The Guiding Light — Page 343
S u rah al-Baqarah, Verse 255-258 343 knowing that Thou art well pleased with me and that I enjoy Thy special favour. Here is an erring man who is sincerely connected with me but in moments of weakness he has stumbled and faltered. But as Thou art kind and good to me, O Lord, be Thou kind also to this sinful servant of Thine and pardon him his sins. ” This is what may be termed the essence of ﺷﻔﺎﻋﺔ ( shaf a ‘a h ) as taught and held lawful by Islam. From the above significance of the word it is apparent that true ﺷﻔﺎﻋﺔ ( shaf a ‘a h ) is governed by the following conditions: - (1). He who intercedes must be very near and dear to God enjoying His special favour. (2). The person for whom he wishes to intercede must have a true and real connection with him. (3). The person in whose favour intercession is to be made must be on the whole a good man, only casually tempted to sin in moments of weakness; for it cannot be entertained for a moment that an habitually wicked man can enjoy a true connection with a holy person.