Many people make the following mistake concerning intercession: They only think of the scenario where intercession works out favorably for a person. Yet, the Quran says that one’s testimony hurts themselves more often than not.
6:130 O you jinns and humans, did you not receive messengers from among you, who narrated to you My revelations, and warned you about the meeting of this day? They will say, “ We bear witness against ourselves.” They were totally preoccupied with the worldly life, and they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.
7:37 Who is more evil than those who invent lies about GOD, or reject His revelations? These will get their share, in accordance with the scripture, then, when our messengers come to terminate their lives, they will say, “Where are the idols you used to implore beside GOD?” They will say, “They have abandoned us.” They will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.
41:21 They will say to their skins, “ Why did you bear witness against us?” They will reply, “GOD made us speak up; He is the One who causes everything to speak. He is the One who created you the first time, and now you have been returned to Him.”
17:13 We have recorded the fate of every human being; it is tied to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection we will hand him a record that is accessible.
17:14 Read your own record. Today, you suffice as your own reckoner.
Several verses in the Quran also state that God will call upon a witness from each community to serve as witnesses on that day. Two of these verses specifically rerfernce Muhammad and one specifically references Jesus.
4:41 Thus, when the day (of judgment) comes, we will call upon a witness from each community, and you (the messenger) will serve as a witness among these people.
4:159 Everyone among the people of the scripture was required to believe in him (Jesus) before his death. On the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.
16:89 The day will come when we will raise from every community a witness from among them, and bring you as the witness of these people. We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations for everything, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters.
Interestingly, we have the testimony of both Jesus and Muhammad in the Quran, and as we will see that their testimony is not to plead on behalf of anyone, but only to utter the truth.
5:116 GOD will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Make me and my mother idols beside GOD’?” He will say, “Be You glorified. I could not utter what was not right. Had I said it, You already would have known it. You know my thoughts, and I do not know Your thoughts. You know all the secrets.
5:117 “ I told them only what You commanded me to say, that: ‘You shall worship GOD, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was a witness among them for as long as I lived with them. When You terminated my life on earth, You became the Watcher over them. You witness all things.
5:118 “If You punish them, they are Your constituents. If You forgive them, You are the Almighty, Most Wise.”
5:119 GOD will proclaim, “ This is a day when the truthful will be saved by their truthfulness.” They have deserved gardens with flowing streams. They abide therein forever. GOD is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. This is the greatest triumph.
We even have Muhammad’s testimony against his people on the Day of Resurrection.
25:27 The day will come when the transgressor will bite his hands (in anguish) and say, “Alas, I wish I had followed the path with the messenger.
25:28 “Alas, woe to me, I wish I did not take that person as a friend.
25:29 “He has led me away from the message after it came to me. Indeed, the devil lets down his human victims.”
25:30 The messenger said, “My Lord, my people have deserted this Quran.”
ON JUDGMENT DAY, EVERYONE WORRIED ABOUT THEMSELVES
Before we get to the final set of verses regarding the caveats to intercession on the Day of Judgment, it is worth highlighting that the Quran informs us that every person will only be concerned about their own neck on that day.
70:8 The day will come when the sky will be like molten rocks.
70:9 The mountains will be like fluffy wool.
70:10 No friend will care about his close friend.
70:11 When they see them, the guilty will wish he could give his own children as ransom, to spare him the retribution of that day.
70:12 Also his spouse, and his brother.
70:13 Even his whole tribe that raised him.
70:14 Even all the people on earth, if it would save him.
75:15 No excuses will be accepted.
80:33 Then, when the blow comes to pass.
80:34 That is the day when one flees from his brother.
80:35 From his mother and father.
80:36 From his spouse and children.
80:37 Each one of them, on that day, worries about his own destiny.
The messengers are not exempt from the above passages. Like every other human, they will be concerned about their own neck.
17:57 Even the idols that they implore are seeking the ways and means towards their Lord. They pray for His mercy, and fear His retribution. Surely, the retribution of your Lord is dreadful.
Based on this information, the Quran, in no uncertain terms, eliminates the possibility of any kind of third-party intercession. The only people who will be able to intercede will be those who are permitted to speak, whom God has already approved, and who bear witness to the truth. This will not change the outcome for anyone but only confirm God’s predetermined decision.
69:18 On that day, you will be exposed, nothing of you can be hidden.
69:19 As for the one who receives his record with his right hand, he will say, “Come read my record.
