a man and stole it—so the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered that the thief’s hand be cut off. Just consider what was taken: merely a cloak, yet the Prophet still commanded that his hand be severed. Safwān then said, “Messenger of Allah, I do not even want my cloak,” meaning that he felt compassion for the thief and tried to intercede so the penalty would not be enforced. The Prophet replied, “Why did you not say that before you brought him to me?”—that is, had you pardoned him before the case reached me, the matter would have been yours to decide. But once the prescribed penalty reaches the authority, it must be carried out and intercession is no longer allowed.

Second category: interceding in something unlawful. For example, a man transgresses against his brother: I know, let us say, that this person intends to propose to a woman who is already engaged, and it is forbidden to propose to a woman whose engagement is still in place. A second man then goes to someone and says, “Brother, I would like you to intercede with the woman’s father so that he will marry her to me,” fully aware that she is engaged. Such intercession is impermissible because it concerns something unlawful.

Interceding in what is unlawful is cooperation in sin and aggression. Allah the Exalted says, “Cooperate in righteousness and piety, and do not cooperate in sin and aggression” (Al-Mā’idah 5:2).

Another example: a man comes to someone and says, “Brother, I want to buy cigarettes from so-and-so. I have offered such-and-such a price, but he refuses and will only sell for a higher amount. Please intercede on my behalf so he will sell them to me at the lower price.”