Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has numerous beautiful names. We know Allah and indeed better know ourselves by learning His beautiful names. This helps us to understand Him as best we can and also to understand ourselves and our creation.

Quran 7:180 says what is translated to mean:

And to Allah (belong) the Fairest Names, so invoke Him by them, and leave behind the ones who blaspheme His Names; they will soon be recompensed (for) whatever they were doing.

Quran 7:180

99 of His direct and derived names have been thoroughly explored and categorized as can be viewed here.

ٱلشفيع

Ash-Shafiyy (the Intercessor)

Ash-Shafiyy is one of Allah’s سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ special and very glorious names. Ash-Shafiyy comes from the root, shīn – fā – ʿayn (ش ف ع).

Ash-Shafiyy simply translates – the Intercessor. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is the ONLY intercessor or mediator. Islam came through Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to renew the faith in one God – Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ as the only Intercessor and revoke all belief in intermediates, idols and revered men who the people worshipped and regarded as intercessors capable of saving them from the torment of hell.

Believing in or calling upon another to intercede for us constitutes the greatest sin, “shirk” which means associating partners with Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Some misguided people call upon idols as intercessors, others revere and call on human beings as intercessors. Islam came to demolish all these egregious practices and re-establish Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ as the only Authority who can protect (Al-Waliyy) us from hell fire and intercede (Al-Shafiyy) for us to be admitted to paradise.

Say, “To Allah belongs the intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned.”

Quran 39:44

All help or intercession comes from Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ and He alone, and we must always remember this when expecting help or asking anyone for assistance. And on the last day, the day of judgment, only the intercession of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ may avail us.

The name “Shafiyy” is reserved for Allah alone in the Quran. Angels may intercede only by His permission and for those whom He permits, and through the only and ultimate Intercessor, Ash-Shafiyy.

In times of need and adversity, while on earth, Allah, Ash-Shafiyy is the only intercessor who we can call on to get us out of the various challenges or tests that He may have put upon us.

No one else can protect you and no one else can intercede for you. When you are falling off a cliff, being pulled down by Allah’s سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ gravitational force, it is only Al-Waliyy that can protect you and Al-Shafiyy that can intercede for you against the effect of gravity and cushion your fall. Al-Shafiyy made the fire cool for Ibrahim (AS) and Al-Waliyy protected him from its ravaging heat.

Uses in Quran:

Many of Allah’s سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ names are mentioned in combination in the Quran, Ash-Shafiyy is one of those; it is typically mentioned as a combination with another related name, Al-Waliyy, the Protector.

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ says:

And warn with it those who fear that they shall be gathered to their Lord – there is no guardian for them, nor any intercessor besides Him – that they may guard (against evil).

S. 6:51

Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, in six Days. Then He mounted the Throne. Ye have not, beside Him, a protecting friend or intercessor. Will ye not then remember?

S. 32:4

Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But proclaim (to them) this (truth): that every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts: it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except Allah: if it offered every ransom, (or reparation), none will be accepted: such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts: they will have for drink (only) boiling water, and for punishment, one most grievous: for they persisted in rejecting Allah.

S. 6:70

So we call upon Him, Al-Waliyy, Ash-Shafiyy or Ya-Waliyy, Ya Shafiyy, in times of adversity and trial to protect us and intercede for us from that which He has challenged us with. And we pray to Al-Waliyy and Ash-Shafiyy to protect us and our loved ones from the fire on judgement day and to intercede for us and permit intercession on our behalf’s by those He permits.

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ says:

While Ash-Shafiyy may by His ultimate grace, use His Angels agency to intercede (adjective) for us, He only is the Intercessor and it is only He, Ash-Shafiyy that we must call upon for intercession. He may grant some to drive it where He wants, but He, Ash-Shafiyy is the ONLY Vehicle and destination mapper! This is His exclusive domain.

