What Do You Think?

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This is a transcript of a somewhat old online debate between Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and Khalid Zaheer vs. Ali Sina

The PDF file might be easier to read, but I know a lot of people are uncomfortable downloading files from unknown locations so I am going to post it here.
The source pdf file I am using I downloaded from:
http://www.news.faithfreedom.org/downloads/probing-islam.pdf

http://faithfreedom.org

Regardless of if one agrees or disagrees with the statements made there are a lot of interesting points to think about made by both sides.

I am going to try to split the file up into logical sections but there are several sections I know will not copy, for instance where they use actual Arabic text and some of the quote formatting. But I think it will still be readable. At least enough to get an idea of the discussion and decide to down load the pdf or not.

I hope everyone enjoys and learns a little something from this discussion.

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PROBING

ISLAM

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and Khalid Zaheer vs. Ali Sina


© 2007 Permission is granted to translate, publish and distribute this book by any means, except for financial gain.

The file is an extensive and comprehensive debate between Mr. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, one of the world’s top Islamic scholars from Pakistan and Ali Sina, one of the leading critic of Islam and the founder of faithfreedom.org.

This debate was arranged when someone invited Mr. Ghamidi to respond to Ali Sina’s criticisms of Islam. Mr. Ghamidi entered into this debate through his student, Dr. Khalid Zaheer.

An invitation to debate

From: Free Inquirer <religious_inquest@yahoo.com>

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Invitation to a Debate
Sep 4, 2006
During the recent years Islam has become the target of sever criticism and vilification not just by members of other religions but by a growing number of ex-Muslims. The Internet has allowed these critics to come out and speak their minds at an alarming rate. These criticisms have had devastating effect on the minds of the Muslim youths who unable to answer the critics on their own are bewildered that the Islamic scholars also have not come forth with satisfactory answers.
In the interest of unraveling the truth about Islam and clearing the minds of the young Muslims I am formally inviting the Islamic critic Ali Sina and the modern Pakistani 'state appointed' Islamic Scholar Javed Ahmed Ghamidi to engage in a debate on Islam.

ALI SINA
Ali Sina is probably one of the most eminent critics of Islam, an ex-Muslim who renounced Islam after reading the Quran. Ali Sina has managed to create a movement against Islam and has grouped together a group of ex-Muslims who share his opinions on Islam. He has challenged Islamic scholars to disprove the fallacies that he has identified in the Quran and Hadith.

JAVED AHMAD GHAMIDI
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi is a respected Islamic Scholar who has been recently appointed by the Pakistani Government to help facilitate the government in 'modern' interpretation of Islam and to do Ijtehad for the development of a cosmopolitan modern Islamic Society. Javed Ghamidi has been under the tutelage of Amin Ehsan Islahi and idealizes the writings of his teacher with utmost reverence. Initially expelled from Jamaat e Islami due to some difference with the party's founder Maududi, Ghamidi has managed to develop a restricted following of his own. He has been actively involved in the government's initiative to revamp and restructure Islamic Ordinances in Pakistan like Hudood Ordinance and Zina Ordinance. He is also the president of the Al Mawrid Institute based in Lahore. Javed Ghamidi also enjoys a good company of his students who teach in various places in Pakistan. Most notable are Moiz Amjad, Asif Iftikhar, Khalid Zaheer & others...Mr. Ghamidi operates through a network of Danish Saras across Pakistan and has some major Islamic Sites to his credit. He also publishes various magazines in Urdu and English like Ishraq and Renaissance.

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The Challenge to a Debate

This is an invitation to Ali Sina and Javed Ahmed Ghamidi to debate on the validity of claims made by Islam and whether Islam is a true religion.

Both parties are invited to provide answers to each other's arguments.
. • Both sides have to accept this invitation
. • The debate will be conducted over emails and will be published on the Faith Freedom International Website for the benefit of common public.
. • The points on which the debate shall be done will be agreed upon first by the two parties to ensure that the core issue is addressed properly. However it is preferable that Ali Sina's arguments be thoroughly studied on http://www.faithfreedom.org /challenge.htm to restrict the debate only to main points of disagreement.
. • Complete references should be given by both parties to support their arguments for the benefit of the reader
. • Any other points on which both sides would like to agree upon


The debate is subjected to acceptance on both sides. Failure of acceptance of the debate on any one side shall be deemed as a failure to provide a logical and truthful response to support one's ideas / ideology

