SEEKING THE SHIFA’AH (INTERCESSION)
All praises and thanks are to Alláh, Who Alone created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord. I thank and praise Him. None can count His blessings except Him, the One Worthy of all praise, just as He praised Himself. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Alláh Alone without partners, the Lord of those in the heavens and those on the earth. I bear witness that Muhammad(pbuh) is Alláh’s slave and Messenger and the best of mankind. O Alláh! Bestow Your best blessings and peace on Your slave and Messenger Muhammad and on his progeny and Companions.
Each one of us seeks what benefits him or her and likes to perform righteous deeds, so that he or she collects Alláh’s rewards and favors:
“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it.” (99:7,8)
Yet, all statements and actions will neither avail one, nor bear their intended fruits, unless they were performed in sincerity to Alláh Alone and following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Alláh(pbuh).
O Muslims! Who among us does not believe in or like to earn the Prophet’s Shifá’ah on the Day of Resurrection, when Alláh will grant him this right, as well as bestow on him the Al-Maqam Al-Mahmud, the praised position that will be celebrated by the earlier and latter generations of mankind. On that Day, our Prophet(pbuh) will be granted the Grand Shifá ‘ah (on behalf of creation) that even the mighty Prophets will decline to seek and assume. But when creation comes to our Prophet(pbuh), he will declare, “I am worthy of seeking it.”
On that Day, the creations will seek the Shifá ‘ah of the Prophets with Alláh on their behalf, so that He relieves them from the hardships of the Day of Gathering. However, the mighty Messengers will decline to take up that job, as we stated, and this is when they will come to the best and most honorable of creation to Alláh, Muhammad(pbuh). The Prophet(pbuh) will go to his Lord and prostrate before Him first, before asking for the right to conduct the Shifá ‘ah. Then he will be commanded, “Raise your head and speak, for you will be heard, ask and you will be given, and seek the right of the Shifá ‘ah and it will be granted to you.” This Shifá ‘ah, the Grand Shifá ‘ah, is exclusively for the Messenger of Alláh and none else shall share it with him.
The Prophet(pbuh) has many other types of Shifá ‘ah, all of which will occur on the Day of Resurrection and onJy by Alláh’s Permission. Alláh only grants Shifá ‘ah to those whom He is pleased with on behalf of those whom He is pleased with, exclusiveJy from among the followers of Tauhid and sincerity.
“Say: ‘To Alláh belongs all intercession.'” (39:44)
“Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission?” (2:255)
“On that day no intercession shall avail, except the one for whom the Most Gracious (Alláh) has given permission and whose word is acceptable to Him.” (20:109)
And:
“And they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased.” (21 :28)
Alláh is pleased only with Tauhid and only accepts the statements and actions performed inwardly and outwardly for His sake Alone. Since the Shifá ‘ah is in Alláh’s Hands Alone and He grants it exclusively to sincere believers, only with His Leave and Permission, then it is not allowed for anyone to seek the Shifa ‘ah, except from Alláh, Owner of all Shifá ‘ah. On the Day of Judgment, Alláh will grant permission for the Shifá ‘ah (by the Prophet(pbuh) and righteous people) for those who worshipped Him in Tauhid, performed righteous deeds in sincerity with Him, followed the Sunnah of Alláh’s Messenger(pbuh) and died while on this righteous path. It is for those whom the Shifá ‘ah of the Prophet(pbuh) will be granted, and it is they who are worthy of receiving it.
Abu Huraira asked the Messenger of Allah(pbuh):
“O Alláhs Messenger! Who will be the happiest person, who will gain your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?” Alláh’s Messenger(pbuh) said, “The one who said sincerely from the bottom of his heart ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Alláh. ‘”
Hence, Alláh only grants the people of sincerity His Favors and forgives them through the supplication of those whom He allows to intercede on their behalf with Him.
As we stated, there are two conditions regarding earning the Shifá ‘ah: when Alláh is pleased with the person on whose behalf the Shifa ‘ah is conducted and when He allows the person who is taking the task of Shifá ‘ah, to do so. Alláh will only grant this permission when He intends to grant His mercy to His slave who sinned, but was upon Tauhid. He thus allows some of the sincere believers to intercede with Him on his behalf. Again, the Prophet(pbuh) clearly stated that the reasons behind earning the Shifá ‘ah are: Tauhid, sincerity in worship and avoiding major and minor Shirk (Polytheism).
The Prophet(pbuh) said:
“Every Prophet(pbuh) has an accepted Du ‘a (encompassing supplication), and every Prophet(pbuh) has used his Du ‘a in this life. I kept my Du ‘a as Shifá ‘ah for my Ummah (Muslim nation) on the Day of Resurrection. Alláh willing, it will reach those who die while associating none with Alláh in worship.”
Therefore, dear Muslims, perform righteous deeds, obey Alláh and His Messenger(pbuh), fulfill Allah’s Commandments, avoid what He has prohibited and shun all ways and means of Shirk, so that you earn the Prophet’s Shifá ‘ah on your behalf. Only seek the Shifá ‘ah from Alláh and invoke Hirn to allow your Prophet to offer Shifá ‘ah with Him for you.
O Allah! We invoke you to allow Your Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) to intercede with You for us and never deprive us of his Shifá ‘ah. I say these words and seek Alláh’s forgiveness from every error for you, me and all Muslims. Seek Alláh’s forgiveness, for verily, He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
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