Question:
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
I hope you are well Hazrat, and in good health by the grace of Allah (SWT).
Please correct me if my understanding, or interpretation regarding Rasulullah’s (SAW) intercession on the Day of Judgement is correct.
Many Muslims think of it no different than the Christians think of Prophet Isa (AS)’s alleged, and false crucifixion. They think no matter how many sins they have committed, they will be saved on the Day of Judgement due to Prophet (SAW)’s intercession.
The Prophet’s (SAW) intercession does NOT mean everyone will be saved from Jahanam otherwise this contradicts, and negates many Qur’anic very, and authentic Ahadith, but it means some may be saved while other’s sentences in Janaham will be reduced, somewhat.
Is this correct?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Our belief is that from amongst the great favours Allah Ta’ala has granted to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the Intercession (Shafaa’ah) on the Day of Judgment. It is one of the distinctions and superiority of his excellence over the other Prophets (Alayhimus Salaam). The Messenger of Allah ((ﷺ said: “On the Day of Judgment, I shall be leading all the Prophets be their spokesman and intercessor, but I do not say this by way of pride.”(Tirmidhi)
In another Hadith The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “For every prophet there is an invocation that surely will be responded by Allah,” (or said), “For every prophet there was an invocation with which he appealed to Allah, and his invocation was accepted (in his lifetime), but I kept my (this special) invocation to intercede for my followers on the Day of Resurrection.”(Sahih al-Bukhari )
The details of Intercession is mentioned in the following Hadith,
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “On the Day of Resurrection the Believers will assemble and say, ‘Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord.’ So they will go to Adam and say, ‘You are the father of all the people, and Allah created you with His Own Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate to you, and taught you the names of all things; so please intercede for us with your Lord, so that He may relieve us from this place of ours.’ Adam will say, ‘I am not fit for this (i.e. intercession for you).’ Then Adam will remember his sin and feel ashamed thereof. He will say, ‘Go to Nuh, for he was the first Apostle, Allah sent to the inhabitants of the earth.’ They will go to him and Nuh will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking.’ He will remember his appeal to his Lord to do what he had no knowledge of, then he will feel ashamed thereof and will say, ‘Go to the Khalil–r-Rahman (i.e. Ibraheem).’ They will go to him and he will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking. Go to Musa, the slave to whom Allah spoke (directly) and gave him the Torah .’ So they will go to him and he will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking.’ and he will mention (his) killing a person who was not a killer, and so he will feel ashamed thereof before his Lord, and he will say, ‘Go to Isa, Allah’s Slave, His Apostle and Allah’s Word and a Spirit coming from Him. Jesus will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking, go to Muhammad the Slave of Allah whose past and future sins were forgiven by Allah.’ So they will come to me and I will proceed till I will ask my Lord’s Permission and I will be given permission. When I see my Lord, I will fall down in Prostration and He will let me remain in that state as long as He wishes and then I will be addressed.’ (Muhammad!) Raise your head. Ask, and your request will be granted; say, and your saying will be listened to; intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will raise my head and praise Allah with a saying (i.e. invocation) He will teach me, and then I will intercede. He will fix a limit for me (to intercede for) whom I will admit into Paradise. Then I will come back again to Allah, and when I see my Lord, the same thing will happen to me. And then I will intercede and Allah will fix a limit for me to intercede whom I will let into Paradise, then I will come back for the third time; and then I will come back for the fourth time, and will say, ‘None remains in Hell but those whom the Qur’an has imprisoned (in Hell) and who have been destined to an eternal stay in Hell.’ ” (The compiler) Abu `Abdullah said: ‘But those whom the Qur’an has imprisoned in Hell,’ refers to the Statement of Allah: “They will dwell therein forever.” (16.29) (Sahih al-Bukhari )
It is understood from this Hadith and other narrations that a believer will have to pay for sins committed in this world, if sincere Tawbah (repentance) was not made. He will be made to enter Jahanam for a period of time, after which he will be cleansed of all sins and be allowed to enter Jannah by means of intercession. Shirk will not be forgiven, but any other sin is subject to the Will of Allaah. The one who repents sincerely will be as if he never sinned.
The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said:
“The people of Hell will remain there, never dying, and never living. But there are people who will enter Hell because of their sins, and will be punished therein, so that they become like coals. Permission will be granted for intercession to be made, and they will be brought forth in groups and spread on rivers of Paradise, and it will be said, “O people of Paradise, pour water on them. Then they will grow like seeds in the silt left by a flood”. (Muslim)
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
