Explanation of the author's statement: "And His saying: 'Say: Intercession is entirely Allah's'" (the verse).
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The Shaykh :"And He, the Exalted, said: [Az-Zumar 39:44]" This is a sentence consisting of a subject and a predicate, in which the predicate was placed first to convey exclusivity: intercession belongs to Allah alone, all of it, entirely to Allah. Nothing of it exists outside the permission and will of Allah, the Exalted. The noble verse conveys all of this; it indicates that there are types of intercession, and that is indeed the case. The scholars have divided intercession into two main categories:
The first category: The intercession specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The second category: The general intercession for him and for all the believers.
As for the first category, which is the intercession specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), it is of three types:
The first: The great intercession for the people of the standing place, where Allah judges between them.
The second: Intercession for the people of Paradise so that they may enter Paradise.
The third: Intercession for his uncle Abu Talib so that Allah may lighten the punishment for him.
These are three types specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the great intercession, on the Day of Resurrection, in that great standing place, the people will be afflicted with distress and sorrow that they cannot bear. Some of them will say to others: "Seek for us someone who will intercede for us with Allah Mighty and Majestic." They will go to Adam, the father of mankind, and remind him of the attributes by which Allah distinguished him: that Allah created him with His Hand, taught him the names of all things, and made His angels prostrate to him. They will say: "Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are in?" Adam will excuse himself by saying that he disobeyed Allah Mighty and Majestic. How? By eating from the tree. It is known that if there is something that tarnishes the intercessor's honor in the eyes of the one being interceded to, he will not intercede; he will be ashamed of it. Although Allah turned to Adam (peace be upon him) in mercy, chose him, and guided him when he repented to his Lord, as He said:[Al-A'raf 7:23] Then they will go to Noah and remind him of the attributes by which he was distinguished, that he was the first messenger Allah sent to the people of the earth. He will excuse himself, excusing himself by saying that he asked for what he had no knowledge of when he said: [Hud 11:45] Then they will go to Abraham (peace be upon him) and remind him of his attributes, but he too will excuse himself by saying that he told three lies. They were lies, but they were true in their intent, because although they appeared to be lies, they were true according to his intention. Then they will come to Moses, who will excuse himself. They will remind him of attributes that would warrant intercession, but he will excuse himself (peace be upon him) by saying that he killed a soul for which he was not commanded to kill it, namely the Egyptian. When the Israelite cried out to him, Moses struck the Egyptian and killed him, so he died. Then they will come to Jesus (peace be upon him), who will excuse himself. However, no excuse is mentioned that would prevent him from interceding; rather, he says: Sahih al-Bukhari 4476 He refers them to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) without mentioning an excuse that would stand between him and intercession. They come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he intercedes with Allah Mighty and Majestic for Him to judge between His servants, and Allah the Exalted judges between them. This is intercession specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, none of the resolute prophets precede him in it, not even Adam, the father of mankind. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) precedes them in it. This is part of the Praiseworthy Station that Allah promised him in His saying: [Al-Isra 17:79]
As for the second, he intercedes for the people of Paradise so that they may enter it. Because when the people of Paradise arrive, having crossed the Sirat and reached it, they find it not open. They ask for intercession for them, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intercedes with Allah, Exalted and Majestic, to open the gate of Paradise for the people of Paradise. This is indicated by the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Az-Zumar 39:73] He said: in the Fire. He said: [Az-Zumar 39:71] As for Paradise, He said: Because something is omitted, meaning that what happened of intercession took place and the gates were opened.
As for the third, the third type, his intercession is for his uncle Abu Talib so that Allah may lighten the punishment for him. This is an exception to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Muddaththir 74:48] and to His saying: [Taha 20:109] The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) interceded for his uncle Abu Talib so that Allah would lighten the punishment for him, due to Abu Talib's support of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his defense of him. But did he come out of the Fire and be saved from it? No, but the punishment was lightened for him until, may Allah protect us from that, he was in a shallow pool of Fire, with sandals of Fire on his feet from which his brain boiled. This intercession is specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). No one intercedes for a disbeliever ever, except the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And even then, the intercession was not accepted in full; rather, the punishment was lightened.
As for the second category, the general one for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and others, it is also of types. Among them is: Intercession for those who have earned the Fire so that they do not enter it. This can be evidenced by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Ibn Hibban 11:194 If this is the case, this is intercession before entering the Fire, and Allah the Exalted intercedes for them in that.
The second: Intercession for those who have entered the Fire so that they may be brought out of it. This is also established by hadiths; in fact, hadiths have been mass-transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding it. The Companions agreed upon it, and the people of the religion agreed upon it, except for two groups: the Mu'tazilah and the Khawarij. The Mu'tazilah and the Khawarij deny intercession for the people of major sins absolutely, because they hold that the doer of a major sin is to remain in the Fire forever, and for one who has earned eternal abode, intercession is of no benefit. They deny that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone else intercedes for the people of major sins so that they do not enter the Fire, or if they enter it, so that they may be brought out of it. Their statement is invalid by explicit text and consensus.
