This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Intercession but with Permission:
The Holy Prophet is the Master of Intercessors; His intercession is greater and more significant than all other intercessions, and His status with Allah is higher than all creation. On the Day of Judgment, when the creation of Allah will seek intercession from our Master Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses (peace be upon them), each prophet will pass the responsibility to another until it reaches Jesus (peace be upon him), who will say: "Go to Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Prophet whose past and future sins Allah has forgiven." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When the creation comes to me, I will rise and said:
فأذهب فإذا رأيت ربي خررت له ساجدا وأحمد ربي بمحامد يفتحها على لا أحسنها الآن فيقال أى محمد ارفع رأسك وقل يسمع وسل تعطه واشفع تشفع قال فيحد لي حدا فأخرجهم فأدخلهم الجنة
"I will go. When I see my Lord, I will fall prostrate and praise my Lord with praises that I do not yet know well. Then it will be said: Muhammad! Raise your head and speak, it will be heard, and ask, it will be granted, and intercession will be accepted. He said: A limit will be set for me, within which I will take people out of Hell and admit them into Paradise."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Softening the Hearts: Chapter on Description of Paradise and Hell, Hadith: (2525) Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith: Chapter on the Lowest Rank of the People of Paradise (Hadith: 193)
Therefore, whoever denies the intercession of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) for the major sinners is an innovator and misguided, like the Kharijites and Mu'tazilites, etc.
And whoever holds the belief that some among the creation will intercede without Allah's permission has denied and opposed the Quran and the consensus of the Ummah. Allah Almighty says:
مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ
"Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?"
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:255)
وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارتَضَىٰ
"They do not intercede except for those whom He approves."
Reference: (21-Al-Anbiya:28)
وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ ﴿٢٦﴾
"There are many angels in the heavens, but their intercession will not avail at all except for him whom the Most Merciful permits and approves of."
Reference: (53-An-Najm:26)
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ الدَّاعِيَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُ ۖ وَخَشَعَتِ الْأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَّا هَمْسًا ﴿١٠٨﴾ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلًا ﴿١٠٩﴾
"And voices will be hushed before the Most Merciful, except for a whisper or a sound that is heard. On that Day, intercession will not benefit except for him to whom the Most Merciful permits and approves of his speech."
Reference: (20-Taha:108-109)
مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ
"There is no intercessor except after His permission."
Reference: (10-Yunus:3)
مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ
"Besides Him, you have no protector or intercessor."
Reference: (32-As-Sajdah:4)
There are numerous verses in the Holy Quran on this subject.
