Intercesion/Shafa‘at
By
Syed Hyder Mehdi

INTRODUCTION:-
The Usul ’e Deen , the five fundamental roots of the Shi‘ii Islam are interrelated to each other. Believing only in one or the other or, rather, exclusion of any principle from the structure of the belief would tantamount to total disbelief or Faith/Eeman.  The first and the last of the five principles namely monotheism and the end of the journey, the Akhirah, respectively, are like the two ends of a spectrum. A doubt about any of the five principles would make the whole “rainbow” of the religion to disappear or disintegrate into the opaqueness of the dark sky of the Zulumat.

Each of the fundamental principles has specific subsidiary concepts or basis attached to them. The “concept” of intercession or Shafa‘at is a concept that joins the first and the last of the fundamental principles through rest of the three roots as if linking or cementing each with the other. In the most superficial sense it acts like a kind of an “incentive” to remain firmly rooted in Shi‘iiIslam. In fact it is the feelings of love for Muhammad and Aal‘e Muhammad (AS) that is the driving force behind all manifestations related to Shi‘i Islam. Yet, a denial of the idea of intercession is perhaps one of the reasons that some people, although moving among the Shi‘ia masses, may claim that their beliefs are somewhat different from those of the Shi‘as. Perhaps the main satanic reason connected with refuting any of the Shi‘ii beliefs by a Shi’a is related to his disbelief in Akhirah and a doubt about the consequences such a disbelief would lead to. Thus one may claim to believe in any one or all the other four principles yet take the belief in Akhirah lightly. This would lead only to the temptations offered by the enemy of mankind.

About the nature of doubts itself; whether spoken or unspoken; these are rooted in the fact that our thinking and even our beliefs are shaken seeing the galloping advances and progress in the material world. As Allama Rashid Turabi puts it in his discourses on Deen‘e Murtaza, we are getting influenced by western ideas adopting its likes and dislikes to an extent that we reach a stage when “our heart cries out, ‘why this religion now’ … or what is its need now? Unfortunately, Shias are not spared from the doubts and disbeliefs of any kind.

Although Shafa‘at would be demonstrated on the Day of Judgment it does act some what like a chain between the five root principles. Allah SWT is the foremost Shafi and Wali but in a way he has authorized the Prophet (S) to intercede saying that if the Shafiu ‘lMursaleen Messenger forgives someone the All-Merciful would also forgive the wrong-doer. Further, the Tradition of Saqlain and the whole chapter of Gadeer is a testimony as to the identity of the real inheritors of the Prophet covering every aspect of a believer’s life including the matters of intercession for the faithful.

Related to this topic there are various aspects as may be gleaned from some verses from the Glorious Quran. The present note is an attempt to highlight some aspects with the help of excerpts from Al-Mizan, the exegesis of the Quran by Allamah Taba Taba‘i and commentaries by Aga Poya along with brief discussions of some verses. Not that all quotes from the learned exegetes are in italics.

The verse from Surah Baqrah, (2:255) is probably the most often quoted verse from the Holy Quran in the context of intercession or Shafa ‘at.
(2:255)  : Who is he that can intercede with Him except ( or in His presence) by His permission?

We may try to ponder on the constituent words of this holy verse. Let us first consider the word Shafa‘at. According to Poyathe word Shaf‘a in its root means joining like-things together.  For instance, we may say in a most earthly sense, grouping the beautiful with the beautiful and the ugly with the ugly. As far as the Akhirah is concerned it amounts to joining or assembling the people into various groups according to the likeness among the individuals. However, as declared in Surah Waqia (56:7-11) people on the Day of the Great Event would be, not in two but three groups --- the people of the right, the people of the left and the third represented by the Foremost, the Sabiqoon who are the Nearest ones, the Muqaribeen. The latter are the people at the A‘raf (7:46) who would know everyone from their foreheads, i.e., to which group anyone belongs.

