Ahadith on the Scenes of Intercession on Judgement Day
1. Abdur Rahman al Hadrami(ra) says he heard from someone who heard it from the Prophet that he said: “A People will appear from among the last part of my Ummah whose reward will be the same as the rewards of the first part. They will enjoin the good, forbid the evil and fight with the (unbelieving) wicked people.” ~ Baihaqi
Commentary
This is the group, among all that will appear till the world lasts, that will remain true to the compact made with God. And hence it is really people with these qualities that will be rewarded twofold in the Hereafter. The most important part of their work will be to wage struggle against the enemies of God and the way of life that He has approved for His creation. They will bear witness to the truth and the message entrusted to them not merely with the word of mouth but also through their deeds culminating with the sacrifice of their own lives as the surest and the worthiest proof that can be offered.
2. Abu Sa`id(ra) says the Prophet said, “There will be people from among my followers who will intercede on behalf of a very large number of people. Others there will be who will do it on behalf of a whole tribe. Yet others will on behalf of a family. And yet some will intercede on behalf of a single man until they have all entered Paradise.”~ Tirmidhi
Commentary
The extent to which one can intercede on behalf of others in the Hereafter, after Allah has granted him, or her, the permission, will depend on how virtuous a life one would have led in this life. Also, it must be noted through the doors of Paradise by one or the other saints, intercession, in many cases, will occur after people have entered the Fire due to their evil deeds. May Allah (swt) save us from the Fire, and make us of those who will intercede on behalf of others.
3. Abu Huraira (ra) says the Prophet said: “The luckiest of men on the Day of Judgement will be he who will earn my intercession because he would have said, `There is no god but Allah,’ with a pure heart and mind.” ~ Bukhari
Commentary
That is, he would have believed in it and would have said it in all sincerity, not from the fear of the people, and not because his parents and people around him used to say so.
4. Uthman ibn `Affan(ra) says the Prophet (saws) said: “Three kinds of people will intercede on others’ behalf on the Day of Judgement: Prophets, then scholars, and then martyrs.”~ Ibn Majah
Commentary
In this is great hope for sinners. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that one has to have good relationship with his Lord to be able to draw help and support from these three categories of people, for no one will be able to intercede without Allah’s leave as Qur’anic verses ascertain. Also, it should be obvious that the three categories of people will only intercede on behalf of those that they deem worthy in order that they use the authority delegated to them properly. Finally, it must also be remembered that the intercession could occur only after one has been condemned to the Fire and has spent some time there, as indicated in some Ahadith.
5. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri(ra) says he heard the Prophet say: “(On the Day of Judgement) Our Lord will reveal His Saaq1 and every male and female believer in Him will fall in prostration. But those who used to prostrate in their lives for show or out of hypocrisy will try to prostrate, but will find that their backs have become as like (wooden) planks.”2~ Bukhari, Muslim
Commentary
5/1. In ordinary language Saaq is the shank of the leg. It is subjected to other uses also. But a literal translation is prohibited for the term employed for God since we do not know what exactly is meant by it. We simply believe that our Lord will reveal His Saaq, and seek no further meaning and accept no interpretation since no interpretation has come through the Revelation, or from the Prophet who knew more of the secrets of the Creator and the created than anyone else.
5/2. That is to say that they will be unable to bend their backs and so fail to prostrate while the rest will be in prostration. It will be a pitiful situation for them. And this call to prostration will be made after the unbelievers would have been driven away to Hell leaving only the believers in the Field among whom they will not be able to hide themselves who professed faith only outwardly, managing to go unnoticed by the people and angels. But Allah (swt) knows what is in the hearts. He will stiffen their backs to make them unable to bend themselves to Him, the way their hearts refused to bend to Him in this world.
