Matters concerning intercession
15-2-2012 | IslamWeb
Question:
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, spend from that which We have provided for you before there comes a Day in which there is no exchange and no friendship and no intercession. And the disbelievers - they are the wrongdoers.} [Quran 2:254]
Is there any contradiction between this kind of intercession that is mentioned in the verse and the intercession of the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam? Also, could you explain the meaning of the intercession of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
Scholars have two ways to make the verses that deny intercession and those that affirm it consistent:
First, denying intercession on behalf of the disbelievers only and not the believers.
Second, the negation of intercession is general and only those to whom the permission of Allaah The Almighty is granted will enjoy it. This intercession includes the intercession of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
An-Nasafi 
said in his Tafseer, “‘No intercession’ means (that there is no intercession) for the disbelievers but there will be intercession for the believers or except after the permission of Allaah The Almighty.”
Moreover, Ibn Al-Jawzi said in his Tafseer, “He denies such things for He is All-Sufficient and is not in need for the disbelievers, and such things cannot benefit them. Therefore, He Says (what means): {And the disbelievers - they are the wrongdoers.}.”
Az-Zarkashi said, “His Saying (which means): {there is no exchange and no friendship and no intercession…} mentioned friendship in general and then He specified it with His Saying (which means): {Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous.} [Quran 43:67]. Similarly His Saying (which means): {No intercession} which applies to the intercession of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.”
Allaah Knows best.