Review of the Article on " Shafaʿa" in the Oliver Leaman's Encyclopedia of the Quran

The present paper reviews and critiques the article on “shafaʿa” in Oliver Leaman’s Encyclopedia of the Qurʾān authored by Asma Afsaruddin, professor at the University of Notre-Dame in the United States. Afsaruddin has mentioned verses related to “shafaʿa” as well as the views of Muslims on this issue, however, based on the beliefs of
Wahhabism, she rejects the idea of intercession and visitation [of the graves]. From the viewpoint of the Qurʾān, non-independent intercession that is sanctioned by divine permission is something that is firmly established. Additionally, intercession is a process of divine mercy and encompasses those who have attained the pleasure of God whereas the
intercession of idols, which the polytheists believed in, is rejected. Intercession based on idolatry has fundamental differences with the aforementioned intercession in that the latter is not a form of independent intercession, growth and advancement of the individual results from the intercession, the impermissibility of worshipping the intercessors, the fact that the intercessors are alive and conscious, the conditionality of
intercession and the lack of authority of the intercessors with regards to the abasement or exaltation, victory or failure [of those for whom they intercede]. Therefore, considering these two forms of intercession as equivalent is a discrepant analogy (qiyās maʿal-fāriq). Visitation of the graves of saints (awliyāʾ) and seeking recourse through them (tawassul) is also in accordance with the text of the Holy Qurʾān and the traditions [of the infallibles]> and the beliefs of the aberrant Wahhabi sect are contrary to the teachings of Islam.