Explanation of the various Quranic verses and principle of Intercession

1. No human (soul) can intercede for another on Judgement day

NO soul (human being) can intercede for any other soul whatsoever on judgement day: 2:47-48, 2:122-123.

And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.

Quran 2:48

Say: Cry unto those whom ye assume (to be gods) beside Him, yet they have no power to rid you of misfortune nor to change. Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared.

Quran 17:56-57

What about those against whom the decree of torment has been justified? Is it you ˹O Prophet˺ who will then save those bound for the Fire?

Quran 39:19

2. Intercession is ONLY in Allah’s Domain

As a rule, no one whatsoever will intercede for the disbelievers (kuffar) and there is no intercession (2:254) EXCEPT for whom and by whom Allah wills (2:255).

*Note, verse 255 follows, elaborating “Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?” to expatiate on the express “none” in verse 254, where Allah teaches:

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

This verse advices the believers towards charity which has been emphasized as a highly rewarding action that yields in Allah’s mercy and hopefully the intercession of Ash-Shafiyy. For the ‘disbelievers,’ on that day there will be no intercession as the verse declares; they are the wrongdoers. No matter what they offer in exchange, be it the whole world, they will have no protection or intercession as Quran 6:70 says ~ “They will have no protector or intercessor other than Allah. Even if they were to offer every ˹possible˺ ransom, none will be accepted from them.”

Also the Quran in other parts has confirmed the friendship of the believers on the last day as compared to disbelievers or kuffar who the verse underlines will have no exchange bargain, no friends and no hope of intercession that day.

“The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except the righteous (who guard against evil).”

Quran: Zukhruf, 43 :67)

3. Allah is the ONLY Waliyy (Protector) and Shafiyy (Intercessor)

4:123-124, 6:51, 6:70, 9:51, 32:4, 39:41-44, 82:18-19. Eg:

Then, what can make you know what is the Day of Recompense? 19. It is the Day when a soul will not possess for another soul [power to do] a thing; and the command, that Day, is [entirely] with Allāh.

Quran 82:18-19

It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded? 

Quran 32:4

4. Allah – the Intercessor, by His grace, permits His specially contracted dedicated agency (Angels) to intercede only for whom He, Al-Shafiyy chooses

2:255, 10:3, 19:85-87, 20:109, 21:25-29, 34:23, 40:7-9, 43:86, 53:26.

The role of this agency who have a covenant with Allah – and whose word is accepted and whose work is by extension Allah’s – is elaborated here:

Those who sustain the Throne (of Allah) and those around it Sing Glory and Praise to their Lord; believe in Him; and implore Forgiveness for those who believe: “Our Lord! Thy Reach is over all things, in Mercy and Knowledge. Forgive, then, those who turn in Repentance, and follow Thy Path; and preserve them from the Penalty of the Blazing Fire! And grant, our Lord! that they enter the Gardens of Eternity, which Thou hast promised to them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their posterity! For Thou art (He), the Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom. And preserve them from (all) ills; and any whom Thou dost preserve from ills that Day,- on them wilt Thou have bestowed Mercy indeed: and that will be truly (for them) the highest Achievement.”

Quran 40:7-9

And even for those with agency (Angels), their role in intercession is yet dictated by Allah, 

How many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession cannot benefit (any one) at all, but after Allah allows (it) for whomsoever He wills and pleases.

Quran 53:26

They (honored Angels) cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command. He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them. They do not intercede except for whom He approves, and they tremble in awe of Him.

Quran 21:27-28

Thus, to be in the midst of the ‘intercession agency,’ the Tahajjud prayers, Muslims wake up to observe in parts of the night and reading Quran at dawn are highly recommended.

Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur’ān [i.e., recitation] of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. 79. And during a part of the night, keep awake by the prayer. It is beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.

Quran 17:78-79

Ash-Shafiyy is not to be confused with another beautiful name from the root, shīn – fā – yaa, and is also not in the common 99-name list, Ash-Shaafee, the Healer. Ash-Shaafee can be studied here.

And Allah knows best.