Introduction

Meaning: Asking an intermediary to press or support one’s request to another. The keyword here is “intermediary”. Shafa’ah is also known as intercession.

Types: Worldly and Spiritual

Worldly Shafa’ah

1.   It is allowed as long as you’re interceding in that which is good.

2.   For example, you ask a friend of yours to recommend you to your friend’s boss because you’re applying for a job there. Here, you are using your friend as an intermediary.

An-Nisa 4:85

Whoever intercedes in good, he is rewarded for it. Whoever intercedes with a harmful intercession, he will bear its burden. Indeed Allah is able to do anything. (Surah an-Nisa’ 4:85)

Spiritual Shafa’ah

The Rule and the Two Conditions of a Valid Spiritual Shafa’ah

The Quran states that ALL Shafa’ah belongs to Allah.

Say, “To Allah belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned.” (Surah az-Zumar 39:44)

Rule: Shafa’ah must be asked from Him and not from the one who will do the intercession.

Plus, no Shafa’ah shall be accepted by Allah until two conditions are met:

First Condition: Allah must grant the intercessor permission to intercede.

Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.  (Surah al-Baqarah 2:255)

Also, refer to 34:23, 20:109, and 43:86.

Imagine a King – a very powerful King – who has all the power imaginable. The whole world under his feet. And you are at his presence. Do you dare to speak in front of him without his permission?

Second Condition: Allah must be pleased with the person whom the intercessor is interceding for.

They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command. (Surah an-Anbiya’ 21:27)

A Shaheed (martyr) can intercede on the Day of Judgment. However, he/she can’t intercede for whomsoever he/she wills. That person whom the martyr is interceding for must be pleased by Allah.

Wisdom of Spiritual Shafa’ah

1.   It is a means of honouring some people. Imagine having the permission to speak when no one else can speak in front of your Creator. Indeed, it is an honour.

2.   It is also a means of showing mercy to others. By Allah allowing certain people to intercede for you, it is one of many ways that Allah is Merciful to you.

Types of Spiritual Shafa’ah

First Type: General for all creation (with respect to the two conditions mentioned before).

Examples:

1.   Raises the rank in Jannah (Paradise) to be with the loved ones.

  • Jannah has many levels/ranks. Let’s say that you are in Jannah and your wife is at a level above you. She can ask Allah to bring you up to her level so that the two of you will be together.
  • If you marry another man/woman after your wife/husband passed away, you will be with the last person you’re married to. That’s why ‘Aisyah was prevented to marry another man.
  • Lesson: Marry righteous people!

2.   Saved from the Fire of Hell.

  • For example, your stillborn child (born from the womb after 120 days until before 40 days of Nifas) whom you have made ‘Aqiqah will tie his/her umbilical cord around you on the Day of Judgment and pull you to Jannah, disallowing the Angel to take you to Hell.
  • Lesson: Do not grieve over your stillborn child ^_^

3.   Removed from Hellfire before completing one’s time.

  • The people in the Hellfire will ask the people in Jannah to ask Allah to forgive them.
  • For example, one who is in Jannah would probably say, “O Allah! My friend so-and-so often went with me to the Masjid, helped me in times of need, attended Usrah,…, please forgive him.”

Second Type: Specific to Prophet Muhammad PBUH

Examples:

1.   Intercession to start the Reckoning on the Day of Judgment.

  • The Day of Judgment will be long for some people. They can stand waiting for 50,000 years before the Reckoning starts!
  • The Prophet PBUH will make Sajda to ask Allah to start the Day of Judgment. This is what we ask Allah for in the Du’a after the Azan which is the Maqam-e Mahmood.

2.   Intercession for his entire Ummah.

  • “Allah gave all of the Prophets at least one Du’a [each] which He has answered [in the world], except for me: I have preserved my Du’a and will use it on the Day of Judgment for Allah to enter my Ummah into Jannah [by forgiving them].” (Sahih Muslim)
  • 120 rows will enter Jannah, the first 80 will be Prophet Muhammad’s Ummah.
  • Lesson: Indeed, we should love this man more than our parents.

3.   Intercession for his uncle.

4.   Intercession to open the gates of Paradise.

5.   Intercession for those who made Du’a to Allah for him.

6.   Intercession for the major sinners who are still praying and upon Tawheed.

When Does It Becomes Shirk?

1.   Asking a living person to make Du’a for you is permissible.

  • Provided that you know that only Allah answers your Du’a.
  • It’s not recommended to this often. You might be too dependent on others’ Du’a and think that your Du’a isn’t going to be answered because you’re not good enough or for some other reasons.

2.   Asking a dead person at his/her grave (at a distance where normally a living person can hear you).

  • Could be Shirk if you believe that the person in the grave has the right/obligation that Allah will give him/her intercession.
  • Could be Bid’ah if you believe that the dead can hear you in a way that he/she can hear you if he/she is alive.

3.   Asking a dead person far away from his grave (at a distance where it is impossible for a living person to hear you).

  • For example, calling out to a grave in Canada from Malaysia.
  • This is Shirk because you are giving the attribute of being All-Hearing to the dead.

Disclaimer

This note was taken from the course Lord of the Worlds, organized by AlKauthar Institute of Toronto. The course was taught by the founder of AlKauthar, Shaykh Tawfique Chowdhury. This note is in no way a substitute for this course for it is a different experience entirely. I would highly recommend that you attend this course, Insha Allah you can benefit more from it. If you wish to take anything from this note and include it in your own article, please provide a link to AlKauthar Institute so that people will know the source of the information. Allahua’lam.