The Ruling on One Who Denies Intercession

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Intercession is established by the Book and the Sunnah, and whoever denies it has denied what is established in the Book and the Sunnah. Does this not make the one who denies it a disbeliever? I hope for clarification on the fact that the denier is an innovator and not a disbeliever?

Answer:
Yes, intercession is established in the Book and the Sunnah, but the one who denies it is not a disbeliever. The one who denies it is not a disbeliever because the evidence for it is not like the evidence for what is known of the religion by necessity. What is known of the religion by necessity includes the obligation of prayer, the obligation of zakah, the obligation of Hajj, the prohibition of riba (usury or interest), the prohibition of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), undutifulness to parents, and the prohibition of sorcery. These are matters known of the religion by necessity. As for intercession for the people of major sins, this is not among what is known of the religion by necessity. So, the one who denies it is called a wrongdoer, and he is not called a disbeliever.