Dear Free Enquirer
I published your invitation to announce my acceptance to debate with Mr. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. It would be an honor to discus important points of disagreement on Islam with such an eminent scholar. Please inform Mr. Ghamidi that I look forward to meet him virtually.
I have given countless proofs that Islam is not a true religion. Mr. Ghamidi is invited to disprove any of my claims, or if he prefers, he could give one single irrefutable proof that Islam is indeed a true religion sent by God.
In either case, should Mr. Ghamidi disprove any of my charges against Muhammad and Islam or provide a single irrefutable proof that Islam is from God, I promise to publicly acknowledge that I have been mistaken and remove this site permanently. Furthermore I am offering $50,000 US dollars reward to anyone who can show Islam is a true religion or at least my charges against Muhammad are unfounded.
Greetings
Ali Sina

I am glad to inform the dear readers of FFI that Mr. Ghamidi has expressed his readiness to discuss Islam with me. I would like to thank Free Inquirer for making this debate possible and for inviting Mr. Ghamidi and myself to take part in this informative and educational debate. I trust this would be a very fruitful discussion. I read some of Mr. Ghamidi's articles and he has made a very positive impression on me. He is one of Pakistan's most respected scholars and I am honored that despite his busy schedule, he has accepted this invitation. Mr. Ghamidi is a man of peace and a moderate Muslim. Here is the letter of acceptance that I received from his office
Ali Sina.
From: "khalid zaheer" <kzaheer_lums@hotmail.com> To: religious_inquest@yahoo.com Subject: Mr Ghamidi's Response Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006

Dear Free Inquirer
Thank you very much for taking interest in arranging a dialogue between Mr. Ghamidi and Mr Ali Sina.
First of all, we would like you to correct this fact: Mr Javed Ahmad Ghamidi has not been appointed by the Government of Pakistan to help it in interpreting Islam in a modern way. Mr. Ghamidi was asked by the President of Pakistan to be a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology, which is a constitutional body that suggests responses to various issues confronting the people of Pakistan in the interpretation of the message of Islam. He accepted that offer in the spirit of informing the rulers about what he thinks is the right understanding of Islam quite the same way as he has been informing people about it in the last 35 years.

We welcome the initiative you have taken to enable Mr. Ali Sina to ask Mr. Ghamidi questions about of Islam that create doubts in his mind about the truthfulness of the claim that it is a message from God. Mr. Ghamidi has been performing this task for the last three-and-a-half decades and there is no reason why we wouldn't want to share our research with a person like Mr. Sina. However, what he doesn't want to do is to engage in a polemic which results in a senseless competition of rhetoric wherein the contestants are in reality playing a game in the garb of an academic debate. The difference between a polemic and a serious academic exchange is that while the one is a fiercely contested debate with a clear objective to not understand and accept what is true but to defeat the opposing party, while the other engages both parties in a serious exchange of views with a view to know and acknowledge what the truth is. The participants are close-minded in the case of the former and open to truth in the case of the latter. Mr. Ghamidi hates the former and welcomes the latter.

Finally, before starting this process, we would like Mr. Sina to have a look at the attached pages which outline the basic approach Ghamidi Sb follows in forming his religious opinions. It is important that the sources of information he thinks are original for Islamic learning and therefore are the basis of his research should first be understood to preclude any possibility that Mr. Sina demands from him explanation of information and concepts that Mr. Ghamidi thinks do not belong to the original message of Islam.

After Mr. Sina has gone through this message along with the attached outline of Mr. Ghamidi's approach to understanding the message of Islam, we would welcome suggestions from your side to convert this opportunity into a meaningful dialogue.

Khalid Zaheer
(This message has been written in consultation with Mr Ghamidi.)
http://www.khalidzaheer.com/about.html

Dr Khalid Zaheer is an associate professor of Islamic Studies and Ethics at Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS). He has a teaching experience of more than 16 years. Prior to joining LUMS, he taught at IBA and Punjab University for 12 years as a permanent faculty member. He has also taught at various other educational institutions in Lahore. Dr. Zaheer delivers lectures in Pakistan Administrative Staff College, National Institute of Public Administration, Pakistan Audit and Accounts Training Institute, and Lahore School of Economics. Dr Zaheer's PhD dissertation focused on Interest-Free Banking. His areas of interest are Islamic banking and application of Islamic principles in contemporary business environment. He is a member of the task force constituted by the Ministry of Finance to propose measures to convert government domestic borrowing into project-related financing according to Shariah injunctions. He is also a member of the Board of Management of the Pakistan Baitul Mal. He regularly contributes articles to the monthly Renaissance, a leading religious English journal of the country. Dr. Zaheer has appeared in many television programs and has also given sermons at mosques.

