Surah Al-Nisâ’ 4:85

مَّن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُن لَّهُ نَصِيبٌ مِّنْهَا ۖ وَمَن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُن لَّهُ كِفْلٌ مِّنْهَا ۗ

4:85 Yashfa‘u يَشْفَعْ and Shafâ‘atشَفَاعَةً are derived from the same root shafa‘a شْفَع, which means to make even that which was odd, protect, mediate, intercede, or be an intercessor. Shafâ‘at شَفَاعَةً here means interceding or praying for a person that he may be shown favour. As he is connected with the intercessor, it also implies that the petitioner or intercessor is a person of higher position than the one for whom he pleads and has a deep connection with the person for whom he intercedes (Râghib, Lisân). Shafâ‘atalso means increase and “give in surplus or excess” (Mubarrad, Tha‘lab). Mann yashf‘a shafâ‘atan مَن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً means “He who joins with others and assists in doing good or evil and thus aids and strengthens, and partakes the benefits or the harms of it” (4:85). In this verse shafâ‘at has twofold significance: first, it enables a person to walk in the ways of righteousness by imitating a model; and second, it affords him a shelter from the evil consequences of weaknesses he cannot overcome by himself and which require the prayer and support of a holy and innocent person (شَفَاعَةً حَسَنَةًshafâ‘a hasana). The person in whose favour shafâ‘at is sought must generally be a good person who has made an honest effort to win the pleasure of Allâh (21:28). Once one has fallen into sin in a moment of weakness, shafâ‘atè can be made, however only with Allâh’s express permission (2:255; 10:3).It is another form of repentance or taubah توبة. Taubah signifies reforming a broken connection or tightening up a loose one. Whereas the door of repentance becomes closed with death, the door of shafâ‘at èشَفَاعَةً remains open. The second form is shafâ‘at sayy’ah شَفَاعَةً سَيِّئَةً, which is to intercede for a wrongful cause.