Does Intercession Cause Faith in Polytheism or Considering a Partner for God?

The confusions about intercession are used as tools for calling Islamic Umma polytheists and heretics.
Perhaps the first confusion some claim about intercession is that it is irrational. This viewpoint comes from the superficial line of thought in some sects in their confrontation with religious concepts, the world of the being, and the verses of the Holy Qur’an. This has made them adopt a superficial style in their attitude toward rational standards as their ideology. Therefore, they criticize Islamic beliefs in such issues as intercession and lash out at the believers and the pious people.

Is intercession rationally a cause of faith in polytheism?

Intercession, conceptually and substantially, is similar to what we seek help from one another in worldly matters as human beings. Seeking help by a man of lower rank from a man of higher rank is a natural and ordinary matter and no man of understanding has ever said seeking help is synonymous with worshipping someone and that, the one from whom help is sought is the object of worship. The issue of intercession is in kind the demand by a sinful and helpless man from a respectable one before God for pardoning of his sins and enjoying Forgiveness of Allah. Just as belief in the existence of causes in the world of creation such as the effect of sunray and rainfall on the growth of plants is not incompatible with the principle of monotheism, such is the case for intercession; this is because the effect of all these causes happen upon the permission of God. Similarly, according to the Sharia Law, the existence of such causes for pardoning and forgiving of sins by beseeching the forgiveness of God has no incompatibility with monotheism, rather, it is an emphasis on the principle of monotheism.

Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi

Other links:

Intercession in the Holy Qur’an

Intercession in the Traditions

Intercession by the Qur’an and Prophet’s Household