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Part I

Ali Sina's response:
2006/09/16

Dear Mr. Khalid Zaheer:
I am glad and honored that Mr. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi has accepted the invitation of Free Inquirer to debate with me. I am also pleased that you have agreed to share your knowledge with us and respond to my questions. Unfortunately most Muslim scholars are not as open-minded as your good self and Mr. Ghamidi. They seem to have boycotted me and prefer to ignore me. The truth is that the questions that I have raised are making the public - both Muslim and non-Muslim - talk. The reluctance of Muslim scholars to respond to my questions reflects poorly on them and also on Islam. Therefore it is heartening to find a real scholar who is confident enough to not shirk from confronting a "renegade" apostate like yours truly.
You also emphasized on the futility of engaging in "a polemic which results in a senseless competition of rhetoric wherein the contestants are in reality playing a game in the garb of an academic debate." I cannot agree more and let me add that I admire your positive attitude and your commitment to the truth. This is indeed a rare quality and it speaks volumes about your, and Mr. Ghamidi's integrity as true scholars. Our goal, as you stated, should be to unravel the truth and not to childishly try to win the argument at any cost. Since this debate/dialogue will be posted on the Internet for everyone to see, I am sure our readers do not expect anything less from either one of us. An immature behavior would be tantamount to shooting ourselves in the foot.
When the objective is to find the truth, talking about "defeating the other party" is puerile. How can one be defeated when at the end of the debate truth triumphs and we all learn something? The triumph of the truth means victory for everyone. The one who learns more is the bigger winner and it is in this sense alone that I hope to be a winner. Only those who have inflated egos will feel defeated once proven wrong. I was born ignorant and still I am to a great extent. I learned everything I know from others. I am not ashamed for being ignorant. It is haughtiness, condescendence and obstinacy that are shameful. You know better than me that ego acts as a veil to enlightenment and understanding.
To know that you don't know is the foundation of all wisdom. Willing to doubt what you know is the virtue of the sage. Haughtiness and arrogance are the traits of the fool.
Since we both are after the truth, I am sure this discussion will a win/win for both of us and also for our readers.
I read the page you sent me as attachment and I fully agree with its content. Let me assure you that I am not going to present any argument that is not in the Quran, the Sahih Hadith (Bukhari, Muslim, Sunan Abu-Dawud) and the Sira (Ibn Ishaq, Tabari, Ibn Sa'd) as evidence. I may quote Muslims scholars to make an example but our discussion will be only on the above-mentioned sources.

