Shafa'ah (Intercession)

Shafa'ah is of two types:

The first type is the Shafa'ah that is exclusive for Prophet Muhammad 

The second type of Shafa'ah is general for all the prophets, siddiqeen, martyrs and righteous 

Shafa'ah that is exclusive to Allah's Messenger is al-Shafa'ah al- Udhma. It will be for the account to begin. On the Day of Judgment, the people will be overtaken by suffering and grief because they will be standing for fifty thousand years while the sun will be over their heads. Some of them will be surrounded by their sweat. 

People will thus look for someone to intercede with Allah on their behalf and rescue them from their suffering. They will go to Adam , who is the father of mankind. They will ask him to intercede but Adam will refuse because he had disobeyed Allah by eating from the forbidden tree.

Question: Adam's sin of eating from the forbidden tree is a sin which he repented for and then Allah chose him and gave him guidance. "Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance." [Soorah Ta-Ha (20): 121-122] (So, why will Adam refuse to intercede?) 

Reply: Yes. Allah did say that after Adam committed the sin and sought forgiveness, "Then his Lord chose him" and made him from among the guided. But Adam will refuse to intercede giving the excuse of eating from the tree because the position of intercession is a great position which requires that the intercessor be pure/upright with regards to everything since the intercessor seeks intercession on behalf of others. So if he is himself guilty, how can he be an intercessor? 

The people will thus go to Nuh and ask him to intercede but he will refuse because he had once asked for something which he had no knowledge of. He asked Allah to save his disbelieving son from drowning, "Nuh called upon his Lord and said, "O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! Certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges." He (Allah) said, "O Nuh! Surely, he is not of your family. Verily, his work is unrighteous. So ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you be one of the ignorant." [Soorah Hud (11): 45-46] So, Nuh will refuse to intercede.

The people will then come to the Khaleel of Allah, Ibraheem , who too will refuse to intercede because he had lied thrice – although, those were not lies in reality. Those were apparently the truth but the intent was contrary to the apparent and so they were likened to falsehood in some way. It is due to Ibraheem's perfect etiquette towards Allah that he will refuse to intercede. 

The people will come to Moosa , who will also refuse to intercede because he killed a man without being commanded to do so. The man referred to was killed unrightfully. Moosa came out and saw two men fighting; one was from his followers Bani Israeel and the other was from his enemy Aqbat. Moosa's follower called for help over the enemy. Moosa was a strong man and so the man died when Moosa pushed him. As such Moosa killed him before being ordered to do so and thus Moosa will refuse to intercede. 

The people will then come to Eesa who will not confess any sin rather he will acknowledge the position of Allah's Messenger and say, “Go to Muhammad - Allah has forgiven all his past and future sins.” So they will come to the Prophet and ask him to intercede. 

The Prophet will intercede with Allah and then Allah will descend to judge between His slaves. This intercession is called al-Shafa'ah al- Udhma (the Great Intercession). (The right to intercede for al- Shafa'ah al-Udhma) is al-Maqaam al-Mahmood mentioned in the Saying of Allah, "It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqaman Mahmooda." [Soorah al-Isra (17): 79]

So Allah's Messenger will intercede and Allah will descend to judge between his slaves and relieve them from this (long) standing. 

The Shafa'ah that are exclusive to the Prophet also include interceding for the people of paradise to enter Paradise. After having passed over as-Siraat (the bridge), the people of Paradise will reach the door of Jannah but they will find it locked. The Prophet will intercede with Allah to open the door of Paradise for them as Allah mentioned, "those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups till when they reach it and its gates will be opened." [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 73] 

Allah did not say, 'until when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened' as He said about the people of Fire, "those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened." [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 71]

Allah said about the people of Paradise, "when they reach it, and its gates will be opened" because the gates will not be opened until after the intercession. 

The common Shafa'ah which is for the Prophets, Siddiqeen, martyrs and the righteous will be of two kinds: 

First: Shafa'ah for the believers to be taken out from the Fire.

Second: Shafa'ah for the believers who deserve the Fire – to be saved from entering the Fire.