Do Muslims believe in “Intercession” or a “Mediator” for their Salvation?

** Questions by Catholics [In catholic, there is also a concept of mediators other than Jesus Christ which includes St Mary, St Peter and many more)

The role of “Intercessor” or “Mediator” between man and God is an established doctrine in Christianity as seen in I Timothy 2:5 –

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.”

Man needs an intercessor or mediator in Christianity because he is considered as too weak and imperfect to work for his own salvation. It says in Romans 3:23-24

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption (by blood – Ephesians 1:7) that is in Christ Jesus.”

Therefore the role of intercessor can be seen clearly in Christianity. However, in Islam the word “Intercession” (Shafa‘at) as it occurs in Qur’an 2:255, 10:3, 20:109, 21:28, 34:23 and 4:85 takes a symbolic expression as seen in Qur’an 19:87

“(On that Day) none will have (the benefit of) intercession unless he has (in his lifetime) entered into a bond with the Most Gracious.”[19:87]

So such of the sinners as will have already achieved His redemptive acceptance by virtue of their repentance or basic goodness will have this opportunity whereby prophets would be granted the right to intercede as a symbolic gesture following God’s approval of the sinners. Furthermore, there are important statement in the Qur’an:

“There is no intercessor whatever, save after His leave (has been granted)” [Q10:3]

“Who is there that could intercede with Him unless it be by His leave?” [Q2:255]

These clearly reject the popular belief in unqualified “intercession” by living or dead saints or prophets, as observed in Qur’an 19:87 quoted above. This denial of the possibility of unqualified intercession stresses, indirectly, not only God’s Omniscience – which requires no “mediator” – but also the immutability of His will: and thus it connects with the preceding mention of His Mightiness which takes all the circumstances of the sinner and his sinning a priori into consideration. He said in Qur’an 10:18

“Say: Do you (think that you could) inform God of anything in the heavens or on earth that He does not know? Limitless is He in His glory, and Sublimely exalted above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!”

Therefore let every believer strive hard to gain Allah’s pleasure and hope in His mercy as said by the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W

“None will enter into Paradise except by Allah’s mercy.” When he was asked about himself, he said “including myself” (Bukhari and Muslim).

It is in respect of these people that Allah will grant his prophets symbolic permission to intercede which all of them would decline but pass this priviledge to the Prophet Muhammad (Bukhari and Muslim – see Riyadh Salihin Hadith No. 1872).

Another meaning for “intercession” (Shafa‘at) is that he who joins himself to another and assists him, and becomes to him as one of a pair or an intercessor in doing good or evil, and thus aids him and strengthens him, partakes with him the benefit or the harm of it – This is mentioned in the Qur’an 4:86

“whoso makes a righteous intercession (shafa‘at) shall partke of the good that ensues therefrom.”

In a Hadith related by Abu Musa Ash’ari, whenever a needy person came to the Prophet he would turn to those present and say:

“Intercede for him, you will have reward and Allah makes His Prophet say what He wills” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Should good Christian or Jews retain their religion?

Some quote Qur’an 3:113-115 and say there is no need for People of the Book to accept Islam if they are sincere and fit the description of those mentioned in Qur’an 3:113-115. These verses say:

“Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (for the right): they rehearse the signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in God and the Last Day: they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong: and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: they are in the ranks of the righteous. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them: for God knows well those that do right.”

In Islam, we respect sincere faith and true righteousness in whatever form they appear. However the reaction of some of those spoken of in the verses above to the Qur’an when they hear and understand it is described in more detail in Qur’an 5:85-89 where Allah says:

“Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers will you find the Jews and Pagans: and nearest among them in love to the Believers will you find those who say, “We are Christians”: because among these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Apostle (Muhammad, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: They pray: “Our Lord! We believe, write us down among the witnesses. What cause can we have not to believe in God and the truth which has come to us, seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous?” And for this their prayer hath Allah rewarded them with Gardens, with rivers flowing underneath – their eternal home (of Paradise), such is the recompense of those who do good. But those who reject Faith and give the lie to our Signs – they shall be companions of Hell-Fire”

Every human being should keep searching for the truth – for God to

“Guide us to and along His Straight Path”.

Sincere searchers of truth (who may be innocently ignorant of the truth of “Islam”) is what the above verses refers to and not to bent denyers of God’s revelation or those who just do not care to know God’s will for them. How can one claim to be really interested in doing good, while at the same time reject or be uninterested in the divine guidance and truth from the All-knowing and All-Wise regarding what is right and what wrong and how to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong.

