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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Theological Instructions LESSON SIXTY: RESPONSES TO CERTAIN SPURIOUS DOUBTS Various questions and doubts have arisen concerning the subject of intercession; in this lesson, I will provide the answers to the most important doubts raised. Doubt 1: The first doubt is that several verses in the Holy Qur’an maintain that on Resurrection no intercession will be accepted for anyone.

For example, it is claimed in al-Baqarah that: “Beware of the day when no soul shall compensate for another, neither any intercession shall be accepted from it, nor any ransom shall be received from it, nor will they be helped” (al-Baqarah:48) Response 1: The point aimed at here is the rejection of independent and non- regulated intercession in which some people believe.

Moreover, such verses are general and can be dealt with by the verses in which the acceptance of regulated and God-permitted intercession has been discussed as I explained in the previous lesson. Doubt 2: The requisite for the rightfulness of intercession is that Almighty God should become affected by intercessors; in other words, their intercession causes forgiveness - an action performed by God.

Response 2: The admittance of intercession does not mean ‘to become affected by’ just as accepting repentance and granting a prayer also do not have such an incorrect requisite. In all these cases the deeds of the servants make readiness in them to accept Divine blessings; in other words, “it is the readiness of the person which counts not the performance of the one who forgives”.

Doubt 3: The requisite for intercession is that the intercessors are in fact more merciful than God, as the assumption is that without their intercession the sinners would be engaged in punishment or their punishment would continue. Response 3: The intercessors’ sympathy or kindness is a manifestation of God’s endless mercy. In other words, intercession is a means or way Almighty God has considered for forgiving His sinful servants.

This indeed manifests His highest levels of mercifulness towards His selected and deserving servants. Similarly, prayer and repentance are other ways He has recognized for the fulfilling of needs aswell as the forgiving of sins. Doubt 4: If God’s decree for punishing the sinful is the requisite for justice, the acceptance of intercession will be against justice.