Will The Blesses Awliya Also Make Shafat - Darul-Ifta-Ahlesunnat

Will the blessed Awliya also make Shafa’at [intercession]?

Question 1: What do the blessed ‘Ulama [Islamic scholars] and Muftis [Islamic jurists] state regarding the following matter: Will the Awliya of Allah also intercede on the Day of Judgement? I have heard that only the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will intercede. (Questioner: Owais Raza, Madina-tul-Awliya, Multan)

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ  ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: On the Day of Judgement, blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی, ‘Ulama, Huffaz^[1] and Hujjaj^[2] will all intercede. In fact, every individual who has been blessed with a religious position and status will intercede for his family members and relatives. At this place, Sayyidi A’la Hadrat, Ash-Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated a beautiful point that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will make Shafa’at [intercession] in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and all other intercessors will intercede for their family members and relatives in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. In any case, they will also certainly intercede, as making intercession in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is also Shafa’at [intercession]; it is not something else.

It is stated in Al-Mu’taqid-ul-Muntaqid [المعتقد المنتقد]:

و یجب الایمان بانە یشفع غیرہ ایضا من الانبیاء و الملائکة و العلماء

و الشھداء و الصٰلحین و کثیر من المومنین وغیرھم من القرآن و الصیام و الکعبة وغیرھا مما ورد فی السنة

And it is Wajib [compulsory] to have Iman [faith] in the fact that besides the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, other Ambiya, angels, ‘Ulama, Shuhada [martyrs], pious people and a large number of Mu’mineen, and besides them, the Holy Quran, Sawm [fast], Ka’bah, etc., all those regarding whose intercession, the information has been given in Ahadees will also intercede. (Al-Mu’taqid-ul-Muntaqid, pp. 129)

Mentioning the condition of the Day of Judgement, Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Mufti Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: Then (i.e. when the door of Shafa’at will open) all the Ambiya will make intercession for their Ummah, and the blessed Awliya, Shuhada, ‘Ulama, Huffaz, Hujjaj, in fact every individual who has been blessed with a religious position and status will make intercession for the people associated with him. Na-Baaligh^[3] children who have died will intercede for their parents. Moreover, some such people will also come to ‘Ulama who will humbly say, ‘We had filled water for you to make Wudu at such and such a time’; someone will say, ‘I had given you a clod for Istinja’; ‘Ulama will make intercession even for them. (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, pp. 139-141)

Except for the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the entire Creation, even the blessed Ambiya عَلَيْهِمُ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام will present their intercession in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, as the Maalik [authority] of their intercessions is the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: ‘اذا کان یوم القیٰمة کنت امام النبیین و خطیبھم و صاحب شفاعتھم غیر فخر’ Translation: When it will be the Day of Judgement, I will be the Imam and Khateeb of Ambiya and I am the authority of their intercession. I am not saying it as pride. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 353, Hadees 3633)

Mentioning the beautiful meaning of this blessed Hadees, Sayyidi A’la Hadrat, Ash-Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated:

و المعنی الآخر الالطف الاشرف ان لاشفاعة لاحد بلاواسطة عند ذی العرش جل جلالە الا للقرآن العظیم و لھذا الحبیب المرتجی الکریم صلی اللّٰە تعالی علیە وسلم، واما سائر الشفعاء من الملائکة و الانبیاء و الاولیاء و العلماء و الحفاظ و الشھداء و الحجاج و الصلحاء ،فعند رسول اللّٰە صلی اللّٰە تعالی علیە وسلم فینھون الیە و یشفعون لدیە وھو صلی اللّٰە تعالی علیە وسلم یشفع لمن ذکروہ ولمن لم یذکروا عند ربە عزوجل وقد تاکد عندنا ھذا المعنی باحادیث۔ وللّٰە الحمد

Translation: The second meaning of this blessed Hadees which is very beautiful and respectful is that only the Holy Quran and the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم have the right of direct Shafa’at in the Divine court, and we have hopes from him; none except them has this right. The rest of the intercessors, i.e. the intercession of angels, Ambiya, Awliya, ‘Ulama, Huffaz, Shuhada, Hujjaj, and Saliheen [pious people] will be in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; so they will convey the request in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and bring intercession; and in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will make intercession for those mentioned, and besides them, for those who are not mentioned. According to our opinion, this meaning is strongly supported by many Ahadees, وَلِلّٰەِ الْحَمْد. (Al-Mustanad-ul-Mu’tamid ma’ Al-Mu’taqid-ul-Muntaqid, pp. 127)

In Fatawa Razawiyyah, A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: It is proved from Ahadees that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the authority of intercession. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will be the Shafi’ [شَفِیع] [intercessor] in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, and ‘Ulama and Awliya will make intercession of those associated with them in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 21, pp. 464)

Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Mufti Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: On the Day of Judgement, the status of Shafa’at-e-Kubra [the greatest intercession] is amongst the peculiarities of the Beloved Rasool
(صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم); no one will have the courage to make intercession unless the Beloved Rasool (صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) opens the “Door of Intercession”. In fact, actually all the intercessors will bring intercession in the court of the Beloved Rasool (صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم), and amongst Creation, only the Beloved Rasool (صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) is the Shafi’ [intercessor] in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, pp. 70)

وَاللہُ  اَعْلَمُ   عَزَّوَجَلَّ   وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم   صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ واٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Written by: Abul Hasan Fuzayl Raza Al-Attari

Can Isal-e-Sawab be made to the living?

Question 2: What do the blessed ‘Ulama and Muftis state regarding the following matter: Is it specific that Isal-e-Sawab of virtuous deeds can be made only to the dead or can Isal-e-Sawab be made to the living as well? I mean that after carrying out a virtuous deed, can we send the Sawab [reward] to both, the living and the dead or only to the dead? Kindly tell us the Shar’i ruling regarding it.

(Questioner: Tabassum Bukhari, Dhoke Hassu Rawalpindi)

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ  ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: As the Sawab of any virtuous deed such as Salah, Sawm [fast], Zakah, Hajj, etc., can be sent to the Muslims who have passed away, in the same way it can be sent to the living as well. Its proof is found from the blessed deeds of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and blessed Sahabah رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُم, and from the sayings of many blessed ‘Ulama رَحِمَهُمُ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی.

وَاللہُ  اَعْلَمُ   عَزَّوَجَلَّ   وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم   صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ واٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Written by: Abu Saaleh Muhammad Qasim Qaadiri