Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Lesson 19: Love for the Ahlul Bayt

{قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى الْقُرْبَىٰ

وَمَن يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَّزِدْ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسْنًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ}

Say 'I do not ask of you a wage for this, except love for the kinsfolk; and whosoever gains a good deed, We shall give him increase of good in respect of it. Surely God is All-forgiving, All-thankful. (Ash Shura 42:23).

The Holy Qur’an shows us this kind of position multiple times, which the Prophets seek nothing of rewards or wages from the people. In Surah Ash Shura from Ayahs 100 to 180, this kind of statement from different Prophets is repeated. Likewise, the Prophet (pbuh) also did not seek any materialistic compensation, but twice in the Holy Qur’an from he was ordered by Allah with the statement “Say” to seek a spiritual compensation that will benefit the people themselves.

This spiritual compensation itself comes in the form of two phrases. In one instance, it comes in the following terms:

{قُلْ مَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ أَن يَتَّخِذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلًا }

Say: 'I do not ask of you a wage for this, except for him who wishes to take to his Lord a way.' (Al Furqan 25:57).

And in another form, as stated in the Ayah at the start of this lesson. And in the following Ayah we see that the benefit of the spiritual compensation being sought is for the people themselves:

{قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُم مِّنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ }

Say: 'I have asked no wage of you; that shall be yours. My wage falls only upon God; and He is witness over everything.' (Saba 34:47).

So the Prophet (pbuh) announces that if I was to seek any compensation and ask for you to love my kinship, the Purified Household (pbuth), it is for the reason that the benefit of this will fall back to yourselves, because anyone who has a close relationship with the Purified Household (pbuth), will be followers and supporters of the Purified Household (pbuth) and anyone who is a proactive supporter of the Divinely Guided will be following the path of Allah.

“…except for him who wishes to take to his Lord a way”, is like the example of a teacher that says to their students I seek nothing from way but that you study the subject well, a benefit that will go back to the students themselves. So therefore, the reward of the message is two: One is to choose to follow the Path of Allah and the other is for the Love of the kinsfolk. It is of interest that in both phrases the term “except” is used, indicating that my reward is that and only that.

With a little reflection, we come to understand that following the path of Allah and the love of the Purified Household is one and the same, because if they were two, it would be a contradiction, that is, it cannot be said I will only study in winter and then say I will only study in summer. The restriction must be for the one thing only.

The Prophet is ordered once to seek compensation from the people in the form of only following the path of Allah and in another instance, is ordered to seek compensation in the form of only love of kinship. In reality, these two requests are one. That is, the path of Allah is the love of the Purified Household.

From the point of view of love of the Purified Household (pbuth), two things are necessary: One is comprehension of and knowledge of the Purified Household, so who does not know them cannot possibly be passionate for them. The second, is submissiveness and adherence, as love without obedience is a form of fakery, a sham, a form of lip service and a lie. So, anyone who takes orders from any other than the Purified Household of the Prophet is yet to follow the path of Allah. That is what the Holy Qur’an is telling us.

As for the intellect, the rewards must be as heavy and weighty as the action. There is nothing as weighty or worthy of a reward for the message other than Imamate. The reward of the message is the continuation of the guidance it delivers, the reward of one Divinely Guided, is passing on the guidance to another Divinely Guided. The reward of the just, is passing on the work to another just person.

Our intellect tells us that where there is kindness there also needs to be gratitude, and if today the kindness of the Prophet has reached us and we have been guided to Islam, then we should compensate for it and if the reward for the guidance is the love of his kinship, today there must also be present his kinship for us to show love and obedience. Yes, today indeed we must show obedience and adherence to the Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi (pbuh).

Otherwise, how could it be that we say Muslims, at the outset of Islam, were ordered to pay compensation for their guidance by being obedience to and showing love for the kinship of the Prophet, but in today’s Islam, such a requirement is not present? Or that there is no kinship for us to be obedient and submissive to? Of course, the obedience and submissiveness to the Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi (pbuh), during the period of his occultation, is to work towards his message and go follow those he has entrusted, the scholars that are just and that have control over whims and desires.

Our intellect understands that, from the love of kinship as the reward for the Prophet that has led to hundreds of millions to guidance, happiness and great divine bounties, the kinship and those who fall under the banner requiring the love of kinship, are the best of the best and Divinely Guided. Therefore, the reward for the Divinely Guided Prophet can never be to love and follow one who has committed sin. It simply cannot be believed that people who have committed sin be loved and supported as compensation for all of time and obligated upon Muslims, and no Islamic group (other than Shia Islam) can identify their leader as Divinely Guided, sinless, and no one or group till now has ever narrated sin being committed by the Divinely Guided^ nor have they named a teacher for them.

Intellect tells placing guidance in the hand of a guide that is not Divinely Guided is not only oppressing human kind but oppression upon all of existence. That’s because all of existence was created for mankind (all Ayahs indicate the existence was created for use by and the pleasure of mankind). So is it not oppression upon mankind and all of existence that for mankind to reach spiritual and real perfection, and to reach a level of divinity, to be guided by one who is not himself Divinely Guided?

If narrations tell us that the foundation of religion is to know, support and be guided by the Divinely Guided:

بني الاسلام على خمس...الولاية1

And if Imam Ali‎ (pbuh) divides people between those who will go to heaven and those who will end up in hell:

قسيم الجنة والنار2

And if prayers are not accepted where there is no acceptance of the Guidance by the Divinely Guided3 , and if the love of kinship is a good deed4 , and if their visitation and seeking their assistance has been advised, it is all because of the chemistry of the love for kinship.

Two great Sunni scholars, Zamkhshari and Fakhrirazi, in their own exegesis have stated that the Prophet has stated:

• Whoever dies upon the love of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies a martyr.

• Whoever dies upon the friendship of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies repentant.

• Whoever dies upon the love of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies with perfected faith.

• Whoever dies upon the love of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies based upon the tradition of the way of the Prophet?

So, the question now is, can love of kinship without submissiveness also be considered for martyrdom, forgiveness and perfection?

Under those very exegeses in the explanation of this Ayah they state that the Prophet said:

الا و من مات على بغض آل محمد جاء يوم يقوم القيامة مكتوب بين عينيه آیس من رحمة الله

Whoever dies with animosity and hatred towards the kinship of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) will be raised on the day of resurrection with writing between his eyes: They are despaired and deprived from the Mercy of Allah.

الا ومن مات على بغض آل محمد مات كافرا

Whoever dies with animosity and hatred towards the kinship of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies an unbeliever.

الا ومن مات على بغض آل محمد لم يشم رائحة الجنة

Whoever dies with animosity and hatred towards the kinship of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) will not smell the aroma of paradise.

Fakhrirazi in his exegeses states that once the Ayah for the love of kinship was revealed, it was asked of the Prophet who is it that it has been obligated upon us to love? The Prophet replies Ali, Fatima and her sons (pbuth), and then adds that the Prophet (pbuh) states

فاطمة بضعة منَى يؤذيني ما يؤذيها

Fatima (pbuh) is a part of me, whoever hurts her, hurts me, and whoever hurts the Prophet (pbuh) is punished with the curse of Allah:

{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّـهُ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا }

Those who hurt God and His Messenger them God has cursed in the present world and the world to come, and has prepared for them a humbling chastisement. (Al Ahzab 33:57).

In the narrations, we read that Imam Hassan (pbuh) under the Ayah

{وَمَن يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَّزِدْ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسْنًا }

…and whosoever gains a good deed, We shall give him increase of good in respect of it. (Ash Shura 42:23).

Stated that a good deed is the love of us, The Purified Household.

اقتراف الحسنة مودّتنا اهل البيت

Notes

1. (Al Kafi ) V2 P18

2. (Bihar Al Anwar بحار الأنوار ‎ ) V5 P186

3. (Bihar Al Anwar بحار الأنوار ‎ ) V27 P168

4. (Bihar Al Anwar بحار الأنوار ‎ ) V43 P362

Lesson 20: Imammat and Wilayet

The Final Message from The Prophet

{يَٰٓأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ

وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُۥ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْكَٰفِرِينَ}

O Messenger, deliver that which has been sent down (with regards to the Wilayah of Imam Ali×) to thee from thy Lord; for if thou dost not, thou wilt not have delivered His Message. God will protect thee from (the evilness of) men (and those who are unable to tolerate hearing this message). God guides not the people of the unbelievers. (Al-Maida 5:67).

In all of the Holy Qur’an this is the one and only place that the Prophet (pbuh) has been threatened with regards to reservation in delivering the message, in that if he does not announce it, all of the 23 years of deliverance will be useless.

The Honourable Messenger (pbuh) said to Imam Ali ‎ (pbuh) that if he I do not deliver the message relating to your guardianship all of my deeds will be erased.

In this Ayah, a few points come to light relating to this topic:

1. Surah Al Maida is of the last Surahs that were revealed to the Prophet (pbuh).

2. In this Ayah, instead of saying Oh Prophet, the term Oh Messenger has been used, indicating the significance of the message.

3. In place of ابلغ the term بلغ has been used for the word “deliver”, which is a means of signifying a decisive, formal and important message.

4. The Prophet is threatened with the loss of his entire life’s work being nullified if he does not announce this single important message.

5. The Prophet is not afraid for his own life, as history shows that when he was fighting idol worshippers alone and in the battles with the disbelievers, he was never afraid of danger. (while there were showers of stone and his companions were being tortured…now why would he be afraid for his life towards the end of his life and amongst his own companions?).

6. The message of the Ayah is not related to monotheism, Prophethood or resurrection, as these fundamentals where already established at the outset of the revelation in Mecca and there is no need for all this advice at the end of his life.

7. The message of the Ayah is not related to prayers, fasting, pilgrimage, Islamic taxes or Jihad, as these were clarified over the span of 23 years of revelation and invitation to Islam, and the people also acted upon these deeds and there was no concern over them.

All exegetists of the Shia and some of the Sunni schools indicate this Ayah is proof of the guardianship of Imam Ali‎ (pbuh) and that it was revealed on the 18th of Dhil Hijja in the tenth year of Hijra on the return trip from the Farewell Pilgrimage and is when the well-known narration was stated:

من كنتُ مولاه فعلىَ مولاه

Whomever I was guardian over, so Ali (pbuh) is their guardian.

It was when the choices that need to be made for salvation and its path was made clear. Imam Baqir (pbuh) stated:

بني الاسلام على خمس: على الصلاة والزكاة والصوم والحج والولاية ولم يناد بشئ كما نودي بالولاية، فأخذ الناس بأربع وتركوا هذه

Islam is based upon five foundations: Prayers, Islamic Tax, Fasting, Pilgrimage, and Guardianship (of the Purified Household (pbuth)), so the people accepted four and left this (the fifth, being guardianship).

The Wilayah/Guardianship Is the Perfection and Completion of The Message

{الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَٰمَ دِينًا}

Today (the day of the appointment of the Guardianship to Imam Ali (pbuh)) the unbelievers have despaired of your religion; therefore fear them not, but fear you Me. Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion. (Al Maida 5:3).

According to both Shia and Sunni schools, this part of the Ayah, starting from “Today I have perfected…” was revealed after the appointment of Imam Ali (pbuh) as the guardian in Ghadir Khum1 .

Without even looking at narrations that have been passed on, from an intellectual point of view this relationship can be confirmed as the Ayah discusses four features of the day:

1. The day the disbelievers despaired.

2. The day the religion was perfected.

3. The day that the blessings of Allah upon mankind was completed.

4. The day Islam was accepted and approved as a complete religion by Allah, and no other days other than the Day of Appointment for the Prophet (pbuh), migration, the liberation of Mecca, the victories of battles… and all the rest with all their value, none could add up to the four important features identified in this Ayah.

So it is only this day in Ghadir Khum that can have the four points combined in the one place:

• As for the despair of the disbelievers, it is because the allegations, war and ill intentions towards the life of the Prophet (pbuh), would remain unsuccessful, having had his death as being their only hope. With the appointment of Imam Ali (pbuh), it became understood by all that the death of the Prophet (pbuh) no longer meant the annihilation of his religion, because a personality such as Imam Ali (pbuh) would take the Prophets (pbuh) place as guardian of the Nation. Here it was that all the disbelievers became hopeless.

• As for the perfection of the religion, it is because of all the religious requirements concerning the laws and principles of the religion were stipulated, but a Guardian over the religion was not appointed, a provision of the religion would remain missing.

• As for the completion of blessings, it is because the most significant blessing the Holy Qur’an points towards is the identification of the Guardian. The Prophet passing away and the Nation remaining without a Guardian would be an action that a shepherd would never do to his flock. How could it be that the Divine Blessing be completed without the appointment of a Guardian.

• As for the approval of Allah, it is for the reason that every time a law is completed and justly carried out, it becomes the reason for His satisfaction.

For these reasons (perfection of religion, completion of blessings, Divine Approval and despair of disbelievers), we have in narrations of the Purified Household (pbuth) that he Eid of Ghadir is considered one of the most significant festivals.

Sometimes the effect of something depends on gathering all the requirements together, such as fasting, where breaking the fast even moments before the call to prayer will render the fast void. From this point, the term “complete” is used:

{أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى الَّيْلِ }

Then complete the Fast unto the night (Al Baqarah 2:187).

And sometimes, it is that every part of the whole can have its own effect, such as the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, in that reciting the whole Book is its completion or reading any part of it has its own rewards.

Sometimes, some parts are such that if they were not there, a part would be missing, despite the rest of the parts being present. Look at the example of the pilot and driver where an airplane and car without them would mean they are useless. Wilayah and the True Guardianship are just like that, because mankind is connecting to Allah and without Guardianship, creations and blessings become troublesome and mankind will not reach Allah.

Who Is the Guardian?

{إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُمْ رَٰكِعُونَ}

Your friend is only God, and His Messenger, and the believers who perform the prayer and pay the alms, and bow them down. (Al Maidah 5:55).

The reason for the revelation of this Ayah, in both Sunni and Shia schools, is that a poor man entered the Mosque of the Prophet and sought help from the people. No one paid him alms. Imam Ali (pbuh), while in a state of prayer, and specifically in rukoo’, gifted him his ring. In honoring this generosity, revealed this Ayah.

The Prophet (pbuh) in Ghadir Khum, in order to show the status of Imam Ali (pbuh), recited this Ayah, and Imam Ali (pbuh) recited this Ayah multiple times to indicate the same.

It’s true that the best form of introduction is one where the quality and characteristics of the individual is stated and the audience find the individual themselves through that introduction (The Ayah does not mention the name of Imam Ali (pbuh) but describes his qualities and actions).

The Guardianship of Islamic Jurist is in line with the Guardianship of the Divinely Guided. In Maqboola of Omar Bin Handhala2 , we read a narration that states Imam Sadiq(pbuh) said look at he who narrates our traditions, and looks at our rules of what is permitted and forbidden, and knows our laws, so accept his judgement as it is I that have placed him as a judge over you.

قد جعلته علیکم حاکماً

Notes

1. Ghadir Khum is the name of the location in which these Ayahs were revealed.

2. مقبوله عمر بن حنظله

Lesson 21: The Imam of The Time

Allah’s Successor in The World

{وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِى ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًٔا وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الْفَٰسِقُونَ}

God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make you successors in the land, even as He made those who were before them successors, and that He will surely establish their religion for them that He has approved and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security: 'They shall serve Me, not associating with Me anything.' Whoso disbelieves after that, those - they are the ungodly. (An Nur 24:55).

In the narrations, there are many traditions where we read from the Divinely Guided the full extent of this Ayah is the day of governance of Imam Mahdi (pbuh) In the Holy Qur’an, the ultimate government will be run by the righteous is stipulated multiple times. For example:

{لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ }

That He may uplift it above every religion (Al Tawba 9:33).

Meaning that Islam will succeed over all other religions. Elsewhere:

{أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ الصَّٰلِحُونَ }

The earth shall be the inheritance of My righteous servants. (Al Anbiya 21:105).

And:

{وَالْعَٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ }

The issue ultimate is to the godfearing. (Al A’raf 7:128, Al Qasas 28:83).

The meaning of “successors” in this Ayah is either that of the righteous successors from Allah or the ruin of the corrupt governments and replacing them with the righteous government.

“Qurtabi”, in his exegesis, in regard to the complete success of Islam narrates a number of hadiths that say on Earth, not a single dwelling will remain where Islam has not entered that house.

The Prophet, on the return trip of his last Pilgrimage in Ghadir Khum, appointed Imam Ali (pbuh) as his successor on the order of his Lord, and the Ayah was revealed that states today Allah has chosen for you Islam as your religion (Holy Qur’an 5:3). In the same Ayah Allah promises the victory of this religion which he has approved:

{دِينَهُمُ الَّذِى ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ }

Their religion for them that He has approved (An Nur 24:55).

And the religion the Allah has approved and announced is that very religion of Ghadir Khum.

Messages that can be taken away from this Ayah are:

1. Islam is the future religion of the world. The future of history will be for the benefit of the believers and the demise of the dominating disbelievers. “God has promised…, and that He will surely establish their religion”.

2. The disadvantaged believers are given hope so that they can withstand the pressures and hardships they are going through, and they do not despair as a result of them. “God has promised those of you who believe”

3. The key and secret ingredient to obtaining rightful and widespread governance is only faith and good deeds. “God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds…” is a promise who have faith and perform good deeds, not just who have faith.

4. Religion and politics are not separate, but rather, politics and government is there for the preservation of religion. “make you successors in the land….'They shall serve Me”.

5. In propagation and guiding the community, in order to make them believe, an example of history is indicated. “Even as He made those who were before them successors”.

6. The final victory will be to those who are with the Truth, one Divine Tradition. “Even as He made those who were before them successors”.

7. The goal for the victory of the people of Truth and faith is the settlement and stability of the Divine Religion on earth, and to arrive to monotheism and complete safety and security. “He will surely establish their religion…and will give them in exchange….not associating with”.

8. The religion of Islam is the only religion that will be to the Divine Contentment of Allah. “Religion for them that He has approved”.

9. True security and safety comes under the shadow of a theocratic government. “And will give them in exchange, after their fear, security.”

10. Under the pious government will be a group that will be deviated. “God has promised…. Whoso disbelieves after that”.

Remnant of God

Remnant of God بقیة الله

In narrations, wherever there is a blessed presence of the Divine Will for something to be retained from humanity, is referred to as “Remnant of God”, or بقیة الله (Baqqiyat Allah), an example, are the believing soldiers that return triumphantly from the battlefield, and are so called, having survived with the will of Allah, Remnants of God.

In reference to the Imam of our Time#, the term is also used, because by Divine Will, he has been held back for the guidance of mankind’s remembrance and guarded away from the people.

In narrations, we have that one of his blessed names is Remnant of God and we refer to him by this name:

السلام علیک یا بقیة الله في ارضه

Peace be upon you of Remnant of God on His land.

At the time of his reappearance, the Ayah 86 of Surah Hud will be recited

{بَقِيَّتُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ }

God's remainder is better for you, if you are believers. And I am not a guardian over you. (Hud 11:86).

And he will then say I am he who is the Remnant of God.

Of course, this tile has also been given to the other Divinely Guided.

Lesson 22: Intercession

Intercession and Conditions of Intercession

{يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَٰعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَرَضِىَ لَهُۥ قَوْلًا }

Upon that day the intercession will not profit (anyone), save for him to whom the All-merciful gives leave, and whose speech (the one who seeks or gives the intercession) He approves. (Ta Ha 20:109).

Denial of intercession is in contradiction of the Holy Qur’an and narrations and is the source of despair for believers who commit sins, and acceptance of unconditional intercession or qualification is the reason for the defiance of wrongdoers and is contrary to Divine Justice, so the Holy Qur’an has clarified for us that there is accounting and record keeping required for intercession.

In the Holy Qur’ans point of view, intercession, gives a window of hope for those who sin and a vehicle for a relationship with the Divine Chosen Guardians and to be able to follow them.

Intercession requires the permission from Allah and those who can enjoy it will only be those who pivot around monotheism, have the correct logic and fundamental beliefs of Truth, what they say is of the acceptance of Allah, that is, they proclaim the Two Witnesses (That there is No God but Allah and that the Mohammad is His Prophet) is not thematic, seasonal, coerced, shallow or based on mockery or hypocrisy. In that case, if their deeds come short of the necessary requirements then intercession can come in to play.

From this point of view, the Holy Qur’an views as null and void the intercession of idols for the idol-worshippers in this world and in the hereafter.

Intercession does not mean that all the sins of the followers of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) are cleansed or that the Shia Muslims have their sins purified through the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (pbuh), although the Imam is one of the major intercessors on the Day of Judgement, however, it must be known that the aim of his martyrdom was not to intercede on behalf of his followers.

In relation to this Ayah, Imam Baqir (pbuh) stated that the intercession of the Prophet (pbuh) is only for those whose views and words were accepted, and lived for the love of the Purified Household (pbuth), and dies for it:1

لَا يَنَالُ شَفَاعَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ بِطَاعَةِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ رَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلًا وَ عَمَلًا فِيهِمْ فَحَيِيَ عَلَى مَوَدَّتِهِمْ وَ مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا

Intercessors and those who Receive Intercession

{وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِى السَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغْنِى شَفَٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ}

How many an angel there is in the heavens whose intercession avails not anything, save after that God gives leave to whomsoever He wills and is well-pleased. (An Najm 53:26).

{فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَٰعَةُ الشَّٰفِعِينَ }

Then the intercession of the intercessors shall not profit them. (Al Muddathir 74:48).

In the Holy Qur’an and in the narrations we read that on the Day of Resurrection, certain individuals will be granted permission to intercede on behalf of others.

The Prophet (pbuh): In a narration from the Prophet (pbuh) we read that he stated I am the first of intercessors.2

انا اوّل شافع

The Holy Qur’an: Imam Ali (pbuh) states that the Qur’an is an intercessor.3

Prophets: It has come in to narrations that Prophets provide intercession on the Day of Resurrection.4

یشفع الانبیاء

The Divinely Guided Guardians and the True Shias: A narration from a Divinely Guided Imam (pbuh) states that In the Resurrection, intercession will be for us and our supporters.5

لنا شفاعة و لاهل مودّتنا شفاعة

Angels and Martyrs: On the Day of Resurrection, permission has been given to angels and martyrs to intercede on behalf of whomever they wish.6

يؤذن للملائكة و الشهداء ان يشفعوا

On that Day, every martyr can intercede on behalf of seventy individuals from their family.7

Worship: From the reasons for intercession on the Day of Resurrection is the worship performed. Fasting and the Qur’an are intercessors to the worshipper on the Day of Resurrection.”8

الصيام والقرآن شفیعان للعبد يوم القيامة

Conditions for Receiving Intercession

The Holy Qur’an and narrations point to conditions for those who will be able to enjoy intercession:

• People of faith, prayer, charity in the Cause of Allah and who do not waste away their life. Then the intercession of the intercessors shall not profit them. (Al Muddathir 74:48).

• Allah will give permission for the intercession to take place. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? (Holy Qur’an 2:255).

• Passes away with faith.

• There is a relationship between the intercessor and the one receiving intercession. One who does not have a faith inter-relationship with the intercessor will not be able to be a recipient of their intercession.

QUESTION: Is not intercession a form of “it’s who you know or related to”?

ANSWER: No. Because:

• One who receives intercession will make intercession possible by their own thoughts and deeds. So, contrary to “who you know or are related to”, intercession is based upon laws and criteria.

• In intercession, no rights are forgone. Whereas in intervention through relationships, someone else’s rights are abused.

• The intercessor does not have any expectations from the one seeking intercession. Where as in intervention through relations, there is an expectation of the recipient.

• The goal of the intercessor for the one receiving the intercession is for their redemption and salvation. Where as in intervention through relations, is a worldly success.

• Intercession is a form of nurturing and growth, because the recipient will have a spiritual relationship with those close to Allah, the intercessors.

QUESTION: Will intercession not encourage people to sin?

ANSWER: Never, because firstly it is not known who will be granted intercession and secondly, will the formulation an anti-venom encourages people to get themselves poisoned and consume venom!?

Notes

1. (تأويل الآيات - Taw'eel Al Ayat)

2. (Sahih Muslim) V2 P130

3. (Nahjul Balagha) Speech 176

4. (Musnad Ahmad) V3 P12

5. (خصال Khisal) P624

6. (Musnad Ahmad) V5 P43

7. (سنن اب داود - Sunan Abu Dawood) V3 P15

8. (Musnad Ahmad) V2 P174