Al-Irshad ila Sahih al-Itiqad - Salih Al-Fawzan - (294)

Al-Irshad ila Sahih al-ItiqadSalih Al-Fawzan

As for the first intercession, he will plead on behalf of the people gathered on the Plain until judgment is passed between them, after the prophets—Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary—have all declined to intercede and have referred the matter to him.

The second intercession is his plea for the inhabitants of Paradise that they be admitted into it; these two kinds of intercession are his alone.

The third intercession is on behalf of those who deserve the Fire. This intercession is granted to him as well as to the other prophets, the most truthful saints, and others. By it he will intercede so that those who merit the Fire do not enter it, and he will intercede for those who have already entered it so that they may be brought out.

Ibn Taymiyyah also said, “Intercession for the sinners of his ummah is unanimously affirmed by the Companions, the Successors who followed them in excellence, and all the leading scholars of the Muslims— the four imams and others. Many innovators, however—such as the Khārijites, the Muʿtazilites, and the Zaydīs—have denied it, maintaining that whoever enters the Fire will never leave it, whether by intercession or by any other means. According to them there are only two possibilities: one who enters Paradise and never touches the Fire, and one who enters the Fire and never enters Paradise; in their view, reward and punishment can never be combined in a single person….”

He continued, “Those who reject intercession cite as evidence the Almighty’s words: ‘And guard yourselves against a Day when no soul will avail another in the least, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will any ransom be taken from it’ ⦗1⦘; His words: ‘Before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, no friendship, and no intercession’ ⦗2⦘; His words: ‘For the wrongdoers there will be no devoted friend and no intercessor who will be heeded’ ⦗3⦘; and His words: ‘So the intercession of the intercessors will not benefit them’ ⦗4⦘.

The reply of Ahl al-Sunnah is that these verses refer to two matters:

(1) Surah al-Baqarah, verse 48. (2) Surah al-Baqarah, verse 254. (3) Surah Ghafir, verse 18. (4) Surah al-Muddaththir, verse 48.

أما الشفاعة الأولى؛ فيشفع في أهل الموقف حتى يقضى بينهم بعد أن تتراجع الأنبياء آدم ونوح وإبراهيم وموسى وعيسى بن مريم الشفاعة حتى تنتهي إليه. وأما الشفاعة الثانية: فيشفع في أهل الجنة أن يدخلوا الجنة، وهاتان الشفاعتان خاصتان له. وأما الشفاعة الثالثة: فيشفع فيمن استحق النار، وهذه الشفاعة له ولسائر النبيين والصديقين وغيرهم، فيشفع فيمن استحق النار أن لا يدخلها، ويشفع فيمن دخلها أن يخرج منها". وقال ﵀: "وأما شفاعة لأهل الذنوب من أمته؛ فمتفق عليها بين الصحابة والتابعين لهم بإحسان وسائر أئمة المسلمين الأربعة وغيرهم، وأنكرها كثير من أهل البدع من الخوارج والمعتزلة والزيدية، وقال هؤلاء: من يدخل النار لا يخرج منها لا بشفاعة ولا غيرها، وعند هؤلاء ما ثَمَّ إلا من يدخل الجنة فلا يدخل النار، ومن يدخل النار فلا يدخل الجنة، ولا يجتمع عندهم في الشخص الواحد ثواب وعقاب..". إلى أن قال: "واحتج هؤلاء المنكرون للشفاعة بقوله تعالى: ﴿وَاتَّقُوا يَوْماً لا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَفْسٍ شَيْئاً وَلا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ﴾ ١، وبقوله: ﴿مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلا خُلَّةٌ وَلا شَفَاعَةٌ﴾ ٢، وبقوله: ﴿مَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ﴾ ٣، وبقوله: ﴿فَمَا تَنْفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ﴾ ٤. وجواب أهل السنة: أن هذا يراد به شيئان: أحدهما: أنها لا تنفع المشركين؛ كما قال تعالى: ﴿مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي

١ سورة البقرة، الآية: ٤٨. ٢ سورة البقرة، الآية: ٢٥٤. ٣ سورة غافر، الآية: ١٨. ٤ سورة المدثر، الآية: ٤٨.