How many non-Muslims today can claim to belong to the first category described in the Qur’anic verse above? In summary, Allah says:

“You (Muslims) are indeed the best Community that has been brought forth for (the good of) mankind: (in that) you enjoin the doing of what is right, and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God. Now if the followers of earlier revelation had attained to (this kind) of faith, it would have been for their own good. Among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors” (Qur’an 3:110).

Is there any need for barrier in mosque

The practice today in most Mosques is to create a barrier between male and female worshippers in such a way that they cannot see each other. Also the women cannot see the Imam or any other male worshipper admonishing the congregation.

In most cases, mosques that do not have this demarcation for female worshippers are thought of as introducing something in Islam. The question is, what is the Islamic stance on Barrier in the mosque?

It is important to observe that the creation of barriers or demarcation between male and female worshippers was not practiced during the time of the Prophet nor his companions. History has shown that Bilal (the mu’azzin of the Prophet) used to go between rows of both male and female to collect sadaqa (charity). Similarly the Prophet admonished believers that while in a congregation prayer if an Imam make a mistake, the male should say “Subhan Allah”, while the female should clap.

Also during the time of Caliph Umar, a woman challenged him in the Mosque when he was attempting to set a limit for the amount of dowry to be given to would-be wife. From all these, it is clear that the issue of creating a barrier is a later practice probably to restrict the mixing of male and female.

However, it is worth emphasising that believers should create the habit of restraint not only in the mosque but anywhere. Also it is important for our female worshippers to be allowed to see the Imam while admonishing for this will create more concentration and be more natural.

Is Food from non-Muslims "halaal" for Muslims to eat?

There was a misconception with regard to Muslims eating the food of Ahl-al-Kitab, that is the Jews and the Christians. It was believed by some Muslims that eating their food or meat is Haram because some of them associate partners with Allah. However, in answer to that Allah came with an injunction in the Qur’an, chapter 5 verse 5. Allah says:

“This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you. And yours is lawful unto them…”

From this injunction, Allah did not prohibit Muslims from eating the food of the Jews and the Christians. According to Yusuf Al-Qaradawi in his Halal Wal-Haram Fii Islam (The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam), the application of the phrase “the food of those who were given the scripture” is general and includes their meats, produce and other food, excepting what is haram in itself, eg. the flesh of a dead animal, pork, and blood.

Differences among jurists exist on the question of the lawfulness of consuming meat of the People of the Book slaughtered via crueler methods (eg. electrocution, decapitation, etc) or that which is speculated to have been slaughtered in the name of anyone other than Allah, or slaughtered by a non-Jew or non-Christian. While some contend that such meat is haram, several conclude otherwise. Al-Tabari reported someone asking Abu al-Darda whether he could eat the flesh of a lamb slaughtered for the Church of St. George that he had been given. Abu al-Darda responded in the affirmative, saying "O Allah, may You pardon us. Are they not the People of the Book, whose food is halal for us and ours for them?"

Imam Malik, when asked about animals slaughtered for Christian festivals, replied "I classify it as "makruh" (discouraged) but not "haram" (prohibited); makruh because I am afraid it may have been dedicated to someone other than Allah but not haram because perhaps with respect to the People of the Book the meaning of the phrase 'that which has been dedicated to any other than Allah' applies only to those animals which they slaughter for the purpose of seeking the pleasure of their deities and not to eat. As for what they slaughter to eat, it is their food, and Allah says 'The food of those who were given the Scripture is permitted to you'"

The famous Qadi Ibn al-Arabi further supports this permissibility for what is slaughtered by People of the Book as food. Responding to an enquiry about the lawfulness of partaking in the meal of a Christian who beheaded a chicken to cook it, he says: "Eat it as this is his food and the food of his priests and monks. Although this is not our way of slaughtering the animal, Allah has permitted their food to us unconditionally and also other things in their religion excepting those which Allah says they have falsified. Our scholars have said they give us their women in marriage and it is permissible to engage in sexual intercourse with them. In matters concerning halal and haram, sexual intercourse is of graver import than eating; how then does it make any sense to say that their food is not halal?" On another occasion, he declared "What they eat without intending to make it lawful for eating, as for example by strangling the animal or smashing its head, is haram." (Both citations may be found in Qaradawi's work mentioned above).

In the case of doubt as to how the animal was slaughtered, Imam Malik narrates a revealing incident occuring in the Madinan period of one who came to the Prophet (p) saying "O Messenger of Allah, people from the desert bring us meat and we do not know whether they have mentioned Allah's name over it." The Prophet (p) replied "Mention the name of Allah over it and then eat it." (Bidayatul Mujtahid, Vol.1, Book 14, Ch.4)

(Additional discussion notes: Halaal that wholesome (tayyib) - beyond simply “halaal”. The “greening”/islamisation of modern agriculture. Organics and free range animal products (meat & dairy). Way of killing animals. Chrismas food/meat)

Why The Merciful Allah allow good and pious people sometimes to suffer?

