Shafaqna English- Commentary on the 2nd Chapter of the Holy Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie.
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٤٧﴾ وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَّا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾
2:47 O’ Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I have bestowed upon you and that I once exalted you above all peoples.
2:48 And fear a Day when no soul will benefit for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.
2:47 Intercession in the Light of the Qur’an
Commentary: The Children of Israel believed that they were the beloved sons of God[1] (وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّـهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ ) and His chosen nation[2] (وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ). Thus, they thought that they would benefit from the intercession of divine messengers from the lineage of Prophet Ya’qub/Jacob (AS) and would only spend a limited number of days in Hell in the worst-case scenario[3] (وَقَالُوا لَن تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلَّا أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَةً ). After that, Paradise would be exclusively theirs to enjoy[4] (وَقَالُوا لَن يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ).
The Qur’an refutes the Israelites’ perception of divine justice in the Hereafter and declares that every soul will be judged solely based on the merit of its faith and deeds. Verse/Ayah 2:48 says, 1) “And be on your guard against a day” (وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا), 2) “when any soul will not avail for another soul anything” (لَّا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍ شَيْئًا), 3) “and not be accepted from it any intercession” (وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ), 4) “and not will be taken from it a compensation” (وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ), and 5) “and not they will be helped.” (وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ)
It is unclear whether the verse rejects the intercession that the Children of Israel believed in or refutes it entirely. Before forming an opinion, all Verses of the Qur’an which discuss intercession must be explored.
Intercession in the Qur’an: Intercession is mentioned in about thirty Verses of the Qur’an. These Verses are classified into three broad categories. The first category of verses rejects the concept of intercession. For instance, chapter Al-Baqarah, Verse 2:254, states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ وَلَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿٢٥٤﴾
2:254 O’ you who have faith! Spend out of what We have provided you before the coming of a day on which there will be no bargaining, no friendship and no intercession. And the disbelievers – they are the unjust.
This Verse asserts that there is: no bargaining, no friendship, and no intercession on the Day of Judgment. However, the subsequent verse suggests the existence of intercessors who can intercede without God’s Permission:
مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ … ﴿٢٥٥﴾
2:555 …Who is it that may intercede with God except with God’s permission…
Therefore: “No intercession” followed by “who could intercede” perhaps refutes unjustified intercession or a type of intervention which Allah (SWT) has prohibited.
The second category of Verses states that the intercession rests entirely with Allah (SWT). For instance, Chapter/Surah Az-Zumar, Verse/Ayah 39:43-44, says:
أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ شُفَعَاءَ قُلْ أَوَلَوْ كَانُوا لَا يَمْلِكُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴿٤٣﴾ قُل لِّلَّـهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِيعًا لَّهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾
39:43-44 Or have they taken other than Allah as intercessors? Say, “Even though they do not possess (power over) anything, nor do they reason?” Say, “To Allah (SWT) belongs (the right to allow) intercession entirely. To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to God you will be returned.”
Idolaters believed in the intercession of idols. Allah (SWT) repudiates the thoughts of the idolaters and asserts that the right of intercession belongs entirely to Allah (SWT). God is the absolute sovereign and God will grant the position of intercession to whom God Pleases.
The third category of verses accepts the principle of intercession[5] with Allah’s (SWT) permission, concerning those whom Allah (SWT) is pleased with them[6]. For instance, chapter Saba, verse 34:23, endorses intercession with Allah’s (SWT) Permission on the Day of Judgment:
وَلَا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ ﴿٢٣﴾
34:23 And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom God permits. (and those wait) until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say (to one another): “What has your Lord said?” They will say, “The truth.” And God is the Most-High, the Grand.
The caveat is that Allah (SWT) must find that person worthy of receiving forgiveness through intercession [7]:
… وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَىٰ … ﴿٢٨﴾
21:28 And they (angels) do not intercede except for him whom God is pleased.
The Qur’an does not mention what characteristics in a person make him worthy of receiving intercession. For sure, God is not pleased with sin. So, what are the eligibility requirements?
The commentators of the Qur’an state that God must be pleased with man’s efforts to seek God’s consent in life, even though he will bear the burden of sin on the Day of Judgment. After all, we are not innocent beings[8].
The Qur’an makes it clear that intercession does not benefit unjust people[9] (لِلظَّالِمِينَ) and criminals[10] (الْمُجْرِمِينَ). Those who do not refrain from major sins or persistently commit minor sins should be aware that they may not qualify for receiving intercession on the Day of Judgment.
The following narrative brings a proper understanding of intercession. On his death bed, Imam Sadiq (AS) called his extended family to his bedside, looked into their eyes, and said[11]:
قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع إِنَ شَفَاعَتَنَا لَا تَنَالُ مُسْتَخِفّاً بِالصَّلَاةِ.
