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for the beneficiary of intercession, the intercessor can intercede. Hence, all
reality of Shafāʿah takes place. those who are allowed to intercede are
Considering the spirit of the meaning primarily permitted him, who in turn is
of Shafāʿah in light of its religious permitted by the Essence of God. In
context, it can be classified into two universal terms, he is the primary
fundamental kinds: al-Shafāʿah al- intermediary, who attracts benefit and
Takwīnīyyah (ontological intercession) repels harm in the entire realm of
and al-Shafāʿah al-Tashrīʿīyyah creation. In this way, he is reckoned to
(legislative intercession) (Ṭabāṭabāʾī, possess the station of al-Shafāʿah al-
1970, Vol. 1, p. 171; Vol. 2, p. 333). Kubrā (major intercession).
Both these kinds of intercession have Ibn ʿArabī has alluded to this lofty
been mentioned in the Holy Quran. Our prophetic station in his works with terms
emphasis in this section, however, is on such as mastership of the children of
ontological intercession, which in reality Adam in the opening of the gate of
is the crux of both kinds of intercession. intercession (Qayṣarī,1996, p. 468). In
This is because, without it, no kind of other words, he is the primary sovereign
intercession can take place. Every change over the children of Adam in the
that happens in all the strata of existence ontological sense. This is because he is
takes place with the permission of the at the pinnacle of perfection and resides
Principal Controller, who is God. For this to use the well-known metaphoric
very reason, all intercession is attributed expression in the village of ‘Abbadan,
solely to Him. In the words of the Quran, beyond which there is no higher abode.
“Say: to Allah belongs all intercession” Here is the domain of Divine
(The Quran, 39: 44). Comprehensive Mercy and the Origin of
3.1. The Intercession of the Perfect all power, control, and influence. This
Human Being station is also known as the station of
Since the perfect Human being is united al-Wasīlah (Ibn ʿArabī, 1997, Vol. 2, p.
with the First Self-Disclosure of God, 87; Baqli, 2008, Vol. 2, p .368), which
which, as we learned earlier, is the the Holy Prophet sought through the
single intermediary of all grace, only he prayers of his followers (Ibn ʿArabī,
is the primary Shafi‘ (intercessor) and it 1997, Vol. 4, p. 404). He is reported to
is only by him that intercession have said, “When you pray to Allah for
fundamentally transpires. Therefore, it something, ask Him to bestow me [with
is through him that the sinful are the station of] al-Wasīlah” (Fayḍ
forgiven and through him that the Kāshāni, 2004: 384).
faithful attain heights of perfection. It is
also through him that every secondary