69:20 “I did believe that I was going to be held accountable.”
69:21 He has deserved a happy life.
69:22 In an exalted Paradise.
69:23 Its fruits are within reach.
69:24 Eat and drink happily in return for your works in days past.
69:25 As for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I never received my record.
69:26 “I wish I never knew my account.
69:27 “I wish my death was eternal.
69:28 “My money cannot help me.
69:29 “All my power is gone.”
69:30 Take him and shackle him.
69:31 Burn him in Hell.
69:32 In a chain that is seventy arms long, tie him up.
69:33 For he did not believe in GOD, Most Great.
69:34 Nor did he advocate the feeding of the poor.
69:35 Consequently, he has no friend here.
So, to summarize,
The Quran informs us that on the Day of Judgment, no one will be able to intercede on behalf of anyone else
The Quran informs us that God will permit certain people on the Day of Judgment to speak
Anyone who speaks will only worry about their own neck and not the outcome of anyone else
These individuals will only speak the truth about what they bore witness to
They will not be able to make excuses or argue on behalf of themselves or others
Their intercession will not change God’s decreed outcome but will only confirm God’s preexisting decision
FINAL THOUGHTS
Reform Must Happen in This Life, Not in the Hereafter
While someone is living, one’s destiny cannot be changed except in accordance with God’s will. However, individuals have the agency to decide to believe or disbelieve, which will impact their condition in the Hereafter. This can only be achieved during the person’s life while they are still living.
13:11 Shifts (of angels) take turns, staying with each one of you—they are in front of you and behind you. They stay with you, and guard you in accordance with GOD’s commands. Thus, GOD does not change the condition of any people unless they themselves make the decision to change. If GOD wills any hardship for any people, no force can stop it. For they have none beside Him as Lord and Master.
The Quran informs us that while the messenger was alive, the people who wronged their souls were commissioned to go to him, and both of them were required to pray to God for forgiveness. But this would not have been possible if the person had died, and it is no longer feasible now that the messenger is no longer living amongst us.
4:64 We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed in accordance with GOD’s will. Had they, when they wronged their souls, come to you and prayed to GOD for forgiveness, and the messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would have found GOD Redeemer, Most Merciful.
Once the person dies, their fate is sealed, and the outcome can not be altered. However, as long as someone is alive, they can choose to change their ways.
2:160 As for those who repent, reform, and proclaim, I redeem them. I am the Redeemer, Most Merciful.
3:86 Why should GOD guide people who disbelieved after believing, and after witnessing that the messenger is truth, and after solid proofs* have been given to them? GOD does not guide the wicked.
3:87 These have incurred condemnation by GOD, and the angels, and all the people.
3:88 Eternally they abide therein; the retribution is never commuted for them, nor will they be reprieved.
3:89 Exempted are those who repent thereafter, and reform. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
4:18 Not acceptable is the repentance of those who commit sins until death comes to them, then say, “Now I repent.” Nor is it acceptable from those who die as disbelievers. For these, we have prepared a painful retribution.
We see that even someone as wicked as Pharoah had the possibility of changing his path if he so chose when Moses first delivered God’s revelations to him.
20:44 “Speak to him nicely; he may take heed, or become reverent.”
Yet, after Pharoah consistently rejected each of the miracles, the possiblity of redemption collapsed to zero.
10:88 Moses said, “Our Lord, You have given Pharaoh and his elders luxuries and wealth in this world. Our Lord, they only use them to repulse others from Your path. Our Lord, wipe out their wealth, and harden their hearts to prevent them from believing, until they see the painful retribution.”
10:89 He said, “Your prayer has been answered (O Moses and Aaron), so be steadfast, and do not follow the ways of those who do not know.”
10:90 We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea. Pharaoh and his troops pursued them, aggressively and sinfully. When drowning became a reality for him, he said, “I believe that there is no god except the One in whom the Children of Israel have believed; I am a submitter.”
10:91 “Too late! For you have rebelled already, and chose to be a transgressor.
We learn from the Quran that Abraham, God’s beloved servant, could not intercede on behalf of his father (9:114). Noah could not intercede on behalf of his son (11:46). Muhammad could not intercede on behalf of his uncle (111:1-3) or relatives. What makes anyone think that a prophet or a saint will intercede on behalf of a perfect stranger?!
9:80 Whether you ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them—even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times—GOD will not forgive them. This is because they disbelieve in GOD and His messenger. GOD does not guide the wicked people.