Eighth Issue: What is intercession and what is its use? How could the love of ‘Ali be faith; as the Prophet said: ((Only the believer will love you))? According to us, the intercession is for none but believers. It pertains to Allah‟s increasing of one‟s bounty and countering an apparent sin for that which is good. Allah, the Exalted, says: {No intimate friend or intercessor will the wrong-doers have, who could be listened to.} (Q. 40:18), {The wrong-doers will have no helpers.} (Q. 2:270), {Whoever works evil, will be repaid accordingly. Nor will he find, besides Allah, any protector or helper.} (Q. 4:123), {But as for those who have done evil deeds – the recompense of an evil deed shall be the like thereof: and – since they will have none to defend them against Allah – ignominy will overshadow them as though their faces were veiled by the night’s own darkness: it is they who are destined to abide in the fire forever.} (Q. 10:27), and {But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein. They shall have a humiliating punishment.} (Q. 4:14). These verses prove that the intercession for the disobedient is from two perspectives:
First, it stipulates that the disobedient do not receive any interceder, helper, protector (al-ā’sim); if not, then they will be amongst those who will receive intercession, help, and protection.
Second, it shows that eternality (khulūd) does not apply if one is taken out [of the Fire] by the intercession of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. The verses are general regarding all acts of disobedience, oppression, evil actions, and sins. Some verses also indicate specific acts of disobedience like: {But whoever deliberately kills another believer, his payment shall be Hell, therein to abide forever; and Allah will condemn, reject, and prepare him for awesome suffering.} (Q. 4:93), {Who never invoke any deity side by side with Allah, and do not take the life of any human beings – [the life] which Allah has willed to be sacred – other than in [the pursuit of] justice, and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits thereof shall [not only] meet with a full requital but also shall have his suffering doubled on Resurrection Day: for on that [Day] he shall abide therein forever.} (Q. 25:68-69), and {Hence, whoever becomes aware of his Lord‟s warning, and thereupon desists [from usury], may keep his past gains, and it will be for Allah to judge him; but as for those who return to it -they are destined for the Fire, therein to abide forever!} (Q. 2:275).
These verses demonstrate the eternal assignment of the perpetrators [of disobedience] in the Fire22. There will be no intercession for them. This is because the intercession concerns the obligation of them to come out of the fire. However, the verses that mention eternality demonstrate that they will not come out of the Fire.
Regarding the love of „Ali, upon him be peace—It is made a sign of faith because the Messenger of Allah divided the Muslims into two groups: the true believers and the hypocrites. Allah has made the love of „Ali a sign for the believer and the hatred of him the sign of a hypocrite.
It is not just any type love for him that is one of the distinct signs of faith, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said to „Ali, upon him be peace: ((There are two types of
22 The belief in the eternal punishment for the disobedient Muslims is a belief that is also held by the Ibađis. The 12ers, Isma„ilis, and Sunnis hold that the Muslim who commits major sins and fails to repent, will eventually be taken from the Fire.