The verses from Surah Waqia would be discussed later. Here the verses from Surah Muddaththir, (74:45, 46) may be noted here;: We used to gossip (enter into vain disputes) with the gossipers, and,  : we used to deny the Day of Judgment. Thus the people of the left confess that they are the liars, the Muqazibeen. However, it may be deduced that it is not the denial of the Akhirah which confers this dubious title of liars but the denial of any principle woulod amount top a lie. As regards Akhirah as such, the lie here implies forgetting the consequences of the Day. Now, a liar may deny any of the five basic principles or may be any of the branches or the derivatives of the roots of the true faith or al-Eeman. Intercession or Shafa‘at is perhaps one such belief in Shi‘ii Islam that is denied by some doubting people.

Reverting to the verse (2:255), fundamentally, had there been no possibility of intercession Allah the Most Merciful and Compassionate would not have mentioned the word yashf‘au in this blessed verse. Allah is the Almighty and the Absolute Sovereign but as He is also the Merciful, the Compassionate, He has given permission to "Muhammad and Aal’e Muhammad", the thoroughly purified, to intercede on behalf of the qualified sinners.

Of course, none would dare to utter a word in the presence of Allah SWT, but the verse does not stop with the word ‘indahu – before Him ---. But there are some of His slaves among the angels and the men who would be surrounding the Throne, (the ’Arsh, the Kursi) who would surely be the only Muqaribeen. These muqarrab slaves are qualified or authorized to speak in front of God. Thus the verse from Surah Baqrah does not end with the word ‘Indahu but proceed with the clause illa bi izni.  This is not just a rhetorical endingto the subject of Shafa‘at.   Permission or Izn is itself a vast topic for discussion. For example, Allamah Rashid Turabi has pointed out that Jesus did everything and every miracle by Allah’s permission (3:49) but Allah speaks to the Messenger, (12:108), “Say, O Prophet, this is my path --- hazihi sabeeli”. The Prophet is calling to the way saying on the comprehensive authority granted by Allah, “This is my Way”. Therefore, the words “illa bi izni” in 2:255 are not just rhetorical, na’uzo billah,  but it means that if the possibility of sanctioning the authority or permission to intercede had not been there God Almighty would not have said what He said.

It is proved by Quran that Muhammad (S) had the authority to forgive and once the Prophet forgives Allah SWT also promises to forgive (4:64). As spelled out above, the Messenger passed on this authority after him to Aal‘e Muhammad (AS). Having this promise Muhammad and Aal’e Muhammad are the muqariboon and it is implied that they are those who have the permission of the Almighty to speak and intercede.

The aspect of permission, izn is covered in the following account.
(10:3)  : There is no intercessor except by His leave; that is Allah, your Lord, therefore worship Him; will you not then heed admonition?

Taba Taba’i notes: Whatever is caused is really caused by the Almighty through Divine Purpose and according to Divine principles as He is the First Cause. An intercessor has to have Divine permission to seek to cause anything by way of pleading to the Azizu rRahim.

 (19:87)  : None will have the power to intercede, save he who has made a covenant with the All-Beneficent.

Pooya comments that those who have taken a covenant from Allah shall have the power of intercession. Allamah Taba Taba’i in his exegesis quotes the verses 36:60-61 in connection with the covenant or promise (‘ahda) --- Alam a‘had ilaykum ya bani adama --- ani a‘abudooni haza siratun mustaqeemun did I not make a covenant with you, or charge you with, O Children of Adam --- that you should worship Me. Therefore according to Al-Mizan, in the verse 19:87, “save he who has made a covenant with the Beneficent”, the Covenant refers to the enjoinment ‘WORSHIP ME”.  

Apart from the basic words of the verse from Baqrah discussed above, the most important aspect in the context of intercession is the phrase “Irtiza”. This is referred to in the following verses.
(20:109)  :On that day shall no intercession avail except of him whom the Beneficent Allah allows and approves his word.
It is obvious that only those are permitted to intercede who have purchased the pleasure of God and therefore their plea meets with His acceptance.

 (21:28)  : He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for someone He approves and for fear of Him they tremble.

