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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Theological Instructions LESSON FIFTY-NINE: INTERSSESION Introduction One of the privileges devoted by God to the believers, is that if a believer protects his faith until death, and does not commit any sins which lead to the removal of prosperity, bad luck, and eventually doubt and denial (of God), thus dying a believer in God, he will not meet with eternal punishment.

His minor sins will be forgiven as a result of him avoiding major sins, and major sins will be forgiven via a complete and acceptable repentance. However, if one does not succeed in performing such repentance, his involvement in worldly troubles and disasters may lighten his load of sin and the life between this world and the Hereafter together with the first stages of Resurrection will remove his impurities.

Nevertheless, if there are still some impurities in the believer, he will be saved from Hell through intercession - the greatest Divine blessing represented particularly by the Prophet (s), and his noble family members (a) (The Prophet (s) maintains that: “I have saved my intercession for those among my nation who commit major sins.” (Bihār al-Anwār:Vol.

40:378) According to a number of traditions, a praised position (Maqām Mahmūd) (Refer to al-Isrā’:79), promised to the Prophet in the Holy Qur’an, is the position of intercessor.

Moreover, the noble verse below refers to God’s forgiveness presented to deserving people through the Prophet’s intercession: “Soon your Lord will give you [that with which] you will be pleased” (al-Duhā:5) Therefore, the guilty believer’s greatest and last hope is intercession; however, they should always keep themselves alert, and fear committing a sin which may bring them bad luck and disbelief at the time of death.

They should also be concerned over their interest in worldly affairs and that (may I seek God’s shelter) they may die whilst feeling hatred towards God because they assumed that it was He who caused separation between them and their beloved. The concept of intercession he term ‘shafā’ah’ the Arabic word for ‘Intercession’ is derived from the word ‘Shaf’’ meaning ‘associate’.

In Arabic conversations, the term is used when an honorable person asks a noble individual to ignore the guilt of a criminal or to increase the reward of a servant.