shafa'ah
Sign in to save'''''Shafa'a(h)''''' (, "intercession") in Islam is the act of pleading to God by an intimate friend of God (a Muslim saint) for forgiveness of a believing sinner.
Article
14 sectionsContents
- Intercession in the Quran and hadith
- In the Quran
- Interrelationship
- Intercession in hadith
- Intercession in creeds
- Objections against intercession and responses
- Intercessors
- Prophets
- Angels
- Imams
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
'''''Shafa'a(h)''' (, "intercession") in Islam is the act of pleading to God by an intimate friend of God (a Muslim saint) for forgiveness of a believing sinner.
The word Shafa'ah is taken from shaf () which means even as opposed to odd. The interceder, therefore, adds his own recommendation to that of petitioner so that there are two individuals—an even number—pleading for forgiveness. The prestige of the intercessor strengthens the otherwise weak plea of the sinner. Accordingly, Shafa'ah is a form of prayer to God by one who is near to Him on behalf of a member of the believing community seeking deliverance from eternal damnation (though not necessarily from temporary punishment).