Those who qualify to benefit from intercession have to secure the pleasure of God, i.e., be accepted by Him as His slave. Moreover, those who have the permission or authority from God to intercede would themselves have the knowledge if the Merciful is pleased with the slave for whom they could and they would intercede. Thus any slave may commit a mistake and those who fear their Lord intercede on behalf of the guilty. Allamah Taba Taba’i says that the condition implied in the sentence “they do not intercede except for him whom He approves” means whose religion God approves.It follows that he is the one who is with the rightful Imam. Allamah Rashid Turabi too in his discourses entitled Deen’e Murtaza discusses the verse from Surah Noor, (24:55) and points out that the phrase --- deenahumu allazi irtada lahum --- refers to the approved or the chosen religion. It looks as if the word irtada constitutes the most important aspect in the context of intercession and this word has been highlighted by many ‘Ulama from various angles while discussing the extensively quoted verses from 89:28, 93:5 and 2:207, and it may be concluded that Muhammad (s.a.w.a) and Aal’e Muhammad (a.s.) are the chosen slaves of Allah SWT who have purchased His pleasure and have the permission to  plead on behalf of him, with whose religion the Mighty, the Merciful is happy (as per a Tradition from Imam Raza (AS) quoted in Al-Mizan).

Another verse in the context of intercession by the angels is as follows.
(53:26)  : And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at all except after Allah has given permission to whom He wills and approves of.
Pooya/Mir Ahmed Ali comment:  There will be no intercession available to the disbelievers, but Allah has given permission to the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt to intercede and advocate on behalf of the believers. There are several verses in the Quran in which it is clearly stated that Allah gives permission of intercession to whom He pleases. So the theory of "no intercession at all" is unquranic and contrary to the will of Allah.

(34:23)  : And intercession can avail in His Presence except of those whom He permits. Until when fear shall be removed from their hearts, they shall say: What is it that your Lord said? They shall say: The truth.
This verse again affirms the intercessory role for various slaves of Allah both men and angels with Divine permission and pleasure.

The fact that the angels also could intercede has been mentioned in the Holy Quran at some other places (42:5). Then in a verse from Surah  al-Mo’min it is seen that the angels would implore for the forgiveness for those who repent and follow God’s path, (40:7),

Those who bear the Throne and those around it celebrate the praise of their Lord and have faith in Him and implore forgiveness for those who believe: Our Lord! Thou encompass all things in mercy and knowledge, therefore grant protection to those who turn (to Thee) and follow Thy way, ---

The angels continue their pleading for the deserving candidates closing with the following prayer for them so as to protect them from evil deeds and obtain the highest achievement on the Day of Judgment.

(40:9)  : Save them from evil deeds, and whom Thou save from evil deeds this day, indeed Thou will have had mercy on him, and that is the highest achievement.

And the Most Merciful would relent for those who repent, believe the right belief and do righteous deeds as indicated by the following verse from Surah Furqan,( 25:70),
   : Excepting those who repent and believe and acs righteously; so these are they of whom Allah changes the evil deeds to good ones; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Then in Surah Zukhruf we are informed that, (43:86),  : And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for intercession except those who bear witness of the truth and who know (for whom to intercede).

Pooya/Ali Commentary:- According to this verse he who bears witness to the truth has the power of intercession. Refer to the commentary of Hud : 17 and Rad : 43 according to which Ali ibn abi Talib (AS) is the witness. As the greatest witness (shahid) Imam Husayn(AS) (refer to the commentary of Saffat: 107 for dhibhin azim) has the power of intercession. Allama Taba Taba’i says that the condition “illa man shahida bi’alhaqqi wahum ya‘alamoona” ---but he who bears witness of the truth and they know him --- in conjunction with 21:28 saying that the intercessors plead only for those whom the God approves --- clearly affirms intercessory role for approved slaves of Allah SWT. According to Taba taba’i the intercession by them who bear witness to the truth would transfer a case from the general law of retribution to the special claim of grace and mercy.
 (74:38 - 41)  
[38] Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns, [39] Except the Companions of the Right Hand. [40] (They will be) in Gardens questioning [41] concerning the guilty:
Then the guilty ones recount their shortcomings admitting that ---.
(74:46, 47)
[46] "And we used to deny the Day of Judgment, [47] Till death overtook us.

