1. Journey of the spirit, Lesson 17, The intercession (SHAFA’A)

2. The intercession (SHAFAA’A) Allah has the right of the forgiveness to his servants, same as the death, which he made EZRAEEL the chief commander of this responsibilities, and he assigns the angels to execute this responsibility. The same is here Allah (swt) has given the great intercession to the Prophet Mohammad (S), who will use a part of it, and he has given his Infallible (AS) house hold and other Prophets, so they will use this right and then they will give their beloved ones also some of this right too. So we can divide the Intercession into three categories: 1.The Prophet Mohammad (S) 2.The other Prophets (S) and the Infallibles (AS) 3.The others, such as Parents, children, Spouses, the scholars, the friends, the servant, the teacher and the scholar,…….

3. Levels of intercession in narrations: 1.Intercession of the Prophet Mohammad (S), no eternity for Muslims who are in hell fire and did not have any grudge on the Infallibles (AS). 2.The AARAAF (Heights) intercession of the Infallibles (AS) including lady of light Fatima (AS) prevent from falling into the hell fire. 3.Others which will reduce the time on the Bridge of SIRAAT, these others as mentioned: Quraan, scholar, pious friend, spouse, teacher, martyr, servant, parents, children, blood relatives, neighbor, ………. And so on. (some of these narrations are subjected to further investigation)

4. Indication from the Quraan: قُل لِّلَّهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِيعًا لَّهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ {44} [Shakir 39:44] Say: Allah's is the intercession altogether; His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, then to Him you shall be brought back. مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ [2:255]who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission? وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ [Shakir 43:86] And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for intercession, but he who bears witness of the truth and they know (him). لَا يَمْلِكُونَ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَنِ عَهْدًا {87} [Shakir 19:87] They shall not control intercession, save he who has made a covenant with the Beneficent Allah. وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لاَ يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ {124} [Shakir 2:124] And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said: Surely I will make you an Imam of men. Ibrahim said: And of my offspring? My covenant does not include the unjust, said He.

5. Friends Intercession in the Quraan وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْآزِفَةِ إِذِ الْقُلُوبُ لَدَى الْحَنَاجِرِ كَاظِمِينَ مَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ {18} [Shakir 40:18] And warn them of the day that draws near, when hearts shall rise up to the throats, grieving inwardly; the unjust shall not have any compassionate friend nor any intercessor who should be obeyed. يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ {19} [Shakir 40:19] He knows the stealthy looks and that which the breasts conceal. الْأَخِلَّاء يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ {67} [Shakir 43:67] The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard (against evil). وَلَا يَسْأَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا {10} يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِنِيهِ {11} وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ {12} وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْويهِ {13} وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ {14} كَلَّا إِنَّهَا لَظَى {15}.

6. Evil ones will think of themselves [70:10] And friend shall not ask of friend [70:11] (Though) they shall be made to see each other. The guilty one would fain redeem himself from the chastisement of that day by (sacrificing) his children [70:12] And his wife and his brother [70:13] And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter, [70:14] And all those that are in the earth, (wishing) then (that) this might deliver him [70:15] By no means! Surely it is a flaming fire نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَى {16} [Shakir 70:16] Dragging by the head, تَدْعُو مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّى {17} [Shakir 70:17] It shall claim him who turned and fled (from truth),

7. Description of those who can intercede إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ {22} [Shakir 70:22] Except those who pray, الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ {23} [Shakir 70:23] Those who are constant at their prayer وَالَّذِينَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ {24} [Shakir 70:24] And those in whose wealth there is a fixed portion. لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ {25} [Shakir 70:25] For him who begs and for him who is denied (good) وَالَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ {26} [Shakir 70:26] And those who accept the truth of the judgment day وَالَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ {27} [Shakir 70:27] And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord-- إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ {28}

8. More description of the intercessors [Shakir 70:28] Surely the chastisement of their Lord is (a thing) not to be felt secure of-- وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ {29} [Shakir 70:29] And those who guard their private parts, إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ {30} [Shakir 70:30] Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess-- for these surely are not to be blamed, فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاء ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ {31} [Shakir 70:31] But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that go beyond the limits-- وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ {32} [Shakir 70:32] And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenant وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَادَاتِهِمْ قَائِمُونَ {33} [Shakir 70:33] And those who are upright in their testimonies, وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ {34} [Shakir 70:34] And those who keep a guard on their prayer,

9. Why the Intercession? Why doesn’t God forgive all without this type of procedure? God wants people to appreciate the intercessors, and show the people how important the position and the rank of the interceders is. So if we know such we will try to respect them in our world so that we can benefit from their intercession, may be, the only thing remains from me to enter the Paradise is the intercession of one person, and may be if I am deprived from that I may be stuck on the bride of SIRAAT for long time, and the intercession can decrease that time. So if we will respect and appreciate all those who have the right of intercession in this world, they will respect us on that difficult time, because it is a real intercession, if they wish not to do so, Allah will not push them to intercede, so there intercession makes a real change, not like some said that it does not have any real affect, and it is just a picture. But indeed it is a real intercession.

10. Conditions of Intercession: Allah has made conditions of intercession, there are people they will be deprived from the intercession, and the permission is not granted to the intercessors, those who are qualified for an intercession and God gives the permission to the intercessors, does not mean that they have to intercede, it is an option for the intercessors. So their intercession can make a difference, if they do not, then the sinner will be punished. Those who do not qualify to be interceded are:

11. Intercession will not benefit the: إِلَّا أَصْحَابَ الْيَمِينِ {39} [Shakir 74:39] Except the people of the right hand, فِي جَنَّاتٍ يَتَسَاءلُونَ {40} [Shakir 74:40] In gardens, they shall ask each other عَنِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ {41} [Shakir 74:41] About the guilty: مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ {42} [Shakir 74:42] What has brought you into hell? قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ {43} [Shakir 74:43] They shall say: We were not of those who prayed; وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ {44} [Shakir 74:44] And we used not to feed the poor;

12. Who else? وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ {45} [Shakir 74:45] And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who entered into vain discourses. وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ {46} [Shakir 74:46] And we used to call the day of judgment a lie; حَتَّى أَتَانَا الْيَقِينُ {47} [Shakir 74:47] Till death overtook us. فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ {48} [Shakir 74:48] So the intercession of intercessors shall not avail them. And it has been mentioned that those murderers, idol worshippers, enemies of the Infallibles (AS), those who continuously commit great sins,…refer to the narrations of Ahlul Bayt (AS).