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They (the Arab pagans) said, 'We do not call upon them (i.e., false gods) and turn towards them except to seek nearness and intercession (with Allah).' The proof of (the fact that they sought) nearness with Allah is, "Those who take awliya besides Him (say), 'We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah.' Verily, Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever." [surah az-Zumar (39): 3] - 33 - by Shaikh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan So, the mushrikeen, who were called mushrikeen (i.e., disbelievers) by Allah and were declared to be eternally abiding in Hell, did not commit Shirk in Allah's Lordship. Rather, they committed Shirk in Allah's worship. They did not claim that their lords create and provide with Allah or they benefit or harm, or run the affairs alongside Allah but they did take their deities as intercessors as Allah says about them, "they worship besides Allah things that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with Allah.'" [surah Yunus (10): 18] - 34 - (It is known from this part of the verse that) The mushrikeen acknowledged that those whom they worshiped did not benefit or harm. Rather, they took them as intercessors, i.e., intermediaries before Allah, in order to fulfill their needs. So they sacrificed and vowed for them. The mushrikeen did not worship their deities believing that they create, provide, benefit or harm. Rather they merely believed that their deities intercede and make Shafa'ah for them with Allah. This was the belief of the disbelievers. If you were to debate with the grave worshippers of today, they too repeat the justification of the Arab pagans word-for-word saying, 'I know that this wali or righteous man does not harm or benefit, but he is a righteous person and I want him to intercede with Allah on my behalf.' Shafa'ah can be of two kinds; (a) the Legitimate Shafa'ah and (b) the Illegitimate Shafa'ah The Legitimate Shafa'ah is the one which fulfils two conditions; i) The Shafa'ah must be sought with the Permission of Allah ii) The individual on behalf of whom the Shafa'ah is sought should be from the people of tawhid, i.e., he may be sinful but he must be a Muwahhid (i.e., a firm believer in tawhid). If either of the two conditions is not fulfilled, the Shafa'ah becomes illegitimate. - 35 - Permission..." [surah al-Baqarah (2): 255] "They cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased with..." [surah al-Anbiya (21): 28] So, those on behalf of whom the Shafa'ah is sought must be Muwahhideen although they are sinful. But as for the disbelievers and the mushrikeen (those who associate partners with Allah), they do not benefit from the Shafa'ah of the intercessors, "There will be neither friend, nor any intercessor for the Dhalimoon (polytheist, wrongdoers, etc.)." [surah Ghafir (40): 18] So, these people heard about Shafa'ah and did not understand its meaning. They (thus) began seeking it from these people without the Permission of Allah. Moreover, it was sought for the mushrikeen, the one who will not benefit from the Shafa'ah. They are unaware of the meaning of the Legitimate Shafa'ah and the Illegitimate Shafa'ah. - 36 - Shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab writes, Shafa'ah is of two kinds, the forbidden Shafa'ah and the affirmed Shafa'ah. The forbidden Shafa'ah is the one that is sought from other than Allah concerning a matter which only Allah is able to do and the proof is the Saying of Allah. "O you who believe, Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbeliever who are the Dhalimoon (wrongdoers, etc.)" [surah al-Baqarah (2): 254] The affirmed Shafa'ah is that which is sought from Allah, and the intercessor is honored with the intercession and the one on behalf of whom the intercession is sought is someone whose deeds and speech are pleasing to Allah, (all of these conditions should be fulfilled) after Allah has given the Permission for intercession as Allah says, "Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission?..." [surah alBaqarah (2): 255] - 37 - by Shaikh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan Shafaa'ah has conditions and limitations, it is not absolute: Shafaa'ah that is forbidden by Allah is the Shafa'ah without the Permission of Allah. No one intercedes with Allah without His Permission. The best of the creation, and the last of all the Prophets, Muhammad r when he wants to intercede for those who are standing on the Day of Judgement, he will fall in prostration before His Lord, invoke Him, praise Him, and he will remain in the prostration until it is said to him, 'Raise your head, speak and you shall be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted." [sahih al-Bukharee] So, the Messenger does not intercede except after Permission from Allah. The affirmed Shafa'ah is that which is sought on behalf of the people of tawhid, so the mushrik does not benefit from the Shafa'ah. The one who seeks nearness to the graves, and vows for the graves is the mushrik who does not benefit from the intercession. In summary, the forbidden Shafa'ah is the one that is sought without the Permission of Allah or is sought on behalf of a mushrik. The affirmed Shifa'ah is the one that is sought with the Permission of Allah and on behalf of the people of tawhid. - 38 - Shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab writes, T HIRD