Will There Be Intercession for Disbelievers on the Day of Judgment?
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri — Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question
Will there be intercession (shafa‘ah) for disbelievers on the Day of Judgment?
❖ Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
On the Day of Judgment, intercession will only occur by Allah’s permission and only for those whom Allah allows it for and is pleased with. For the disbelievers, there will be no intercessor, and no intercession will benefit them.
◈ Qur’anic Evidence
- Allah says:
﴿يَوْمَئِذٍ لَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلًا﴾ (طه: 109)
"On that Day, no intercession will benefit except for one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and whose word He approves." - Allah says:
﴿مَا مِنْ شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ﴾ (يونس: 3)
"There is no intercessor except after His permission." - Allah says:
﴿وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى وَهُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ﴾ (الأنبياء: 28)
"They (the angels) do not intercede except for the one with whom Allah is pleased, and they fear Him in awe." - Allah says:
﴿وَلَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ﴾ (سبأ: 23)
"Intercession before Him will not benefit except for the one He permits." - Allah says:
﴿وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ﴾ (الزخرف: 86)
"Those whom they call besides Him cannot intercede, except those who bear witness to the truth knowingly." - Allah says:
﴿وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَى﴾ (النجم: 26)
"How many angels are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all, except after Allah permits it for whom He wills and approves."
◈ Scholarly Consensus
- ʿAllamah Abu Hafs ʿUmar ibn ʿAli al-Numani al-Dimashqi (775 AH) رحمه الله wrote:
"The Ummah is unanimous that intercession will not be valid for the disbelievers."
(al-Lubab fi ʿUlum al-Kitab 11/395)
◈ Conclusion
- Shafa‘ah (intercession) on the Day of Judgment will only be by Allah’s permission.
- No intercession will benefit the disbelievers.
- The Ummah has consensus (ijma‘) on this matter.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
