Shafā‘ah of the Beloved Prophet ﷺ Authentic Hadith

 

The Hadiths on Grand Intercession (Shaf‘āat-e-Kubra)

The hadiths on Grand Intercession clearly state that on the plains of Mahshar (the Day of Judgement), the Day will be unbearably long, the sun will be overhead, and Hell will be nearby. On that day, the heat of the sun will be intensified to the extent of ten full years ’worth of scorching heat, and it will be placed just above people's heads. The thirst will be unbearable, the heat unimaginable, and sweat will seep into the ground and rise back up, reaching even above people's throats. If a ship were to be placed in it, it would start floating. People will drown in their sweat, overwhelmed with fear and anxiety.

During this immense anguish and distress, people will desperately search for an intercessor. They will go from Prophet Adam to Prophet Nuh, then to Prophet Ibrahim, then to Prophet Musa, and then to Prophet ‘Isa (peace be upon them all). But each of them will say: “This is not my position. I am not worthy of this. I cannot do this. Myself! Myself! Go to someone else.”

References

¹ Al-Quran, Al-Munāfiqūn, verse 5; translation from Kanz al-‘Irfān

 

Eventually, after seeking intercession from every Prophet, the people will arrive at the court of the Most Radiant, the Seal of the Prophets, the Master of the First and the Last, the Intercessor of Sinners, the Mercy to the Worlds, Prophet Muhammad (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ).

At that moment, the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) will say:

“I am for this! I am for this!”

“I am the one appointed for intercession! I am the one for intercession!”

He will then proceed to the glorious court of his Lord and prostrate before Him. Then, the Almighty Lord will declare:

"يَا مُحَمَّدُ! إِرْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ وَقُلْ تُسْمَعْ وَسَلْ تُعْطَهْ وَاشْفَعْ تُشَفَّعْ"

“O Muhammad! Raise your head, speak, you will be heard, ask, you will be granted, intercede, and your intercession will be accepted!”

This is Maqām-e-Maḥmūd (The Praised Station), where all the first and last generations will praise and glorify the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) and it will become evident to all, believers and disbelievers alike, that no one holds a status before Allah as high as that of our Master (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ).

For this reason, Allah, in His Infinite Wisdom, will first direct people’s hearts to seek intercession from other Prophets. Only after they have turned away disappointed will they realise that the station of intercession exclusively belongs to the Prophet Muhammad (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). No one else has the authority to open the door of intercession.

These hadiths are recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and are well-known among the Muslims. There is no need to mention them in full as they are very lengthy. Anyone who has even read a little should refer to the Urdu translation of Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ or ask any Muslim to read it out to them.

Additionally, in these same hadiths, it is mentioned that after one intercession, the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) will repeatedly intercede again and again for the forgiveness of sinners. Each time, Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) will grant him intercession, and with each request, a multitude of sinners will be saved.

Besides these famous hadiths, I am compiling forty more hadiths that are less known to the general public so that the faith of the believers is strengthened, and the hearts of the deniers’ burn in the fire of rage.

These hadiths will particularly refute the corrupt distortions made by certain irreligious individuals, Godless people, and false claimants who have misinterpreted the concept of intercession and attempted to conceal their rejection of intercession under a fabricated definition.

From these hadiths, it will be absolutely clear that our Greatest Master (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) is divinely appointed for intercession, and his blessed court is the only refuge for the helpless. There is no room for the heretical claim that Allah can appoint whomever He wishes as an intercessor. These hadiths will make it abundantly clear that Allah and His Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) have openly and explicitly identified the one and only intercessor, none other than Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ).

Intercession is not just for those who accidentally commit a sin and remain fearful and regretful all their lives, as some deviants suggest. They claim that a thief who committed theft only once, repented, and remained terrified is eligible for intercession.

No! No!

By the Lord who made him the Intercessor of Sinners (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ)!

His intercession is for the sinners like us, for the wretched and disgraceful, for the criminals and wrongdoers, for those drowned in sin from head to toe, for those whose sins are so great that even sin itself feels ashamed of their name.

ترسم آلوده شود دامن عصیاں از من

“I fear that even the fabric of sin itself might become tainted by my misdeeds!”

Allah alone is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.

صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى الشَّفِيعِ الْجَمِيلِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ بِأُلُوفِ التَّبْجِيلِ

“May Allah send countless blessings and peace upon the Beautiful Intercessor (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ) and upon his family and companions, with thousands of honours and reverence.”

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ “And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.”

Hadith 1 & 2:

Imam Aḥmad, with a Ṣaḥīḥ (authentic) chain, narrates in his Musnad from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا), and Ibn Mājah narrates from Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا) that the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said:

خُيِّرْتُ بَيْنَ الشَّفَاعَةِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ نِصْفُ أُمَّتِي الْجَنَّةَ فَاخْتَرْتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ لِأَنَّهَا أَعَمُّ وَأَكْفَى ، أَتَرَوْنَهَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَا! وَلَكِنَّهَا لِلْمُذْنِبِينَ الْخَطَّائِينَ الْمُتَلَوِّثِينَ

“I was given the choice between intercession or half of my Ummah entering Paradise. I chose intercession because it is more encompassing and more beneficial. Do you think it is for the pious? No! Rather, it is for the sinful, the wrongdoers, and those stained with sins.”

اللهم صل وسلم وبارك عليه والحمد لله رب العالمين “O Allah! Send blessings, peace, and blessings upon him, and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.”