INTERCESSION (SHAFA^AH)
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, to Him belong the endowments and proper commendations. May Allah increase the honor of Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, raise his rank, and protect his nation from what he fears for it.
Thereafter, it was said:
Prophet Muhammad spoke of several points, on the Day of Judgment, when God will allow intercession. Intercession is the asking of one for the help of another. On the Day of Judgment, some creations will ask God to help creations other than themselves.
Let it be known that the intercession on the Day of Judgment will only be for believers, that is, Muslims. As we said, the Muslims are of two types on the Day of Judgment: Muslims who are not tortured, and Muslims who are tortured but will finally get to Paradise. The Muslims who are tortured are called “great sinners who were not forgiven”. Those Muslims, who were great sinners and were not forgiven, will have various tortures and humiliations, we ask God not to be among them. Ameen.
When the Muslims who are able to intercede see those other Muslims being tortured, they will ask God to lessen their fellow Muslim’s torture, or make it end before the time they deserve. One point when intercession will take place is when the heat of the sun tortures some Muslims. Another time is after crossing the Bridge. After crossing the Bridge, some Muslims will have fallen into Hellfire. Other Muslims, who made it across the bridge, will ask God to take their fellow Muslims out of Hellfire, before the time they deserve.
The Prophets will intercede for their own followers. As well as Prophets, other creations are granted the ability to intercede. Some of these are: angels, practicing scholars of Islam, martyrs for seventy of their family members, and children for their Muslim parents.
Prophet Muhammad said that his intercession is for the major sinners of his Nation. Prophet Muhammad also said that the one who visited his grave would receive his intercession. God said in the Qur’an in verse 28 of Suratul-Ambiya’ that the intercessors do not intercede except for those who died as Muslims.
May Allah save us from being among the Muslims who deserve torture; and make us among the pious Muslims, who are able to intercede. Ameen.