As for the third of the general types, it is intercession for raising the ranks of the believers. This is also taken from the supplication of the believers for one another, as it leads to the raising of ranks, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding Abu Salmah:Bulugh al-Maram 538 So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for him that Allah would raise his rank among the guided. And supplication is intercession, as we indicated earlier in the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Ibn Hibban 11:194. And these people supplicate. If you say: "It was mentioned earlier that intercession does not occur except by the permission of Allah, so how is the supplication of a person for his brother called intercession? Did the person seek permission from his Lord for that?" The answer is: Yes, indeed Allah commanded him to do so. Allah commanded that a person supplicate for his dead brother and commanded him to supplicate. So is it permission or not? It is permission and more. These are the types of intercession. Thus, intercession in its totality consists of six types: three specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and three general for him and for the other believers (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for the invalid intercession, it is the intercession of shirk, which is the intercession of the idols for their worshippers. This is invalid intercession because Allah is not pleased with the intercessor nor with the one for whom intercession is sought. So Allah does not give permission to this one or that one. So, does the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Az-Zumar 39:44] indicate that intercession is singular and not multiple? It is multiple, as you know.
Say, "To Allah belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely.
قل لله الشفاعة جميعاًThe first category: The intercession specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The second category: The general intercession for him and for all the believers.
As for the first category, which is the intercession specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), it is of three types:
The first: The great intercession for the people of the standing place, where Allah judges between them.
The second: Intercession for the people of Paradise so that they may enter Paradise.
The third: Intercession for his uncle Abu Talib so that Allah may lighten the punishment for him.
These are three types specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the great intercession, on the Day of Resurrection, in that great standing place, the people will be afflicted with distress and sorrow that they cannot bear. Some of them will say to others: "Seek for us someone who will intercede for us with Allah Mighty and Majestic." They will go to Adam, the father of mankind, and remind him of the attributes by which Allah distinguished him: that Allah created him with His Hand, taught him the names of all things, and made His angels prostrate to him. They will say: "Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are in?" Adam will excuse himself by saying that he disobeyed Allah Mighty and Majestic. How? By eating from the tree. It is known that if there is something that tarnishes the intercessor's honor in the eyes of the one being interceded to, he will not intercede; he will be ashamed of it. Although Allah turned to Adam (peace be upon him) in mercy, chose him, and guided him when he repented to his Lord, as He said:
They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."
ربنا ظلمنا أنفسنا وإن لم تغفر لنا وترحمنا لنكونن من الخاسرينMy Lord, indeed my son is of my family; and indeed, Your promise is true; and You are the most just of judges!"
رب إن ابني من أهلي وإن وعدك الحق وأنت أحكم الحاكمينgo to Muhammad the Slave of Allah whose past and future sins were forgiven by Allah
اذهبوا إلى محمد عبد غفر الله له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخرit is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.
عسى أن يبعثك ربك مقاما محموداAs for the second, he intercedes for the people of Paradise so that they may enter it. Because when the people of Paradise arrive, having crossed the Sirat and reached it, they find it not open. They ask for intercession for them, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intercedes with Allah, Exalted and Majestic, to open the gate of Paradise for the people of Paradise. This is indicated by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened
حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءُوهَا وفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَاand it was opened
وفتحتuntil, when they reach it, its gates are
حتى إذا جاءوها فتحتand its gates were opened
وفتحتAs for the third, the third type, his intercession is for his uncle Abu Talib so that Allah may lighten the punishment for him. This is an exception to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So there will not benefit them the intercession of [any] intercessors.
فما تنفعهم شفاعة الشافعينThat Day, no intercession will benefit except [that of] one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and has accepted his word.
يَوْمَئِذٍ لا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلاًAs for the second category, the general one for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and others, it is also of types. Among them is: Intercession for those who have earned the Fire so that they do not enter it. This can be evidenced by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
There is no Muslim who dies and forty men who do not associate anything with Allah stand over his funeral prayer, except that Allah will intercede for them in his case
ما من مسلم يموت فيقوم على جنازته أربعون رجلاً لا يشركون بالله شيئاً إلا شفعهم الله فيهThe second: Intercession for those who have entered the Fire so that they may be brought out of it. This is also established by hadiths; in fact, hadiths have been mass-transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding it. The Companions agreed upon it, and the people of the religion agreed upon it, except for two groups: the Mu'tazilah and the Khawarij. The Mu'tazilah and the Khawarij deny intercession for the people of major sins absolutely, because they hold that the doer of a major sin is to remain in the Fire forever, and for one who has earned eternal abode, intercession is of no benefit. They deny that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone else intercedes for the people of major sins so that they do not enter the Fire, or if they enter it, so that they may be brought out of it. Their statement is invalid by explicit text and consensus.
As for the third of the general types, it is intercession for raising the ranks of the believers. This is also taken from the supplication of the believers for one another, as it leads to the raising of ranks, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding Abu Salmah:
O Allah! Forgive Abu Salamah, raise his status among (Your) rightly guided servants, make his grave spacious, and fill it with light for him, and be his successor in taking good care of his descendants whom he has left behind, (and make them pious).
اللهم اغفر لأبي سلمة، وارفع درجتَه في المهديين، وافسح له في قبره، ونور له فيه، واخلُفه في عقبهThere is no Muslim who dies and forty men who do not associate anything with Allah stand over his funeral prayer, except that Allah will intercede for them in his case
ما من مسلم يموت فيقوم على جنازته أربعون رجلاً لا يشركون بالله شيئاً إلا شفعهم الله فيهAs for the invalid intercession, it is the intercession of shirk, which is the intercession of the idols for their worshippers. This is invalid intercession because Allah is not pleased with the intercessor nor with the one for whom intercession is sought. So Allah does not give permission to this one or that one. So, does the saying of Allah the Exalted: