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Why Do Shia Muslims Believe in Intercession (Shafaʿah)?

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Why Do Shia Muslims Believe in Intercession (Shafaʿah)?

Shia Muslims believe in intercession because the Qur’an affirms it, the Prophet declared he was granted it, Sunni and Shia hadith confirm it, and Sunni creeds include it. Shia hold that intercession is always by Allah’s permission — never independent of Him — and it will aid believers, especially major sinners who remain loyal to faith and the Prophet’s family.

 
Explanation

The Qur’an makes clear that no one can intercede except by Allah’s leave. The Prophet ﷺ was given intercession as a mercy, and both Sunni and Shia traditions affirm that he and the Ahlulbayt (AS) will intercede on the Day of Judgement.

This does not mean Shia worship Imams or attribute divine power to them. It means they ask Allah to grant His mercy through the Prophet and his family, as the Qur’an itself instructs (4:64, 5:35).

Sunni examples — such as ʿUmar seeking rain through al-ʿAbbās, or the blind man’s duʿāʾ — show that tawassul and intercession are authentic Islamic practices.

 
Evidence

1) Qur’anic Foundation of Intercession

  • Qur’an 2:255
    Arabic: ﴿مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ﴾
    English: “Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?”
  • Qur’an 21:28
    Arabic: ﴿وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى﴾
    English: “And they will not intercede except for those whom He approves.”
  • Qur’an 20:109
    Arabic: ﴿يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلًا﴾
    English: “On that Day, no intercession will benefit except the one for whom the Most Merciful has granted permission and accepted his word.”
  • Qur’an 53:26
    Arabic: ﴿وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ﴾
    English: “And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not benefit at all, except after Allah has permitted it.”

📌 The Qur’an clearly affirms that intercession exists — but only with Allah’s permission.

 

2) Sunni Hadith on Intercession

  • The Prophet ﷺ:
    Arabic: «أُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ»
    English: “I have been granted intercession.”
    📖 Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6304; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 200
  • For major sinners:
    Arabic: «شَفَاعَتِي لِأَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي»
    English: “My intercession will be for those of my Ummah who committed major sins.”
    📖 Reference: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4739; Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 2435 (ḥasan)
  • Grand Intercession:
    Arabic: «أَنَا لَهَا… اشْفَعْ تُشَفَّعْ»
    English: “I am for it… Intercede, your intercession will be accepted.”
    📖 Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 193

📌 Sunni hadith prove that intercession is central to the Prophet’s role on the Day of Judgement.

 

3) Sunni Creedal Statements

  • al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah:
    Arabic: «وَالشَّفَاعَةُ الَّتِي ادَّخَرَهَا لَهُ حَقٌّ، كَمَا رُوِيَ فِي الْأَخْبَارِ»
    English: “The intercession which has been stored up for him (the Prophet ﷺ) is true, just as it has come in the reports.”
  • al-Nasafī’s Creed:
    Arabic: «الشَّفَاعَةُ ثَابِتَةٌ لِلرُّسُلِ وَالْأَخْيَارِ فِي حَقِّ أَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ»
    English: “Intercession is affirmed for the Messengers and the righteous on behalf of the people of major sins.”

📌 Sunni orthodoxy agrees with Shia belief on intercession.

 

4) Examples of Intercession & Tawassul in Sunni Tradition

  • ʿUmar seeking rain through al-ʿAbbās:
    Arabic: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّنَا… وَإِنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِعَمِّ نَبِيِّنَا فَاسْقِنَا»
    English: “O Allah, we used to seek a means to You through our Prophet… now we seek a means through the uncle of our Prophet. So give us rain.”
    📖 Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3710
  • The blind man’s duʿāʾ:
    Arabic: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ… اللَّهُمَّ فَشَفِّعْهُ فِيَّ»
    English: “O Allah, I ask You and turn to You by Your Prophet… O Allah, accept his intercession for me.”
    📖 Reference: Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 3578 (ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ)
  • After the adhān:
    Arabic: «اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ… آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ…»
    Result: «حَلَّتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي»
    English: “O Allah, grant Muhammad al-Wasīlah and al-Faḍīlah… then my intercession will be due for him.”
    📖 Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 614
  • Mālik al-Dār’s report: A man asked at the Prophet’s ﷺ grave for rain during ʿUmar’s rule; rain came.
    📖 Reference: Ibn Abī Shaybah, al-Muṣannaf no. 32538; discussed by Ibn Ḥajar in Fatḥ al-Bārī.

📌 Sunni practice affirms tawassul and intercession even after the Prophet .

 

5) Shia Hadith on Intercession

  • Imam al-Bāqir (AS):
    Arabic: «نَحْنُ الشُّفَعَاءُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَنَحْنُ أَهْلُ بَيْتِ الرَّحْمَةِ»
    English: “We (Ahlulbayt) are the intercessors on the Day of Judgement, and we are the Household of Mercy.”
    📖 Reference: al-Kāfī, 1:427; al-Majlisī, Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 8
  • Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (AS):
    Arabic: «إِنَّ لَنَا شَفَاعَةً كَشَفَاعَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَكِنَّ شَفَاعَتَنَا لَا تَنَالُ مَنْ اسْتَخَفَّ بِالصَّلَاةِ»
    English: “Indeed, we have intercession like the intercession of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — but our intercession does not reach the one who belittles prayer.”
    📖 Reference: Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, Man lā yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, 1:206, no. 618; al-Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 4:21–40, no. 10

📌 Shia narrations confirm intercession, but stress moral responsibility.

 
Conclusion / Summary
  • Intercession is Qur’anic (2:255, 20:109, 21:28, 53:26).
  • The Prophet said: “I have been granted intercession” (Bukhārī 6304; Muslim 200).
  • Sunni creeds and hadith confirm it.
  • Shia narrations reinforce it, emphasising both mercy and accountability.

Shia believe the Prophet ﷺ and Ahlulbayt (AS) intercede only with Allah’s permission, not independently.

 
Quick FAQ

Q: Isn’t asking for intercession shirk?
No. Shirk is worshipping others besides Allah. Shia ask Allah alone, while honouring His chosen wasīlah (means).

Q: Why not go directly to Allah?
Shia do — but also obey Qur’an 5:35 (“seek the means”) and 4:64 (“come to the Prophet so he may seek forgiveness for you”).

Q: Does intercession encourage sin?
No. Both Sunni and Shia hadith restrict intercession. It is not a “free pass” — it is for believers who uphold prayer, justice, and love for the Prophet ﷺ and Ahlulbayt (AS).

 
References
  • Qur’an — 2:255; 20:109; 21:28; 53:26; 4:64; 5:35.
  • Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī — 614 (duʿā after adhān), 3710 (ʿUmar’s tawassul through al-ʿAbbās), 6304 (Prophet ﷺ granted intercession).
  • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim — 193 (Grand Intercession), 200 (Prophet ﷺ granted intercession).
  • Sunan Abī Dāwūd — 4739 (intercession for major sinners).
  • Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī — 2435 (intercession for major sinners), 3578 (blind man’s duʿāʾ for tawassul).
  • al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah — affirmation of intercession.
  • al-Nasafī’s Creed — affirmation of intercession for major sinners.
  • Ibn Abī Shaybah, al-Muṣannaf — no. 32538 (Mālik al-Dār’s report of tawassul).
  • Ibn Ḥajar, Fatḥ al-Bārī — commentary on Mālik al-Dār’s report.
  • al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī — 1:427 (Imam al-Bāqir (AS): intercession).
  • al-Majlisī, Biḥār al-Anwār — vol. 8 (compilation on intercession).
  • al-Ṣadūq, Man lā yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh — 1:206, no. 618 (Imam al-Ṣādiq (AS): “Our intercession does not reach…”).
  • al-Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa — 4:21–40, no. 10 (on intercession and prayer).

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