These verses have been quoted by Allamah Taba Taba‘i in connection with the intercession pointing out that while intercession would not work for some, nevertheless it is for those people of right hand who may have committed some sins. Further, it is said that if you avoid the Kaba’ir Allah SWT will expel small sins (saga’ir). The following verses from Sura Furqan, (25:68-70) may be quoted here.
: And they who do not call upon another god with Allah and do not slay the soul, which Allah has forbidden except in the requirements of justice, and (who) do not commit fornication and he who does this shall find a requital of sin;
 : The punishment shall be doubled to him on the day of resurrection, and he shall abide therein in abasement;
 : Except him who repents and believes and does a good deed; so these are they of whom Allah changes the evil deeds to good ones; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Aqa Mahdi Puya says: These verses are of the nature of parenthesis. Verse 68 condemns false worship, the taking of life and fornication, but verse 70 says that even in the case of such crimes, if there is true repentance as tested by a changed life in conduct, Allah's mercy is available, and it will transform the repentant's nature from evil to good.
Therefore it is noted in Al-Mizan that those needing intercession among the right hand people will be the people of the great sins. However, those who are made to describe themselves in the verses 74:42 to 46 --- and we used to call the Day of judgment a lie [46]; till death overtook us [47] --- are those for whom the intercession shall not avail.
(74:48)  : So the intercession of intercessors shall not avail them.

.   
As noted by Taba Taba‘i the use of the plural for the intercessors “Shafi‘een” here as also in the verse 26:100 --- fama lana min shafi‘een”­--- is considered to indicate that these muqarrab baday, servants nearest to Allah would be more than one.

Another verse to ponder upon is from surah Bani Israel, (17:71),
  : (Remember) The day when We will call every people with their Imam; then whoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read their book; and they shall not be dealt with a whit unjustly.

Allama Taba Taba’i explains that all the mankind would be called with their respective Imams. Then their records will be given. Those who get the record in their right hand are truly guided, that is, with their true Imam. All others will be with false leaders. In conjunction with the verse 74:38-48 it is implied that the people of the right hand followed the approved religion and the rightful Imam. Similarly in the verse (21:28) discussed earlier, Taba Taba’i says that the clause “whom He approves” means whose religion He approves --- who is with the rightful Imam.  
In the context of verse (17:71) Aqa Mahdi Puya says:-  
Commentators have variously interpreted the word imam as under: (i) Scripture. (ii) Prophet. (iii) Leaders in every age. (iv) Record of deeds. (v) Mother. The first three are better than the last two.
The scripture and the prophet on whom it was revealed are not separable. To follow a scripture means to follow the prophet who brought it to the people. Moreover both of them together take their true followers to salvation. Nowhere in the Quran or in the traditions it is stated that they may also lead their followers to hell, but it is said that there are two types of Imams-"We appointed Imams, from among them, to guide (mankind) by our command (Sajdah: 24); and "We made them Imams who invite to the fire (Qasas: 41). The Imams mentioned in Sajdah: 24, like the prophets, are not separable from the scripture, as declared by the Holy Prophet in hadith al thaqalayn (see page 6). They are his Ahl ul Bayt.
The Holy Prophet said:” Whosoever dies without recognizing the Imam of his age dies the death of a pagan."
After making it clear that there will be an Imam from his progeny in every age, he gave the number of Imams as twelve, neither more nor less. In fact it was a covenant Allah made with Ibrahim that among his descendants there would be twelve princes (Imams) in the progeny of Ismail. See commentary of Al Baqarah: 124.
This verse says that all human beings in groups shall be called with their respective Imams. The identity of the true Imams will be their inseparability with the scripture and the Holy Prophet- they will lead to eternal salvation. Those who opposed these Imams in their lifetime and installed themselves as the leaders or rulers without any divine authority shall be the leaders mentioned in Qasas: 41 who will lead their followers to hell because they opposed the book, the Holy Prophet and Allah.
On the day of resurrection the people will be divided in the following groups, (56:7-11):
 

         (i) The sabiqoon-muqariboon those who are most excellent and nearest to Allah [10,11].( ii) Ashab ul maymanah-the followers of the book of Allah, the Holy Prophet and the Imams of his Ahl ul Bayt, the most excellent and nearest to Allah [8].( iii) Ashab ul mash-amah-the opponents of the first and the second groups [9].
The plight of those who do not recognize the Imam of their time is as revealed under, (17:72), : And whoever is blind in this, he shall (also) be blind in the hereafter; and more astray from the way.

