المعنى الاصطلاحي

Interceding for others to bring them benefits or repel harms from them.

الشرح المختصر

"Shafaa‘ah" (intercession) is of two categories: First: Intercession in matters of the afterlife, which is of two types: 1. Special intercession: the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, intercedes for his followers. This is of four types. a. The major intercession (also known as ''the Praised Station''): the Prophet comes and asks Allah to relieve people from standing so that they get the final judgement. b. The Prophet's intercession for admitting into Paradise those who are destined for it. c. The Prophet's intercession for reducing the punishment of his uncle Abu Talib. d. The Prophet's intercession for admitting some of his followers into Paradise without reckoning. 2. General intercession: it is common for the Prophet and those whom Allah wills of the Prophets, angels, and righteous people. Intercession is made to get some people who have entered Hellfire out of it, to not admit to Hellfire some of those who deserve it, and to raise the degrees of some believers who deserve it in Paradise. Second: Intercession in worldly matters. It is of two types: 1. Manageable intercession, which is either good (if it is for something allowed by the Shariah, such as marrying someone off) or bad (if it is for something not allowed by the Shariah, such as revoking someone's rights). 2. Unmanageable intercession, such as seeking intercession from the dead or the absentees. In doing so, one associate partners with Allah. Two things are required for a useful religious intercession: 1. Allah's permission. 2. Allah's satisfaction with the one interceding and the beneficiary of the intercession.

التعريف اللغوي المختصر

"Shafaa‘ah": requesting something for others. Derived from "shaf`", which means adding something to something else. Other meanings: help, consolidation.

التعريف

To plead on behalf of someone else so as to grant his need, whether immediate or one of the life to come, or to overlook and pardon an error or a sin committed by that person.