Let us begin without further ado.
I will address now Mr. Ghamidi. I will start with less contentious subjects and move on to more difficult ones. My first question is about intercession.
Dear Mr. Ghamidi; In your book Al Bayan you have made it clear that intercession, as believed by many Muslims, is a myth. You quoted the following verses of the Quran to back up your claim:
"[A reward] from the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them; the most Gracious - there is no one who has the authority to speak on His behalf. On the Day when Gabriel and the angels will stand arrayed [before Him]. [The Day] when only they will speak whom the most Gracious allows and who speak the truth."
(78:37-38)
In the footnote you wrote the following explanation: "This and the next two verses strongly negate the philosophy of mediation and intercession. The angels whom the polytheists believe to be their intercessors will themselves respectfully stand before the Almighty on the Day of Judgement. No one will have the position to speak on behalf of the Almighty. Only they will speak whom the Almighty permits and they too will not be able to utter anything false." 1
You also quoted verse 2:48:
1 http://www.renaissance.com.pk/seocqur97.html
And guard yourselves against the day when no soul shall be of use to another in anyway and no intercession shall be accepted and no compensation be taken from it and nor will people be helped.
Then you commented: "There is a negation of three things in this verse: intercession, compensation and help. However, this is just the negation of the outcome: actually the negation is of the existence of someone who can intercede, compensate or help. In other words, what is implied is that on that day there will be no intercession, compensation and help because there will be no person who would do these." 2
This sounds reasonable to me. In fact there are many verses in the Quran that confirm what you said. Here are a few:
O children of Israel, call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations. And be on your guard against a day when NO SOUL shall avail ANOTHER in the least neither shall any compensation be accepted from it, nor shall intercession profit it, nor shall they be helped.
(2:122-123)
O you who believe! Spend out of what We have given you before the day comes in which there is no bargaining, neither any friendship nor intercession. (2:254)
Whosoever works evil, will be requited accordingly. Nor will he find, besides God, any protector or helper. (4:123)
And warn with it those who fear that they shall be gathered to their Lord - there is no guardian for them, nor any intercessor besides Him - that they may guard (against evil).
(6:51)
Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But proclaim (to them) this (truth): that every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts: it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except Allah: if it offered every ransom, (or
2 http://www.renaissance.com.pk/MayResearCmp2y4.html
reparation), none will be accepted: such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts. (6:70)
Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, in six Days. Then He mounted the Throne. Ye have not, beside Him, a protecting friend or mediator. Will ye not then remember? (32:4) 3
The fact that Muhammad has no power to save anyone from Hellfire is clearly stated in the verse: (39:19)
Is he on whom the word of doom is fulfilled (to be helped), and canst thou (O Muhammad) rescue him who is in the Fire? (Pickthal)
This point seems to be clear enough! Or is it?
Amazingly, despite all these verses, many Muslims believe that Muhammad has the power to intercede for them in front of Allah and save them from the Fire on the Day of Judgment. Ukasha Al-Tayyibi has written a book to prove this very point. He writes:
"On the Day of Judgment Prophet Muhammad (SAW) will be the only prophet who will be granted permission to intercede to save mankind from the terrors of awaiting judgment on the Day of Rising.
[We] must not fail to understand that matters which are great and insignificant, large or small, are preordained confirmed in the knowledge of Allah. Surely Allah mighty has decreed and determined the states of the [in]tercessor, and for whom he intercedes.
Or has taken an analytical approach to prove that [int]ercession can only be granted by Allah's permission, [t]hat Prophet Muhammad (SAW) will intercede for mankind at five various levels, i.e. from the crossing of the Sirat to the height of peoples rank within the garden of paradise.
Each chapter has been carefully researched and examined according to the Quran and Hadith and by reading this book Muslims and non-Muslims alike will
3 See also: 39:43-44, 82:18-19, 17:56-57
have a greater and clearer understanding on the meaning of intercession and what it entails." 4
As you see, Ukasha Al-Tayyibi claims that his book is based on the Quran and Hadith. I have not read his book but I have found many Quranic verses as well as Hadiths that ratify his claim. I will quote a few and I am sure you'll find more proofs in his book.

The Quran:
Who is there can intercede in His [Allah's] presence except as He permitteth? (2:255)
This verse seems to imply that there is at least one person who can intercede with Allah. Let us see if there are more verses confirming this point.

No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave (hath been obtained). (10:3)
On the day when We shall gather the righteous unto the Beneficent, a goodly company. And drive the guilty unto hell, a weary herd, they will have no power of intercession, save him who hath made a covenant with his Lord. 19:85-87

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 We [1st person plural] did not send before you any messenger but We revealed to him that there is no god but Me, [1st person singular] therefore serve Me. And they say: The Beneficent Allah has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him.[3rd person singular] Nay! they are honored servants They do not precede Him in speech and (only) according to His commandment do they act. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves and for fear of Him they tremble. And whoever of them should say: Surely I am a god
4 http://www.simplyislam.com/iteminfo.asp?Item=52473
besides Him, such a one do We recompense with hell; thus do, We recompense the unjust. (21:25-29)
No intercession can avail in His Presence, except for those for whom He has granted permission. So far (is this the case) that, when terror is removed from their hearts (at the Day of Judgment, then) will they say, 'what is it that your Lord commanded?' they will say, 'That which is true and just; and He is the Most High Most Great'. (34:23) 5
Verses 43:86 and 53:26 also tell us that no one can intercede with Allah except those whom Allah pleases.
In the above verses we get the confirmation that someone is capable to intercede with Allah.
I also highlighted the pronouns. We see sometimes Allah refers to himself in third person singular, (He) then shifts to first person plural (We) and sometimes to first person singular (I and Me). Will you please explain this unorthodox way of speech? It appears that these are Muhammad's Freudian slips of tongue. It is as if the Prophet keeps forgetting that the Quran is supposed to be the word of Allah and Allah should not allude to himself in 3rd person. We can find this error in the entire Quran. I hope you will give some explanation to this conundrum as well. Is the Quran really the word of God or that of the illiterate Muhammad?
Anyway, let us continue with our main discussion. The following verses are interesting because Muhammad actually starts interceding with Allah for his followers right away even before the Judgment Day.
Those who sustain the Throne (of Allah) and those around it sing Glory and Praise to their Lord; believe in Him; and implore forgiveness for those who believe: "Our Lord! Thy Reach is over all things, in Mercy and Knowledge. Forgive, then, [Now this is clearly Muhammad supplicating to Allah] those who turn in Repentance, and follow Thy Path; and preserve them from the Penalty of the Blazing Fire! And grant, our Lord! that they enter the Gardens of Eternity, which Thou hast promised to them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their posterity! For
5 see also 2:254 - 255
Thou art, the Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom. And preserve them from (all) ills; and any whom Thou dost preserve from ills that Day,- on them wilt Thou have bestowed Mercy indeed: and that will be truly (for them) the highest Achievement." 40:7-9.
These verses surly can't be the words of Allah. If they are the words of Allah, whom is Allah supplicating to? If they are the words of Muhammad, a) why they are in the Quran, and b) don't they contradict 2:48, 2:122-123, 2:254, 4:123, 6:5, 6:70, 39:43-44, 82:18-19, 17:56-57 discussed above?