[Pooya/Ali Commentary] Blindness, in this verse, means "not seeing the light and going farther and farther away from the right path." Those whose hearts are not filled with the light of true belief in Allah shall be deprived of seeing the light of salvation and bliss.
In sura Zumar it is revealed, (39:44), : Say: Allah's is the intercession altogether; His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, then to Him you shall be brought back.  
This injunction is followed further ahead in (39:53) by the reassurance:  

In continuation of discussion on intercession Allama Taba Taba’i quotes this verse, (39:53), Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful. It is recorded in Al-Mizan that Imam Muhammad Baqir (A.S.) said this is the most hope-inspiring verse in Quran; but we the Ahlul Bayt do not say so. Someone asked: Then what do you say? The Imam said we say:  (93:5, and soon will your Lord give you so that you shall be well pleased.)
According to Pooya’s commentary Imam Ali has said that there is no better verse than this to give heart, joy and confidence to a believer for the availability of divine mercy.
Those who are opposed to the belief in intercession base their objection on the verse from Surah Baqrah, (2:48). Aga Mahdi Poya has discussed this issue that is quoted below from online Multilingual Quran .

And be on your guard against a day when one soul shall not avail another in the least, neither shall intercession on its behalf be accepted, nor shall any compensation be taken from it, nor shall they be helped.

[Pooya/Ali Commentary on verse (2:48):-
On the day of resurrection absolute justice will prevail. The chosen people also will be judged in view of their actions.
If "nor shall intercession be accepted" is not understood by knowing its particular use in this verse, and by making reference to other verses of the Quran in this connection, every ordinary reader comes to a wrong conclusion.
Allah has prescribed for Himself mercy (An-am: 12 and 54), and says in verse 87 of Yusuf that verily, none despairs of Allah's mercy save disbelieving people. The just Allah is also the merciful Lord. His mercy conditions His justice.
The verses, which make certain that in the divine scheme of reward and punishment the "institution" of intercession has been firmly established, are quoted by Poya as (2:255, 19:87, 20:109 and 10:3. These verses have been recorded in the present compilation. Aga Poya continues that there are several such verses in the Quran which prove untrue the theory of non-availability of intercession propagated by a misguided school of thought among the Muslims.
The Holy Prophet and the thoroughly purified Imams (Ahzab: 33) are those upon whom Allah has bestowed (an-amta alayhim - Fatihah :7) the power of intercession.
The word shafa (to pair or to join a thing to its like) is the root of shafa-at, which means intercession. On the Day of Judgment the wicked and the virtuous will be separated, therefore, it will be a day of pairing of the souls according to their affinity and attachment in this world - "remember the day when We will summon every people with their Imam (leader)", says verse 71 of Bani Israil.
The inadmissibility of intercession as indicated in 2:48 is in the case of those who not only do not avoid evil but make a choice of wickedness as their mode of life.
Further, in the exegesis of (2:48) Aqa Mahdi Poya says:
The word yawm, in this verse, refers to the life of the hereafter which includes the term of life beginning with the departure of the soul till the final resurrection. In some verses of the Quran it is said that every human being will undergo a trial on the day of final resurrection as an individual, whereas some other verses suggest groups of people, along with their leaders, will come before the Lord. According to some verses the wicked will be condemned without being permitted to put forward their lame excuses, whereas other state that some of the wicked will accuse their leaders for misleading them. There is no contradiction. In fact there are several varying stages in the intermediary period as well as in the final phase. The examination of every soul according to its individual deeds may differ from the accountability of its social behavior. A man may be condemned as an individual but on account of his attachment to the divinely chosen wasilah (support and influence), he may be redeemed. The Quran, in many places, asserts the effectiveness of intercession, therefore, the negation here either refers to a particular condition or to the fact that no intercession offered by a soul on its own behalf shall be accepted. Only those who have been authorized by Allah shall have the right to intercede.
The wavering between belief and disbelief by the Bani Israil is also visible among the followers of other prophets. All the messengers of Allah patiently put up with this kind of attitude in order to check desertion in the early stages of the propagation of the faith. Drift from the truth and reversion to falsehood was discouraged, and the doors of repentance were kept open, but only a few took advantage of the leniency.
In summation, according to Al-Mizan, the verses (2:48 & 254, 6:51, 32:4, 39:44, 40:18 & 33, and 44:41) mainly proclaiming that intercession is only for Allah and thus seem to reject intercession do so in the context of intercession independent of Allah’s authority. While those proving it (2:255, 10:3, 19:87, 21:28, 34:23, 43:86 and 53:26) prove it basically for Allah SWT and then depending on His pleasure for others. Allama Taba Taba’i clarifies the issue as follows.
Intercession can interfere neither with the institution of mastership and servants; nor the master’s authority to lay down the rules; nor can it effect the system of reward and punishment. These three factors are beyond the jurisdiction of intercession. What an intercessor does is this: He accepts the inviolability of the above mentioned three aspects. Then he looks at one or more of the following factors and builds his intercession on that basis. A) He appeals to such attributes of the Master as give rise to forgiveness, e.g., His nobility, magnanimity and generosity. B) The intercessor draws attention to such characteristics of the servant as justify the mercy and pardon, e.g., his wretchedness, poverty, low status and misery. C) He puts at stake his own prestige and honor in the eye of the Master. The effect of intercession is therefore based on shifting the case from the jurisdiction of reward and punishment to that of pardon and forgiveness. Intercession is not a confrontation between one cause (divine legislation) and the other (intercession). Thus intercession is one of the causes; it is the intermediate cause that connects a distant cause to its desired effect. Allah SWT is the ultimate cause.
In conclusion it may be recorded here that as far as I am concerned, for a sinner like me, intercession is the only hope-inspiring part of the belief. This hope is also founded on the basis of love as may be seen from the verse (3:31), Say, O Muhammad, if you love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Through the Prophet (S) we are assured of forgiveness for our faults provided we follow him out of love for the Creator. Following the Prophet includes following the Ahlul Bayt (AS) and this following has to be similarly based on love. Therefore we must love the Holy Prophet and those whom he loved. But surely it does not mean that we love the Infallibles only with a view to expecting or claiming their intercession but it should be with a spirit of sincerely following them. Allah SWT in His utmost mercy and compassion has sent the fourteen Infallibles in our midst so that we follow them. Only then they are authorized to plead on our behalf and then we may hope for God’s forgiveness. 

