The Doctrine of Intercession in the Written Legacy of Shafi'i Sect and Explaining Its Difference from the View of the Takfiri Salafists

Intercession is one of the common beliefs among all Islamic sects, where there only differences among them over the manner of its realization. One of the differences is about the intercession of the Prophet (s) after his demise, which is believed by Takfiri Salafis to be an example of polytheism. The importance of this issue and its damaging consequences for the excommunication of Muslims and increasing divisions makes it necessary to examine this belief in important Islamic sects. This research is designed to clarify the Shafi'i view, as one of the four Sunni jurisprudential sects, about the doctrine of intercession, and was conducted using library-documentary method for data collection and descriptive-analytical method for data processing. An examination of the views of Shafi'i scholars suggests that, contrary to the view of the Takfiri Salafis, seeking intercession from the Prophet (s) after his demise according to Shafi'i view is neither prohibited, nor does it lead to polytheism and heresy. Instead, it is a means of his reverence and one of the definite ways of attracting his intercession to visit the grave of the Prophet (s) and salute him next to his grave.