Our intercession will not benefit those who take their prescribed daily prayer lightly.
Daily prayer is a pillar of the religion, and God will not be pleased with those who take God’s pillar of religion lightly.
A True Essence of Intercession: In the universe that we live in, Allah (SWT) sends His divine blessings and forgiveness in many ways. Amongst them is the invocation of noble angels and the Prophet’s (PBUH) prayer; see Chapter Ghafir 40:7 and Chapter An-Nisa 4:64. For easy reading of this commentary, these verses are provided at the end of the section.
Likewise, it is feasible that Allah (SWT) pardons those who deserve God’s Forgiveness by intercession in the Hereafter, and the Qur’an confirms intercession with Allah’s (SWT) permission under God’s terms and conditions.
Allah (SWT) is the absolute sovereign and can forgive without anyone’s intervention. However, He may want to honor God’s elite servants further with the acceptance of their prayers on the Day of Judgment.
The concept of intercession has existed since the time of the Prophet (PBUH) and many narratives have been reported. One of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH), Sawad bin Qarib [Arabic: (سواد بن قارب)], came to the Prophet (PBUH) reciting the following poem and asked for his intercession:
و کن لي شفيعا يوم لا ذو شفاعه – بمغن فتيلا عن سواد بن قارب
O’ dear Prophet, be my intercessor on the Day of Judgment, the day that other’s intercession will not avail Sawad bin Qarib.
Conclusions: The Children of Israel believed that since they were descendants of Prophet Ya’qub (AS), their forefathers would be able to intercede with God for them under any circumstance. However, the Qur’an rebukes their understanding and declares that intercession will be only with Allah’s (SWT) Permission and for only those whom God is pleased with.
Word-for-Word Translation:
2:47 [يَا] O [بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ] Children of Israel [اذْكُرُوا] Remember [نِعْمَتِيَ] My Favor [الَّتِي] which [أَنْعَمْتُ] I bestowed [عَلَيْكُمْ] upon you [وَأَنِّي] And that I [فَضَّلْتُكُمْ] preferred you [عَلَى] over [الْعَالَمِينَ] the worlds.
2:48 [وَاتَّقُوا] And fear [يَوْمًا] a day [لَّا] will not [تَجْزِي] avail [نَفْسٌ] any soul [عَن] for [نَّفْسٍ] another soul [شَيْئًا] anything [وَلَا يُقْبَلُ] and will not be accepted [مِنْهَا] from it [شَفَاعَةٌ] any intercession [وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ] and will not be taken [مِنْهَا] from it [عَدْلٌ] a compensation [وَلَا] ad not [هُمْ] they [يُنصَرُونَ] will be helped.
Verses of the Qur’an in the text:
Ghafir 40:7
الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ ﴿٧﴾
Those who bear the Throne, and those who are around it, celebrate the praise of their Lord and have faith in God, and they plead for forgiveness for the faithful: ‘Our Lord! You embrace all things in mercy and knowledge. So, forgive those who repent and follow Your way and save them from the punishment of Hell.
An-Nisa 4:64
وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلَاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ ۗ … ﴿١٠٣﴾
And pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is a comfort to them.
Ghafir 40:18
وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْآزِفَةِ إِذِ الْقُلُوبُ لَدَى الْحَنَاجِرِ كَاظِمِينَ مَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ ﴿١٨﴾
Warn them of the Approaching Day, when the hearts will be at the throats, choking with suppressed agony, [and] the unjust will have no sympathizer, nor any intercessor who might be heard.
Al-Muddathir 74:48
عَنِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿٤١﴾ مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ ﴿٤٢﴾ ………..حَتَّىٰ أَتَانَا الْيَقِينُ ﴿٤٧﴾ فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ ﴿٤٨﴾
The guilty: ‘What drew you into Hell?’…until death came to us.’ So the intercession of the intercessors will not avail them.
Note:
[1]. The Qur’an, Al-Maida 5:18.
[2]. Al-Baqarah 2:47,122& Al-Jathiya 45:16.
[3]. Al-Baqarah 2:80.
[4]. Al-Baqarah 2:111.
[5]. Those who are interested to dive deeper in this topic should also read commentary on verses Al-Baqarah 2:255, Saba 34:23: Maryam 19:86-87, Az-Zukruf 43:85-86, Ta-Ha 20:109 and Al-Anbiya 21:26-28.
[6]. Al-Anbiya 21:28.
[7]. Al-Anbiya 21:28.
[8]. Tafseer-e-Namoona, Vol. 13, P. 391. L. 1 and Al-Mizan, Vol. 1, P. 259, L.1.
[9]. Ghafir 40:18.
[10]. Al-Muddathir 74:48.
[11]. Wasā’il-al-Shīa (Arabic: وسائل الشيعة ), Vol. 4, Page 25.
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