Lastly a humble attempt is made here to ponder about the link between the usul of ‘Adl (that is one of the five Principles of Shi’i Islam) and Intercession or Shafa’at. One may wonder if intercession is counter to Justice. Surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful, (39:53).Indeed, there can be none who could dare to utter a word against His judgment. However, while He is the Foremost and Final Guardian and Intercessor He declares in Surah Muhammad (47:31),

And most certainly We will try you until We have known those among you who exert themselves hard, and the patient, and made your case manifest. The phrase  word Akhbarakum has been variously translated as:and made your case manifest(Shakir),We shall try your reported (mettle)(Yusufali), We test your record(Pickthal).
It has also been translated as We shall appraise your record. In case this phrase encompasses the sense of news about your condition or situation then there is a possibility that the Divine Judgment would take into account the constraints, the conditions under which a deed or misdeed happened to be performed by the culpable person. And indeed Allah knows your deeds, “ ”. While the fact of Jihad and Sabr are of immediate concern with a man’s self or psyche, apparently, the matter of committing misdeeds or avoiding it is neither a matter of a Dive Decree that is a creative compulsion nor subject to pure human will or choice. Regarding Jabr and Tafweez the Imams of Ahlul Bayt hold an intermediate position between these two situations. However, to avoid or commit a wrong is not a creative compulsion for ordinary human beings. Those who stray from the path do so by their choice. And once a man chooses to be either righteous or become a transgressor, Allah SWT would guide him to the former and abandon him for the latter option unless he repents. The reasons behind some transgressions may possibly be, e.g., the wretchedness of the condition of the concerned person which might justify mercy and pardon alluded to by Allama Taba Tabai as quoted earlier. Therefore, under certain situations that are in the knowledge of All-Knowing, the principle of Justice may come to the rescue of the wrong-doer. And this is where the act of intercession by the Almighty Himself would be related to the principle of Justice.

I fail to understand why people deny it --- whether out of a pride of their righteousness or whatever. Indirectly they are denying the right of Intercession that has been bestowed by the All-Merciful to the Infallibles among His slaves.