention is to visit Karbala Shareef, then make haste for there is a likelihood of a ban on visits to the Holy Place after about two months (and so happened).
An Indian Syed Lady And Leprosy
The late Haji Khalil proceeded towards Karbala within two months and witnessed what he had seen in his dream and understood that it was a Rooyaa-e-Saadiqah (a true dream). He stayed in Karbala for quite a long time and continued his medical practice there also. One day, two ladies came to him. One of them showed him her hand which had a strange kind of wound on it. The Haji said: This illness is called Khorah which has reached the bone and hence become incurable. That lady returned very disappointed. But her companion came back and said: O Haji! Did you not recognize that lady? The Haji said: No. She said: That woman is a lady Syed (Alavi) and she is one of the Indian princesses. Her longing for Ziyarat of Husain (a.s.) has dragged her upto Iraq along with all her wealth. Now she has also become poor due to this ailment since long. You too have made her hopeless! The Haji said: Please bring her back at once. When that lady returned, the Haji said: O respected madam! Though this ailment is very complicated and hard, I will make you use some medicines. God willing (Inshaa Allah) you will soon recover.
So the treatment began and the lady's hand was cured. After this, that lady was so impressed by the Haji that she stayed in his premises and behaved like a kind mother with him.
You Will Die After Ten Days
After a few days, Haji Khalil saw the same person in his dream whom he had seen earlier (and who had advised him to hasten to Karbala). Now he told the Haji: You will fall ill and die after ten days. Haji made his will. He became ill after a few days and his condition turned for the worse until on the tenth day; he was almost dead. When the Haji was breathing his last, that Alwi lady came up to him. Seeing the Haji's serious condition she became very fearful. She told the people not to touch the Haji until she returned. She proceeded directly to the Holy Haram (tomb) of Syed-us-Shuhadaa (Imam Husain a.s.), caught hold of the net and said: O His Grandfather! I will obtain the Haji from you. Please take back his life from Almighty God. Then she wept so much that she fainted. In her consciousness she saw that the Hazrat (a.s.) was telling her: O My Daughter! What has happened to you? The lifespan of the Haji has ended and the time of his death has arrived. That lady submitted: I know nothing of it. I am asking the Haji from you.
Double Life Due To Barkat OF Husain (a.s.)
The Hazrat (a.s.) said: Okay. Since you are insisting so much, I am praying to Almighty Allah. If He wills, He will return the Haji to this world. After a short time, the Hazrat smiled and said: God has answered my prayer and He has returned the Haji to the world and has also doubled his lifespan. At that time the Haji was thirty year old. Thereafter he died at the age of ninety years. During that period he got four sons one of them being the great Marjaa Faqeeh Alhajj Mirza Husain and another was a famous doctor.
Briefly concluding, when the Alawi lady heard this good tiding and returned to Haji's house, she found him sitting in a good condition. He exclaimed: O respected Alavi Madam! May God give you a great good reward.
One of the admonitions mentioned in Haji Khalil's will was his instruction to his son that he must take care of Saadaats (Syeds), especially their respected and honourable ladies, as they are very esteemed in the highest court of Almighty Allah.
There are many similar examples in books. In Darus Salaam of Iraqui, the last chapter of which is about wonders resulting from the Tawassul of Ahle Bayt (a.s.) there is a story of a child (from Turbat Peach) who had died after falling from the ceiling of his house.
Our Hope Is Closely Connected With The Intercession Of The Holy Prophet
Che Gham...Kishtibaan
Meaning: (O Mercy for Mankind
What fear is there to the wall of the community when a personality like you are its support. What fear can there be of ocean waves for a man whose ship is being navigated by Noah (a.s.)!
It is mentioned in vol. 3 of Biharul Anwaar that the Holy Prophet said: "A prayer of every messenger is necessarily answered. Earlier messengers made that prayer concerning this world and God accordingly answered it here and fulfilled their aim. I have left that prayer for the Hereafter so that the sinners of my community (Ummah) may be forgiven." Let us hope that this great mercy will include us also.
There are several narrations regarding the intercession by Fatima Zehra (s.a.) based on the sayings of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imams (a.s.). According to one of such narrations, the impeccable (a.s.) has said, after making a mention of Fatima (s.a.)'s arrival in the field of Mahshar and her welcome there: "Every woman who never missed an obligatory prayer (Namaz), compulsory fast, and Hajj and payment of Zakat dues and whose husband was also not displeased with her, will certainly be entitled to the intercession of Fatima Zehra (s.a.)."
Intercession Is The Anchor Of Hope, Not Of Pride
Of course it must always be remembered that shafa'at or intercession must not make one proud or careless, imagining that as the said shafa'at is certainly from the Ahle Bayt (a.s.) we may do whatever we please or like. No, it is never so. There are some sins which result in man's departure from this world as a Kafir (denier). In that case there is no question of intercession. Again there are some sins the punishment for which must be suffered in hell till the sinner is purified and only thereafter he may become qualified for shafa'at. So man must remain fearful of God at every moment and along with it, he must also remain hopeful of the Most Merciful's Mercy.
A'raaf
Wal Alal...Bi Seemaahum (Surah A'raaf: 46)
Translation: And some people will be on A'raaf who will recognise everyone by looking at their foreheads.
According to the news given by Ahle Bayt (a.s.) A'raaf is high place which will on Siraat. God Almighty will allow room for the Holy Prophet and Ahle Bayt there. One with a shining forehead will be recognized as a friend of Aale Muhammad (a.s.) and Ali (a.s.) will allow him to proceed to paradise. Accordingly the meaning of the above quoted verse will be: Wal Alal... (Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) will recognize everyone passing from over the bridge from their faces.
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