When we study the Seerah of Prophet Muhammadﷺ and look at everything he (ﷺ) did for his community and how he delivered the message of Islam to a harsh society, we do so in the past tense. However, we often forget that the Prophet’s (ﷺ) mercy and compassion will also help us in the future, and at a time when we may need it the most.
The Holy Qur’an mentions about the exalted station of Prophet Muhammadﷺ on the Day of Judgement in the following verse.
عَسٰۤی اَنۡ یَّبۡعَثَکَ رَبُّکَ مَقَامًا مَّحۡمُوۡدًا
‘Your Lord will certainly raise you to “maqam al-mahmud” – a station of praise and glory (i.e. the glorious station of intercession where all the former and later generations will turn towards you and glorify you).’►(Qur’an 17 Surah Al-Isra:Verse 79)Its mentioned in a hadith:According to Abu Hurayra(RA):“Allah’s Messengerﷺ said: ‘I am the first from whom the earth (i.e., the grave) will split open, so I shall be attired with one of the garments of the Garden of Paradise. Then I shall arise on the right side of the Heavenly Throne (at the Most Praiseworthy Station),and not one of the creatures will occupy that station apart from me!’”►[•al- TirmidhÏ in al-Sunan: Bk.: al-Manaqib [Virtues] according to Allah’s Messenger a, Ch.: The excellent merit of the Prophet(peace be upon him) 5/585 Hadith #3611.]
On the Day of Judgment, Allahﷻ will establish His sovereignty on His Throne of power and supreme authority, befitting His Glory and the Prophet (ﷺ) will be given a chair on the right side of Allahﷻ’s Throne to show his superiority above all creation.Allahﷻ is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and it is up to Him whom He allows to sit on the right side of His chair. This cannot in any way diminish or reduce the Majesty of our Creator. For instance when a King sits with His slave, this does not reduce the status of the King but only exalts the status of His slave. In the same way the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) is the worshipful slave of Allahﷻ. The honor and rank of the Prophetﷺ in the sight of Allah is unmatched and no other creation of Allah occupies such a rank and similarly in the sight of Allah, his greatness is unequalled by anyone.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ has the utmost nearness to Allah, with ascension and elevation bestowed in abundance. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an in reference to the night of Mi‘raj (Night Journey to the Heavens), ‘Then He (the Lord of Honor) drew closer (to His Beloved Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]),and then drew even closer. Then a distance measuring only two bow-lengths was left (between Allah Unveiled and His Esteemed Beloved) or even less than that (in extreme nearness).’►(Qur’an Chapter 53 Surah An-Najm: Verses 8-9)
The events of this meeting on Shab-e-Mir’aj are a secret and none of us know what passed between Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ).However, the events of the Day of Judgment will be witnessed by the whole of humanity. Before the whole of mankind Allah will ascribe to the Prophet (ﷺ) an elevated station. Allah will, in His infinite wisdom instill in the hearts of men the thought of approaching other Prophets(AS) at first, and then after being rejected from there to humbly come to Prophet Muhammadﷺ so that it may become very clear to all that the lofty rank of intercession belongs only to himﷺ, and no one else has been given that privilege.
Please watch this speech of Shaykh ul Islam Dr. Tahir ul Qadri : https://fb.watch/g7brXjxkHP/
THE MEANING OF SHAFA’A
The word intercession (Shafa‘a) means; to ask on someone’s behalf, intervene, mediate, plead, and negotiate and to act as a mediator.
The belief in the Prophetﷺ’s intercession is obligatory in Islam. This is stated clearly in the ‘Aqida al-Tahawiyya of Imam al- Tahawi, in Ghazali’s al-Iqtisad and the chapter on ‘aqida in his Ihya’, in the works of al-Ash‘ari, and even in the ‘Aqida wasitiyya of Ibn Taymiyya. This intercession is a mercy from Allahﷻ.Whatever the Messenger ( ﷺ) promises to mankind that is the promise of Allah, the real authority. His promise of intercession and deliverance from punishment on the Day of Reckoning is Allahﷻ’s promise to mankind. So belief in intercession in no way diminishes the fact that everything is under Allah’s sovereignty.
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stated: ‘I was given five things which were not given to anyone before me; I was given support by casting fear in the hearts of my enemies who are a month-travel distance away from me, booty was made lawful for me and it was not lawful to any before me, the whole earth has been made a place of worship for me so, when the time of prayer is on for anyone of my followers, he can pray wherever he is, I was given intercession and every prophet was sent to his own people while I was sent to all human kind.’►(Bukhari).
According to Abu Said al-Khudri(RA):“The Messenger of Allahﷺ said: ‘I will be the leader of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection and that is no boast! The banner of praise will be in my hand and that is no boast! Adam and all other Prophets will be under my banner (and that is no boast)! I will be the first for whom the earth will split (and that is no boast)!’
He said: ‘The people will be frightened thrice. They will then approach Adam (and implore intercession from him).’ He (Abu Said) then narrated the hadith in full and said: ‘People will then come to me and I will accompany them (for intercession). According to Ibn Judan, Hadrat Anas(RA) said: ‘I visualize I am still beholding Allah’s Messengerﷺ. He said: ‘I will take the chain of the Door of Paradise and knock it. They will ask: ‘Who is it?’ It will be said (to them): ‘ Muhammad (the Chosen One).’ So they will open the door on me and say welcome. I will then fall down in prostration before the Holy Presence of Allah and He will reveal to me a portion of His praise and hymn. I will be asked: ‘Raise your head; you will be granted whatever you supplicate. Intercede; your intercession will be accepted; and say; you will be heard.’ (He said:) ‘That is the Praiseworthy Station which Allah has promised: Certainly, your Lord will place you at “the Praiseworthy Station”.’”►(Q.17:79)
Reported by al-Tirmidhi and according to him: “This is a fine authentic tradition.”
►[•al- Tirmidhi in al-Sunan: Bk.: Tafsir al- Quran [Interpretation of the Quran] according to Allah’s Messenger a, Ch.: From Sura Bani Israil, 5/308 §3148. •Ibn Majah in al-Sunan: Bk.: al-Zuhd [Abstinence], Ch.: Dhikr al-Shafa [Concerning the Intercession], 2/1440 §4308.]
