The third intercession, which is exclusive to the Prophet ﷺ, is his plea on behalf of the people of Paradise that Allah elevate their stations and ranks. He will intercede for certain individuals so that their degrees in Paradise are raised, and Allah will indeed grant them that elevation through his intercession ﷺ.

The fourth intercession—one that is shared—is for the believers who committed major sins: for those who deserve to enter Hell, that they not enter it, and for those already in it, that they be brought out. This point is the locus of disagreement among the sects. The Jahmiyyah, the Khārijites, and those of their ilk denied it, asserting that whoever enters the Fire never leaves it. Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah, however, affirm it exactly as it has been transmitted and hold it as a tenet of faith. Every Muslim must believe in it, ask Allah to allow His Prophet ﷺ to intercede for him, and recognize his own need for that intercession.

The fifth intercession, again unique to the Prophet ﷺ, is his supplication for his uncle Abū Ṭālib. Abū Ṭālib died a polytheist, remaining on the creed of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib. He declared, “I follow the religion of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib,” and died upon it, thereby becoming one of those destined to abide eternally in Hell. Yet Allah grants His Messenger ﷺ permission to intercede so that Abū Ṭālib’s punishment is reduced: he will stand in a shallow pool of Fire, thinking that none suffers more severely than he does—despite the fact that he is the least tormented among the inhabitants of Hell.