If Allah, based on His profound knowledge and might decided to put us where we belonged (Heaven or Hell) before we even come to earth, we would certainly consider it unfair. We would complain that if we had been given the opportunity to come to this world we wouldn't have ended up where we are being put (especially if it were Hell!). Equally those in Paradise would not appreciate its value since they hadn't worked for it. Similarly if a newly-admitted student received his admission letter and was at the same time given a certificate of completion which read failure, then he would never agree. He would insist on being allowed to undergo the programme for the specified duration before he could be said to have failed. Then he would accept his fate because he would know the evidence of his failure.

Allah said in Qur'an 47:31:

"And certainly We shall try you all, so that We might mark out those of you who strive hard (on Our course) and are patient in adversity: for We shall put to a test (the truth of) all your assertions".

The test of faith is the certainty of consonance between faith and deeds, as Allah puts it in Qur'an 29:2

"Do men think that on their (mere) saying, `We have attained to faith', they will be left to themselves, and will not be put to test?"

The significance of this test by analogy is like burnt bricks, which suffer pounding, squeezing and baking, i.e. they are fired. All this is to give us the strongest bricks required for a stable building. "Suffering" to the pious or good person is useful to him in his self-development (2:155 - 157 and 21:35).

Allah tells us, that we shall be tested with things like fear, hunger, loss of fruit of labour, loss of properties and lives but at the same time hinted us on the answer for the test: He wants us to exercise patience, perseverance and acknowledge that everything comes from Him and will definitely return to Him. Whoever fulfils this condition will be considered a true believer. But if you fail then you will be a witness against yourself and truly recognise your own real self. Furthermore, a successful person will bring the following benefits to himself and to the entire Community:

1) This condition of his will help him to become more humble and grateful to Allah.

2) He will also develop more faith and trust in Allah than in anyone else (Qur'an 21:35).

3) It will help him to give better comfort to people with problems and encourage his association with the needy and suffering.

4) It also makes him more useful to his community, because he has become more tolerant, appreciative, helpful, etc.

Did Quran confirm the crucifixion Of Jesus Christ.

Assalamu’alaikum..

Some of our Christian brothers and sisters believe that Muslim also believe in the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ during the crucifixion. Due to their ignorance, they love to quote verse 19:33 which says

"So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! [19:33]

If we look at the verse literally, it indeed gives us a clear point that these verse is not talking about the resurrection. However, let us take a look at the history of the events. In order to understand that, we shall begin from verse 19:30 whereby the event took place after Vigin Mary giving birth to him. The people accuse Mary for giving birth to an adultery product. So, Jesus spoke in a cradle that he is a servant of Allah and Allah appoints him as a Prophet. Then he said that Allah Has blessed Him wheresoever he be and commands him to perform Solah and pay the Zakkat. He further adds that Allah has made him kind to his mother and did not make him miserable. And for all that, he prays that he was given peace by God during the day of he born (Wulidtun- means past tense), the day he will die (Amut) and the day he will be resurrected (Ab’as)

Amut means dies as human being dies when his times come and resurrected means that he will bring to live on the Day of Judgment. The message is not just dedicated to Jesus. God has revealed the same message to John the Baptist which sounds,

So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!

Verse 4:157 further confirm that Jesus is not being crucifies or resurrected.

That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:- [4:157]

By

Bro Muhamad Na’im B Ab Razak (Jacknaim)

USM Second Interfaith Dialog

Everybody is welcomed to attend this interfaith. Let us know each other and understand them.

Title: Basic Belief of Religion
Date : 6 February 2009 (Friday)
Venue: Dewan Utama Universiti Sains Malaysia Kubang Kerian, Kelantan
Time : 8.00 PM-11 PM (Please be in hall 10 minutes before the event)

Moderator : Bro Kamaruddin Abdullah (Islamic Propogation Center International, Penang)

Speaker: 1) Bro Nicholas Sylvester (Hidayah Center)
2) Reverand Yesudasondari Immanuel
3) Dr Lee Leong Yeah (Advisor of USM Buddhist Society)
4) Dr. M. Bala Tharumalinggam.

Co organized by: Islamic Centre USMKK, Student Affair Association, Buddhist Society, Persatuan Kebudayaan India.

**Program will be conducted in English