Does Jesus have the power of intercession?

Question

It is known in the Qur'an that "none will have [power of] intercession except he who had taken from the Most Merciful a covenant," however it is not so clear on exactly who has taken such a covenant and thus who exactly has the rights of intercession. It is well-established (at least in Sunni circles) that Muhammad himself has such authority.

The intercession of Christ is a major doctrine in Christianity, with significant biblical support. However, while most Islamic scholarship I've read on the topic of shafa'a focuses (obviously) on the intercession of Muhammad, I've seen little if anything on the Islamic view regarding Jesus.

Does this right of shafa'a also apply to Jesus? As in, does Jesus have the right and authority to intercede on our behalf, in the same manner that Muhammad does?

Answer 1

Yes of course, many believers will find the opportunity to do the intercession, but as your question is specific about Jesus --peace be upon him-- let me here focus on him. It seems that one can even claim that Qur’an addresses this issue particularly about Jesus the Christ --peace be upon him-- when Allah says:

وَتَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ / وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And blessed is He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all between them: with Him is the Knowledge of the Hour (of Judgment): and to Him shall ye be brought back. / And those whom they invoke besides Allah have no power of intercession;- only he who bears witness to the Truth, and they know (him). [43:85,86]

And you know the Christians invokes him beside Allah (anyway, treat him like a god, an aspect of the one God or a begotten god or etc.), and in this verse Allah rejects the possibility that any of such fake gods can ever find a position in the view of Allah that will be allowed to plead in the Day, except for some specific characters that were taken as god and divine while themselves were innocent of their people's blasphemy of joining them with Him! However, note that the intercession of Christ --peace be upon him-- will not reach those who think of him as divine as for such people there is no intercession allowed:

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يُبْلِسُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ / وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُم مِّن شُرَكَائِهِمْ شُفَعَاءُ وَكَانُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ

On the Day that the Hour will be established, the guilty will be struck dumb with despair. / No intercessor will they have among their "Partners" and they will (themselves) reject their "Partners". [30:12,13]

And this is also clear about the following verse which restrict the intercession to those whose talking is acceptable by Allah:

يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَرَضِيَ لَهُ قَوْلًا

On that Day shall no intercession avail except for those for whom permission has been granted by (Allah) Most Gracious and whose word is acceptable to Him. [20:109]

And clearly pleading for the sake of Mushrikun is not acceptable by Allah so Jesus will not do that as well:

وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْآزِفَةِ إِذِ الْقُلُوبُ لَدَى الْحَنَاجِرِ كَاظِمِينَ ۚ مَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ

Warn them of the Day that is (ever) drawing near, when the hearts will (come) right up to the throats to choke (them); No intimate friend nor intercessor will the wrong-doers have, who could be listened to. [40:18]

Answer 2

Muhammad ﷺ will be the first to intercede and will have certain honors regarding it which are unique to him. However other prophets as well as non-prophets will also be able to intercede.

The following ahadith establish that after Muhammad ﷺ the other prophets will intercede, and Jesus عليه السلام is a prophet and so is included among them. These ahadith also establish that non-prophets like the martyrs and righteous people will be able to intercede, and Jesus عليه السلام is superior to them - anything which is proven for a lower rank is also applicable to those of a higher rank. So there is no reason to think that he will not be allowed to intercede.

فيقول الله عز وجل شفعت الملائكة وشفع النبيون وشفع المؤمنون ولم يبق إلا أرحم الراحمين فيقبض قبضة من النار فيخرج منها قوما لم يعملوا خيرا قط

Allah will say: 'The angels have interceded, the prophets have interceded, and the righteous believers have interceded and there is no one left (to intercede) but the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.' Then He will take a handful from Hell, and will bring out people who never did any good.

^{— Muslim}

ثم يقال ادعوا الصديقين فيشفعون ثم يقال ادعوا الأنبياء قال فيجيء النبي ومعه العصابة والنبي ومعه الخمسة والستة والنبي وليس معه أحد ثم يقال ادعوا الشهداء فيشفعون لمن أرادوا

Then it will be said: Call the Siddeeq's so that they might intercede. Then it will be said: Call the Prophets [so that they might intercede]. So one Prophet will come with a group, and another Prophet will come with five or six people, and another Prophet will come with nobody. Then it will be said: Call the martyrs so that they might intercede for whoever they want.

^{— Musnad Ahmad}

ثم يؤذن للملائكة والنبيين والشهداء أن يشفعوا فيشفعون ويخرجون ويشفعون ويخرجون من كان في قلبه ما يزن ذرة من إيمان

Then the angels, prophets and martyrs will be given permission to intercede. They will intercede and rescue anyone who has faith equal to the weight of a grain.

^{— Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah}

Note that intercession is only in the favor of believers, and there are several verses in the Quran which negate the disbelievers receiving the benefit of intercession.