773 — And Abū Ubayd Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Harb, the judge, informed us: al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Zafarānī narrated to us: Saīd ibn Sulaymān narrated to us: Abd al-Wāhid ibn Sulaym narrated to us: Yazīd al-Faqīr narrated: We were among the residents of Mecca. I had a brother with me named Talq ibn Habīb, and we adhered to the views of the Harurites. We heard that Jābir ibn Abd Allah al-Ansārī had arrived, as he regularly attended every pilgrimage season. We went to him and said, “A statement concerning intercession has reached us from you, yet the words of Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—⦗1202⦘ contradict you.”

He looked at our faces and asked, “Are you from Iraq?”

We replied, “Yes.”

He smiled—or laughed—and asked, “Where do you find that in the Book of Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He?”

We replied, “Where our Lord—Glorious and Exalted is He—says in His Book:

‘Our Lord, whoever You admit into the Fire, You have surely disgraced.’ [Āl Imrān: 192]

He—Glorious and Exalted is He—also says:

‘They desire to leave the Fire, but they will never leave it.’ [al-Māidah: 37]

And He—Glorious and Exalted is He—says:

‘Whenever they seek to escape from it out of anguish, they will be driven back into it.’ [al-Hajj: 22]

And there are similar passages in the Quran.”

He asked, “Do you know the Book of Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—better, or do I?”

We replied, “Rather, you know it better than we do.”

He said, “By Allah, I witnessed this being revealed to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and I witnessed its interpretation by the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Intercession is indeed in the Book of Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—for anyone who understands.”

Yazīd continued: We asked, “Where is intercession mentioned?”

He replied, “In Sūrat al-Muddaththir.” He then recited to us:

“‘What has brought you into Saqar?’ They will say, ‘We were not among those who prayed, nor did we feed the poor. We used to indulge in falsehood with those who indulged in it, and we denied the Day of Recompense until certainty came to us. ⦗1203⦘ Thus, the intercession of the intercessors will not benefit them.’” [al-Muddaththir: 43]

He then said, “Do you not see that intercession has been granted to whoever does not associate anything with Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He? I heard the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—say:

“Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—created all creation without seeking anyone’s help in doing so or consulting anyone about it. He then caused them to die without seeking anyone’s help in doing so or consulting anyone about it. He then brought them back to life without seeking anyone’s help in doing so or consulting anyone about it. He admitted whomever He willed into Paradise by His mercy and whomever He willed into the Fire because of that person’s sin.

“Then Allah—Glorious and Exalted is He—showed compassion to those who affirmed His oneness. He sent an angel from His presence bearing water and light. The angel entered the Fire, and what he bore reached only those whom Allah willed and only those who had departed this world without associating anything with Allah. He brought them out and placed them in the forecourt of Paradise.

“He then returned to his Lord—Glorious and Exalted is He—who supplied him with water and light. The angel sprinkled it, and it reached only those whom Allah willed. It reached only those who had departed this world without associating anything with Allah; every such person was touched by that sprinkling. He brought them out and placed them in the forecourt of Paradise. Allah then granted the intercessors permission, and they interceded for them. He admitted them into Paradise by His mercy and through the intercession of the intercessors.”