The Hadith
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: The Prophet said, "A man keeps on asking others for something till he comes on the Day of Resurrection without any piece of flesh on his face." The Prophet added, "On the Day of Resurrection, the Sun will come near (to, the people) to such an extent that the sweat will reach up to the middle of the ears, so, when all the people are in that state, they will ask Adam for help, and then Moses, and then Muhammad (p.b.u.h)." The sub-narrator added "Muhammad will intercede with Allah to judge amongst the people. He will proceed on till he will hold the ring of the door (of Paradise)
and then Allah will exalt him to Maqam Mahmud (the privilege of intercession, etc.). And all the people of the gathering will send their praises to Allah. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 24, Number 553)
This Hadith sounds absurd. The sun coming down to scorch people and they sweat so much to get drowned in their own sweat is surly an art work of imaginative power. But that is not my point. The point I want to make is that this Hadith also states that someone very special has the power to intercede with Allah and make him revise his plans. I wonder who that person might be! Let us find out.
The Prophet added, "Then the prophets and Angels and the believers will intercede, and (last of all) the Almighty (Allah) will say, 'Now remains My Intercession.' He will then hold a handful of the Fire from which He will take out some people whose bodies have been burnt, and they will be thrown into a river at the entrance of Paradise, called the water of life ...6
This hadith makes one to think that Allah is interceding himself. Isn't that an absurdity? Unless Allah has some sort of mental disorder such as schizophrenia, making him talk to himself, pleading with himself to do what he wants to do, the above hadith makes no sense at all. Now, let us see who else beside Allah is given the power of intercession.
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "For every Prophet there is one invocation which is definitely fulfilled by Allah, and I wish, if Allah will, to keep my that (special) invocation as to be the intercession for my followers on the Day of Resurrection."7
Wait a minute! Here Muhammad is wishing to become the intercessor for his followers. But didn't you say that no one can intercede with Allah and that his decisions are irreversible? Oh well, I wish to become a billionaire. There is nothing wrong in wishful thinking. After all you think Islam can be a moderate religion. Isn't that a wishful thinking? It does not mean all the wishes are going to be fulfilled. But it looks like Muhammad thought that his wish is already fulfilled. See the following hadith:
Narrated Ma'bad bin Hilal Al'Anzi: We, i.e., some people from Basra gathered and went to Anas bin Malik, and we went in company with Thabit Al-Bunnani so that he might ask him about the Hadith of Intercession on our behalf. Behold, Anas was in his palace, and our arrival coincided with his Duha prayer. We asked permission to enter and he admitted us while he was sitting on his bed. We said to Thabit, "Do not ask him about anything else first but the Hadith of Intercession." He said, "O Abu Hamza! There are your brethren from Basra coming to ask you about the Hadith of Intercession." Anas then said, "Muhammad talked to us saying, 'On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge with each other like waves, and then they will come to Adam and say, 'Please intercede for us with your Lord.' He will say, 'I am not fit for that but you'd better go to Abraham as he is the Khalil of the Beneficent.' They will go to Abraham and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Moses as
6 Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 532s 7 Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 566
he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly.' So they will go to Moses and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Jesus as he is a soul created by Allah and His Word.' (Be: And it was) they will go to Jesus and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Muhammad.'
They would come to me and I would say, 'I am for that.' Then I will ask for my Lord's permission, and it will be given, and then He will inspire me to praise Him with such praises as I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down, prostrate before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for your will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' And then it will be said, 'Go and take out of Hell (Fire) all those who have faith in their hearts, equal to the weight of a barley grain.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down (prostrate) before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' It will be said, 'Go and take out of it all those who have faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a small ant or a mustard seed.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down in prostration before Him. It will be said, 'O, Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers!' Then He will say, 'Go and take out (all those) in whose hearts there is faith even to the lightest, lightest mustard seed. (Take them) out of the Fire.' I will go and do so."
When we left Anas, I said to some of my companions, "Let's pass by Al-Hasan who is hiding himself in the house of Abi Khalifa and request him to tell us what Anas bin Malik has told us." So we went to him and we greeted him and he admitted us. We said to him, "O Abu Said! We came to you from your brother Anas Bin Malik and he related to us a Hadith about the intercession the like of which I have never heard." He said, "What is that?" Then we told him of the Hadith and said, "He stopped at this point (of the Hadith)." He said, "What then?" We said, "He did not add anything to that." He said, Anas related the Hadith to me twenty years ago when he was a young fellow. I don't know whether he forgot or if he did not like to let you depend on what he might have said." We said, "O Abu Said! Let us know that." He smiled and said, "Man was created hasty. I did not mention that, but that I wanted to inform you of it.
Anas told me the same as he told you and said that the Prophet added, 'I then return for a fourth time and praise Him similarly and prostrate before Him me the same as he 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for you will be granted (your request): and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, allow me to intercede for whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshiped except Allah.' Then Allah will say, 'By my Power, and my Majesty, and by My Supremacy, and by My Greatness, I will take out of Hell (Fire) whoever said: 'None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.'" 8
This sahih hadith, not only contradicts your claim that there are no intercessors with Allah it is actually a very ridiculous story. Muhammad here is portraying the entire Divine system as a big joke. This story sounds naive. Should really, you and I, in this age of enlightenment read such tales and believe in them? In this hadith Muhammad is predicting what people would do in the Day of Judgment, how they will run to various prophets and how these poor fellows (the prophets) would feel helpless to intercede on their behalf until our hero, Muhammad, would valiantly go to the fearsome Wizard of this Universe to ask forgiveness for his followers and Allah grants all his wishes. All Muslims will be eventually forgiven, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Khomeini, mass murderers and terrorists will all be saved from Hellfire by Muhammad, as long as they had a small amount of faith in him. The unbelievers will of course be left to burn in Hell for eternity because they had the trepidation to use their brain and not accept things that made no sense to them. I like how Muhammad bargains with Allah going back and forth and each time he gets a little more concession. How can one not be grateful to this hard working and kinder than God prophet?
8 Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 601
Now, this story has not yet happened. It will happen on the Day of Judgment. But Muhammad already knew exactly how it is going to happen and what Allah is going to do and say on that Day. It sounds goofy but it makes a fine children's story.
The absurdity of this tale is beyond description. What Muhammad is trying to say is that it really does not matter how much crime you commit, the Heaven is a hanky panky place and if you just believe in me and become my follower, I will pull some strings with Allah and rescue you from the Hellfire. Your actions are secondary. You could be a murderer, a rapist, a thief, a pedophile, etc. you will be still forgiven if you just accept me as the prophet of God. Just have an itsy bitsy blind faith in me and I will save you from Fire.
And I thought the purpose of God in sending prophets was to teach people how to live righteously and not to sin. How silly of me! Now I know that all that we must do to go to paradise is to have a little faith in Muhammad. Our conduct is not that important. Actually, many Muslims happily live by this dictum. They commit all sorts of perversities and sins and yet they have strong faith in Islam and Muhammad to the extent that they would happily slit the throat of anyone who slights Islam. That is the extent of their religiosity.
Abul Husain Muslim also reports a few hadiths that support the claim that Muhammad will be the sole intercessor with Allah on the Day of Judgment, who would be sitting on the right hand of Allah advising him how to run his business, whom to punish and whom to reward.
It is reported on the authority of Abu Zubair that he heard from Jabir b. 'Abdullah, who was asked about the arrival (of people on the Day of Resurrection). He said. We would come on the Day of Resurrection like this, like this, and see, carefully, that which concerns "elevated people". He (the narrator) said: Then the people would be summoned along with their idols whom they worshipped, one after another. Then our Lord would come to us and say: Whom are you waiting for? They would say: We are waiting for our Lord. He would say: I am your Lord. They would say: (We are not sure) till we gaze at Thee, and He would manifest Himself to them smilingly, and would go along with them and they would follow Him; and every person, whether a hypocrite or a believer, would be endowed with a light, and there would be spikes and hooks on the bridge of the Hell, which would catch hold of those whom Allah willed. Then the light of the hypocrites would be extinguished, and the